To Study the Performance of Bagasse Ash on the Strength of Concrete

Abstract

Utilization of Sugarcane Bagasse ash as a supplementary cementations material adds sustainability to concrete by reducing the CO2 emission of cement production. The positive effects of bagasse ash as a partial replacement of cement on the mechanical properties of concrete are recognized through numerous researches; however, the extent of improvement depends on the durability properties of bagasse ash. In this study, durability properties of conventional concrete utilizing bagasse ash sourced from Sugar factory have been investigated. Concrete mixtures with Bagasse ash as 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30% total binder were used to cast the test specimens. The compressive strength, loss in mass of the bagasse ash and control concrete specimens were determined before and after exposure to elevated temperature and chemical attack. The 56-day compressive strength of the concrete mixtures varied from 3 to 26 MPa at elevated temperature conditions. The bagasse ash concrete samples showed less strength than the control concrete samples when designed for the same 56-day compressive strength of the control concrete. Inclusion of bagasse ash reduced the chemical attack significantly at 28 days and reduced further at 56days. In general, incorporation of bagasse ash as partial replacement of cement improved the durability properties of concrete. Key Words: Sugar Cane Bagasse Ash, Compressive Strength of Concrete, % content of SCBA