USE OF AGRO-INDUSTRIAL WASTE AS SUPPLEMENTARY CEMENTITIOUS MATERIALS IN MORTAR: A STUDY ON SUGARCANE BAGASSE ASH AND SILICA FUMES

Abstract

Due to the large CO₂ emissions, cement production, a fundamental part of civil engineering systems, has contributed greatly to environmental degradation. The construction industry is checking additional cement materials (SCM) as sub-cement materials to reduce these effects. To improve performance and sustainability, this study examines the use of silicon fumes (SF) and sugar cane bags (SBA) as SCMS for mortar. This study aimed to reduce the strength and material costs of the mortar by using SBA and SF rather than part of the cement. To maintain a water binder ratio of 0.35, the methodology contained different mortar mixtures in different proportions of SBA (5%) and SF (10%) instead of cement. Pressure resistance, gap, and water absorption tests were performed on these mixtures after 7, 14, and 28 days. The results show that pressure resistance increased significantly over time, especially after the 28th day (when it reached 35 MPa), when SBA and SF were added. Puzzle activities of these materials resulted in a denser microstructure, improving long-term resistance and durability, but their fineness affected the process ability. Furthermore, it was found that water intake increased with cure time, promoting the required hydration reaction. This study not only provides a sustainable path to reduce the environmental impact of construction operations, but also provides methods for using waste such as SBA and SF as sustainable partial cement alternatives, which may improve the mechanical properties of mortar.

KEYWORDS:

Silica Fume; Bagasse Ash; Cement; Compressive Strength; Sustainability