Service Life Prediction of Bagasse ash Blended Concrete in Marine Splash Zone

Abstract

Supplementary cementitious materials are commonly used in concrete due to their superior performance such as higher strength and low heat of hydration when compared to ordinary Portland concrete. In addition to pozzolanic benefits, utilization of these materials leads to durable and sustainable concrete. Although several pozzolanic materials are available including industrial by-products for use in concrete, their utilization is considerably restricted due to inadequate performance evaluation in concrete. Sugarcane bagasse ash is a by-product from the sugar industries that is directly disposed as a waste material which leads to significant environmental degradation. Pozzolanic characteristics of sugarcane bagasse ash have been evidently reported in the previous research studies. However, durability of bagasse ash blended concrete and its service life prediction are not reported in the existing literature. In the study, sugarcane bagasse ash was processed based on appropriate characterization scheme and bagasse ash blended cements were produced. Permeability of bagasse ash blended concrete was investigated and compared with Portland cement concrete and fly ash blended concrete. Moreover, influence of cover depth on service life of concrete structure was investigated. Results of accelerated durability test were correlated with the parameters influencing the long term performance of the concrete. The service life of bagasse ash concrete structures was found to be higher than the ordinary concrete structure in the same exposure conditions.