| Summary, etc |
The reliance on resource-intensive materials such as Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) has made the construction industry a major contributor to environmental destruction. Sugarcane Bagasse Ash (SCBA) was studied for its potential as a sustainable cement additive to enhance the mechanical properties of concrete while addressing waste management challenges of the said material. The workability and mechanical properties of concrete, specifically compressive and flexural strength, was tested in this study at 7, 14, and 28 days of curing period. Six concrete mix designs, a control and five experimental mix designs with varying SCBA additive dosages (0.05%, 0.10%, 0.15%, 0.20%, and 0.25% by weight of cement), were prepared. For the workability test, the slump value decreases as the SCBA dosage increases. The mechanical properties test, the control mix had the highest strength at 7 and 14 days, however, at 28 days, 0.10% SCBA additives had the highest strength, surpassing the control mix. Additions beyond 0.10% decreased the compressive strength, while the flexural strength plateaued until 0.15% additions before the strength decreased. Although flexural strength differences were not statistically significant, 0.10% and 0.15% mixes showed slightly better performance. The findings suggest that SCBA, when properly processed and optimally dosed, can serve as an effective cement additive for structural concrete applications, particularly in regions with abundant sugarcane waste. The study also emphasizes the importance of standardized batching and molding procedures to ensure consistent results and recommends further research on long-term durability and field application of SCBA-modified concrete.
Keywords: Sugarcane Bagasse Ash (SCBA), Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), Cement Additive, Compressive Strength, Flexural Strength, Workability, Sugarcane Bagasse Ash, Sustainable Construction, Slump Test, Slump Value, Eco-friendly Materials |