Sustainable and Cost‐Effective Concrete by Potential Uses of Sugarcane Bagasse Ash as a Supplement to Cementitious Materials

Concrete is by far the most widely utilized construction material due to its excellent mechanical and durability properties. However, the concrete industries are notorious for their anthropogenic activities that contribute to climate change. Cement production alone consumes immense amounts of energy and trails a significant CO2 footprint. One solution that researchers have deemed promising over the last couple of decades is the substitution of cement with agricultural waste products, which subsequently serves to alleviate waste disposal problems. This study investigates the suitability of spent bleaching earth (SBE) and sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) as partial replacement of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in increments of 0, 5, 10 and 15% by mass. Tests were conducted in accordance to British Standards to assess the consistence, compressive strength, split tensile strength and drying shrinkage strain of SBE and SCBA based concretes. Results indicated that while these concretes displayed similar degrees of consistency, the SCBA concretes exhibited superior compressive and tensile strengths. Optimum SCBA dosages were revealed to be about 5-10%, yielding a 7-12% and 3-8% increase in compressive and tensile strengths, respectively, as compared to OPC concrete. Drying shrinkage behavior was also improved in the SCBA concretes. Further, comparisons of the mechanical and durability performances of the concretes with British and American codes suggest that up to 10% replacement of cement with SCBA may be a viable approach to developing sustainable materials for the concrete industry.

Backbone of India’s economy is agriculture. Major commodities which contribute to agriculture include sugar and alcohol. Sugar production process produces bagasse as a waste residue, which is used as fuel for boilers that produce steam for electricity generation. After burning the bagasse in boiler, the residual sugar cane bagasse ash (SCBA) is used as soil fertilizer, filling material, etc., but mostly dumped as land waste. The present study is an approach to increase the utilization of SCBA and to conserve scarcely available natural sand and energy-intensive cement. This research aims to study the feasibility incorporation of SCBA from the same source of size less than 90 microns as a replacement for ordinary portland cement (OPC) and those of size greater than 150 microns as fine aggregate (FA) replacement in cement mortar. For detailed analysis, the ash samples were subjected to field emission scanning electron microscopy (Fe-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrometer, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer and sieve analysis. Mortars with SCBA as OPC and FA replacement were casted separately, and mechanical tests were carried out. The results indicated that the SCBA samples showed physical properties similar to those of OPC and FA. Relationship between cube and cylinder compressive strength was also derived. Relationship between compressive strength and water-to-binder (W/B) ratio is derived and compared with previous empirical studies. The blended mortars produced with SCBA in place of OPC and FA showed enhanced mechanical results compared to that of reference samples.

Concrete is an important material used in all kind of building construction and ordinary Portland cement (OPC) is one of an important element in the production of concrete. However, the production of cement causes a problem because of high CO 2 emission to atmosphere. The manufacture of 1 tonnes of cement would produce approximately released 1 tonnes of CO 2 . So, the need to search another material that can replace a cement with same properties and environmental friendly are crucial. The suitable material to replace cement has to be a pozzolanic materials. This is because pozzolanic materials has cementitious properties and high silica content. Palm oil fuel ash (POFA) and sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) are the material that suitable to replace cement because of high silica content. The use of POFA and SCBA in concrete has been studied by many researcher and it has been proved to improve the mechanical strength of the concrete either in normal concrete, high strength concrete or lightweight concrete. This paper would discuss the overview of the previous study on the cement replacement by POFA and SCBA and the potential of the both materials to be mix together to improve its properties. The chemical element which will be the focus point is SiO 4 , MgO, CaO and SO 3 , while the physical and mechanical properties such as workability, specific gravity, compressive strength and tensile strength will also be reviewed.

This study investigates the use of Sugarcane Bagasse Ash (SCBA) as a partial replacement for Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) in stabilizing lateritic soil for Compressed Earth Bricks (CEB) production. Materials used were locally sourced materials and they include OPC, laterite, and SCBA. SCBA was obtained by controlled combustion of sugarcane residue and was characterized through particle size analysis and X-ray fluorescence to confirm its pozzolanic properties. The laterite was tested for suitability using sedimentation, specific gravity, Atterberg limits, bulk density, and sieve analysis. Bricks were produced with 2%, 6%, and 8% stabilization levels using cement-only and cement + SCBA blends. Standard tests, including compressive strength and water absorption, were conducted at 7, 14, and 28 days of curing. Results show that compressive strength increased with both curing time and stabilizer content. At 28 days, bricks stabilized with 8% cement + SCBA achieved 4.11 N/mm² compared to 4.64 N/mm² for cement-only bricks, indicating that SCBA contributed significantly to strength development over time. SCBA enhanced bricks consistently demonstrated lower water absorption values, enhancing durability and suitability for entire building use. This study confirms that SCBA is a viable pozzolanic material for partial cement replacement in CEBs. The optimal replacement level was identified as 6%, balancing performance and cost. The research contributes to sustainable construction by promoting the reuse of agricultural waste, reducing dependence on OPC, and providing a cost-effective housing solution. It underscores the value of integrating waste valorization into construction practices, especially in developing contexts where material affordability and environmental impact are critical considerations

Leading sugar-producing nations have been generating high volumes of sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) as a by-product. SCBA has the potential to be used as a partial replacement for ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in concrete, from thereby, mitigating several adverse environmental effects of cement while keeping the cost of concrete low. The majority of the microstructure of SCBA is composed of SiO2, Al2O3, and Fe2O3 compounds, which can provide pozzolanic properties to SCBA. In this paper, literature on the enhancement of the mechanical properties of SCBA-incorporating concrete is analyzed. Corresponding process parameters of the SCBA production process and properties of SCBA are compared in order to identify relationships between the entities. Furthermore, methods, including sieving, post-heating, and grinding, can be used to improve pozzolanic properties of SCBA, through which the ideal SCBA material parameters for concrete can be identified. Evidence in the literature on the carbon footprint of the cement industry is utilized to discuss the possibility of reducing CO2 emissions by using SCBA, which could pave the way to a more sustainable approach in the construction industry. A review of the available research conducted on concrete with several partial replacement percentages of SCBA for OPC is discussed.

Sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) is a by-product of the sugar factories produced after burning sugarcane bagasse in the production of electricity. The sugarcane bagasse is produced after the extraction of all economical sugar from sugarcane. The disposal of this material is a common environmental problem in factories producing electricity from sugarcane. In Kakira Sugar Limited (KSL) about 61,000 tons / yr. of SCBA is produced and only about 30,000 tons / yr of this is utilized, and the remaining is damped which becomes an environmental hazard. This research was, conducted to examine the potential of bagasse ash as a cement replacing material in construction industry. The idea of using SCBA as a building material has generated additional cash flow for the sugarcane processing mills. Bagasse ash samples were collected from KSL and its chemical properties were investigated. The compressive strength of mortars containing ordinary Portland cement and SCBA in proportions of 0%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30% and 40% as a cement replacement were investigated. Three replicates with the bagasse ash replacing ordinary Portland cement in the above mentioned proportions were prepared and tested. The results showed that ordinary Portland cement can be replaced by SCBA up to 20% without affecting the compressive strength of the mortar at a test age of 28 days. These findings suggest that replacement of cement with SCBA could results in the reduction in cost of construction. Hence it can be concluded that it is safe to replace cement with sugar cane bagasse ash up to 20%.

There is much agriculture and non-agricultural waste that contains pozzolanic material, which can be recommended to use as a partial replacement for Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). One of the waste products from sugar industries, which possess pozzolanic properties, is Sugar Cane Bagasse Ash (SCBA). Because of the negative impact associated with cement production, OPC is being replaced by several supplementary cementitious materials / pozzolanic materials. In the current study, an effort has been made to use the SCBA by partially replacing the OPC for mortar studies. SCBA has been processed to enhance the chemical and physical properties. OPC is partially replaced by Processed Sugar Cane Bagasse Ash (PSCBA) up to 30% by a 5% increment. PSCBA blended cement mortar contains different proportions of PSCBA blended cement: river sand as 1:3, 1:4, and 1:5 with different water-to-binder (W/B) ratios based on the flow studies. Experimental research was done to determine the effects of the W/B ratio, river sand, and PSCBA on the formation of the cube compressive strength of PSCBA blended cement mortar for curing times of 7, 14, 28, 56, and 112 days. An increase in compressive strength about 6.4%, 9.3%, and 8.2% for 1:3, 1:4 and 1:5 with different W/B ratios for 28 days is reported. Based on the investigational results, the coefficients of strength for various relationships proposed by different researchers have been calculated for the binder: sand ratio as 1:3 and 28 days curing period. Various relationships, including Abraham, Feret, Singh, and Bolomey law are used to validate the mixes of the PSCBA blended cement for different water-to-binder ratios and different curing periods. A novel relation has been developed through the extension of studies to forecast the compressive strength of PSCBA blended mortar mixes with various W/B ratios for various curing times.

Assessing the mechanical properties of Sugarcane Bagasse Ash (SCBA) concrete is essential for improving its strength and durability while ensuring its viability as a sustainable building material. This study focuses on optimizing SCBA concrete by partially replacing Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), thereby minimizing carbon emissions and maximizing resource efficiency in construction. Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with a Central Composite Design (CCD), the effects of varying mix proportions on compressive and flexural strength were evaluated. Experimental findings demonstrate that SCBA significantly improves concrete performance at an optimal dosage, with 2.22% SCBA, 13.33% OPC, 37.78% fine aggregates, and 46.67% coarse aggregates yielding the highest compressive strength of 29.34 MPa. Similarly, a mix of 2.04% SCBA, 20.41% OPC, 34.69% fine aggregates, and 42.86% coarse aggregates produced the maximum flexural strength of 7.98 MPa. However, an excessive SCBA content decreased compressive strength to 18.75 MPa and flexural strength to 3.15 MPa, highlighting the negative impact of higher ash content. The developed quadratic model, validated through analysis of variance (ANOVA), achieved high predictive accuracy (R2 = 0.9202 for compressive strength and R2 = 0.9212 for flexural strength), confirming its reliability. The optimized response surface factor levels ratio of 0.25:0.039:0.425:0.525 for cement, SCBA, fine and coarse aggregates respectively was generated using desirability function, which led to maximized compressive strength of 28.582 MPa and flexural strength of 7.912 MPa. Additionally, a Student’s t-test (p-value = 1.0) verified no statistically significant difference between experimental and predicted values, ensuring model dependability. These findings offer a practical framework for optimizing SCBA-blended concrete, balancing strength and sustainability, and supporting its wider application in eco-friendly construction.

Evaluation of mechanical properties of Sugar Cane Bagasse Ash concrete

Concrete has been the world’s most consumed construction material, with over 10 billion tons of concrete annually. This is mainly due to its excellent mechanical and durability properties plus high mouldability. However, one of its major constituents; Ordinary Portland Cement is reported to be expensive and unaffordable by most low-income earners. Its production contributes about 5%–8% of global CO2 greenhouse emissions. This is most likely to increase exponentially with the demand of Ordinary Portland Cement estimated to rise by 200%, reaching 6000 million tons/year by 2050. Therefore, different countries are aiming at finding alternative sustainable construction materials that are more affordable and offer greener options reducing reliance on non-renewable sources. Therefore, this study aimed at assessing the possibility of utilizing sugarcane bagasse ash from co-generation in sugar factories as supplementary material in concrete. Physical and chemical properties of this sugarcane bagasse ash were obtained plus physical and mechanical properties of fresh and hardened concrete made with partial replacement of Ordinary Portland Cement. Cost-benefit analysis of concrete was also assessed. The study was carried using 63 concrete cubes of size 150cm3 with water absorption studied as per BS 1881-122; slump test to BS 1881-102; and compressive strength and density of concrete according to BS 1881-116. The cement binder was replaced with sugarcane bagasse ash 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30% by proportion of weight. Results showed the bulk density of sugarcane bagasse ash at 474.33kg/m3, the specific gravity of 1.81, and 65% of bagasse ash has a particle size of less than 0.28mm. Chemically, sugarcane bagasse ash contained SiO2, Fe2O3, and Al2O3 at 63.59%, 3.39%, and 5.66% respectively. A 10% replacement of cement gave optimum compressive strength of 26.17MPa. This 10% replacement demonstrated a cost saving of 5.65% compared with conventional concrete.

This work presents a technical and economic study using sugar cane bagasse ash (SCBA) to partially replace Portland cement clinker. To evaluate the technical viability, the replacement rates of 10, 20, and 30% of Portland cement were used in the experiments. The ashes used were in the following conditions: (i) as collected (AC), (ii) ground (G), and (iii) re-burnt and ground (RG). Three composition parameters were used in the mortar mix procedures: (i) mix with water factor/fixed binder in volume, (ii) mix with water factor/fixed binder in weight, and (iii) mix with the fixed flow. After the technical feasibility analysis, the benefit of the substitutions and an analysis of the relationship between cement consumption and the acquired compressive strength, correlating with possible economic costs, were discussed. SCBA AC was not suitable for the partial replacement of Portland cement clinker. SCBA G presented a satisfactory performance and SCBA RG was the ash that presented the best performance in the partial replacement of Portland cement clinker. For the same levels of compressive strength, the consumption of Portland cement per cubic meter of concrete reduced; from this, the cost of concrete and mortar could be reduced by 8%, with the ash having the same value as cement. Furthermore, the use of SCBA RG at 30% inhibited the alkali–silica reaction (ASR) in concretes with a reactive basalt and quartzite aggregate. SCBA G (20 and 30%) and SCBA RG (10 and 20%) inhibited the ASR in concretes with a reactive basalt aggregate and reduced the expandability in concretes with a reactive quartzite aggregate. Another point to highlight was the durability shown by the cements with SCBA, which, 900 days after the accelerated test of expansion by the alkali–aggregate reaction, maintained high levels of flexural strength when compared to the results obtained before the accelerated test of expansion. The present work concluded that using sugar cane bagasse ash to replace Portland cement is feasible from a technical, environmental, and economic perspective.

Sugar cane bagasse ash as a pozzolanic admixture in concrete for resistance to sustained elevated temperatures

Self-leveling mortar (SLM) is a special mortar that can flow and fill under its own weight without the need for any compaction energy. To meet these characteristics and to ensure their stability (no segregation and exudation) these mortars require, in addition to proper mixing design and the use of water reducing assets, a large quantity of fines or viscosity modifying additives, which raises the cost for the production. The use of industrial by products such as sugar-cane bagasse ash (SCBA) is an interesting alternative because they are lower cost materials and act as viscosity modifying agent, providing improvements in the rheological, physical and mechanical properties for SLM. Thus, the influence of SCBA on the rheological, physical and mechanical properties of cement-based and limestone filler (LF) mortars will be investigate in this research. The mortars were produced with a water/binder (cement + LF + SCBA) volumetric ratio of 0.85 and 15%, 20%, 25% and 30% Portland cement (PC) replacement by SCBA. An experimental study was conducted to evaluate the effects of SCBA incorporation on the properties of fresh (viscosity, flowability and filling ability) and hardened mortars (flexural strength, compressive strength, dynamic modulus of elasticity, bond strength and water absorption by capillarity). The results show that the rheological, physical and mechanical behavior of mortars was improved, especially for contents of up to 25% replacement of PC by SCBA. For higher contents, the performance of SLM was reduced.

This paper tries to investigate sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) as a cement replacement material and its effect on the water consistency, setting times, soundness, specific gravity, water absorption and mortar compressive strength of SCBA-Portland limestone cement (PLC) blend at cement replacement from 0 -15 wt.% at interval of 2.5 wt.%. Calcination of sugarcane bagasse was conducted and the optimum condition was obtained ash at 650°C at 90 mins with a higher Si + Al + Fe content from nine compositional analysis of ashes obtained via X-ray fluorescence spectrometer and then employed as cement replacement material for this research work. The consistency and setting times of the blended cement samples were carried on paste using Vicat apparatus while the soundness, specific gravity and compressive strength using Le Chatelier apparatus, density bottle and strength testing machine respectively according to ASTM standards respectively. Results showed an increase in the water consistency and setting times of SCBA cement pastes as SCBA content was increased from 2.5 – 15wt.% which was attributed to unburnt carbon present in the ash due to its high LOI. The elongated setting times could also due to clinker diminution by cement replacement with SCBA and high-water demand. The SCBA cement blends produced accelerated setting time results compared to PLC owing to lime present in SCBA which enhances early hydration. The specific gravity diminished while the volume expansion of the SCBA cement pastes experienced an increase as SCBA was increased due to lower density of SCBA compared to PLC and increased lime content due to increased SCBA content respectively. An increase in the mortar compressive strengths of SCBA cement blends was experienced as the curing days progressed from 3 to 60 days. PLC blended with SCBA produced an enhanced early strength due to the presence of lime which tends to accelerate the rate of formation of hydration assembly. Whereas, at a high cement replacement of 12.5 wt.% SCBA produced exceptional mortar compressive strength especially at 60 days despite clinker diminution indicating pozzolanic activity due to SCBA inclusion. The optimal cement replacement with SCBA was observed at 5 wt.% in comparison with control especially at 28 days and did not adversely affect its strength owing to pozzolanic activity.

Agro-waste sugarcane bagasse ash (ScBA) as partial replacement of binder material in concrete