The development of cellular lightweight concrete made from oil palm fiber and biochar

Abstract

Oil Palm Fiber (OPF) and Biochar (BC) are the wastes from Agro-Industry in Thailand. Every year, a large amount of OPF and BC are disposed to a landfill site. The proper method to manage these wastes remains unclear. Cellular Lightweight Concrete (CLC) is one of the most significant types of concrete used for construction purposes due to its various advantages. Thus, the propose of this study is to find a better process to recycle the waste properly by using OPF and BC in CLC. In this study, the CLC specimens with OPF and BC were prepared. The specimens are divided into four groups. The first group is the normal CLC with water to cement ratio (W/C) 50 %. The second is CLC combined with OPF 2, 4 and 6 %. The third is the CLC mixed with BC 5, 10 and 15 %. The fourth is CLC combined with 1.5 % OPF and 10 % BC by weight of sand. The specimen’s compressive strength, dry density, water absorption, and heat transfer properties were evaluated. The experimental results showed that adding OPF and BC in the proportions, the specimens tended to have higher dry density and compressive strength due to the less air content and filler effect in CLC. Besides, OPF and BC specimens have less water absorption. For the heat transfer properties, CLC with OPF and BC has a better quality of thermal insulation. The studies showed that OPF and BC could be utilized in improving the properties of the normal CLC if added with a proper amount.