Study on Feasibility of Using Bagasse as a Cement Replacement Material.

Abstract

Sugarcane bagasse ash is a byproduct of the sugar factories found after burning sugarcane bagasse which itself is found after the extraction of all economical sugar from sugarcane. The disposal of this material is already causing environmental problems around the sugar factories. Due to the boost of the construction activity in the country, a huge shortage is created in most of the construction materials especially cement, resulting in steady increase of price. This research was therefore, conducted to examine the potential of bagasse ash as a cement replacing material. Initially, bagasse ash samples were collected from Wonji sugar factory. The bagasse ash was then ground until the particles passing the 63 µm reaches about 85%, which is similar to that of ordinary Portland cement. Ordinary Portland cement and Portland pozzolana cement were replaced by ground bagasse ash. Normal consistency and setting time of the pastes containing ordinary Portland cement and bagasse ash from 5% to 30% replacement were investigated. The compressive strength of mortars containing ordinary Portland cement and Portland pozzolana cement with bagasse ash from 5% to 30% replacements were also investigated. Six different concrete mixes with the bagasse ash replacing 0%, 5%,10%, 15%, 25% and 30% of the ordinary Portland cement were prepared for 30MPa concrete with water to cement ratio of 0.55 and 350kg/m3 cement content. The properties of these mixes have then been assessed both at the fresh and hardened state. The results of the mortar work have shown that, up to 10% replacement of the ordinary Portland cement by bagasse ash achieved a higher compressive strength at all test ages i.e. 28 days, whereas the 15% replacement of the cement by bagasse ash in the concrete have shown a slightly lower compressive strength. It can therefore be concluded that 10% replacement of cement by bagasse ash results in a similar concrete properties and higher replacement could also be used with a slight reduction in the performance of the concrete.