Assessment of strength and durability characteristics of rice straw ash based concrete a sustainable approach to waste management

Abstract

Rice straw is an agricultural byproduct produced in extensive quantities across the newlineworld. Although it is considered as a biomass waste, it possesses characteristics newlineallowing its application as a raw material for silica extraction, mushroom production, newlinebio-fuel generation, and other techniques. Similarly, it has also been identified as a newlineprospect material in biomass-based power plants for electricity generation. Within newlinethese facilities, rice straw ash (RSA) is produced in substantial quantities during the newlineincineration process of rice straw at controlled temperatures and is often disposed of newlineeither in open landfills or submerged in nearby water bodies, leading to severe waste newlinemanagement challenges and environmental concerns. To address such issues, newlineresearchers have well-documented the potential of utilizing similar agricultural newlinebyproducts as a replacement material for cement in concrete. Adopting this approach newlinehas helped mitigate the high costs associated with concrete production and the newlinesubstantial emission of GHGs into the environment. Considering all these aspects, the newlinepresent study aims to utilize RSA from biomass-based power plants based as a newlinesustainable and environmentally friendly alternative for concrete production. newlineThe study employed several advanced characterization techniques such as Scanning newlineElectron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis, X-ray Diffraction, XRF, newlineFTIR, Thermogravimetric Analysis, and DSC to evaluate the pozzolanic properties of newlineRSA. In addition, three series of concrete mixes were prepared where the first series newlineexamined the individual impact of RSA (ranging from 5% to 60% replacement in 5% newlineincrements, by weight), while the second and third series involved combining the same newlinelevel of substitution of cement with RSA along with 5% and 10% of metakaolin (MK), newlinerespectively. In this regard, the concrete samples were tested for mechanical properties newline(compressive, split tensile, and flexural strength) and durability (rapid chloride newlinepenetration, sulphate resistance, water