Sustainable development of ultra high-performance concrete using basil plant waste: Investigation at normal and extreme conditions

Abstract

This study highlights the potential of using Basil plant (BP) waste as a viable and sustainable alternative to partially replace cement in ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC), which can contribute to developing more sustainable and eco-friendly building materials. It investigates the effect of BP waste powder as an alternative solution on the performance of UHPC under high temperatures and severe environmental conditions. The aim was to achieve environmentally friendly green UHPC by minimizing cement content. The effect of using BP as a cement replacement with different percentages of 10 %, 20 %, 30 %, and 40 % by weight, on compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, sorptivity, and microstructure was evaluated. In addition, investigation was performed at different conditions of ambient temperature, high temperatures of 300 °C and 600 °C and severe environments subjected to chlorides and sulfates. The results showed that premixing UHPC with 30 % BP waste could improve compressive strength, with a maximum increase of 10 % at 28 days, and with decreasing sorptivity by 28 %. Additionally, the microstructure analysis revealed that incorporating BP waste leads to a denser structure and a reduction in the average pore size of the UHPC, which can enhance the durability and longevity of UHPC in construction applications. The findings of this study have important implications for the construction and building materials industry, which is under increasing pressure to adopt sustainable construction practices.