Assessment of the Short-Term Strength of Groundnut Shell Ash Blended Cement Concrete
1*Elijah A. O. and 2 Ige J.A..
1Works and Services, Federal Teaching Hospital Ido Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
2Department of Civil Engineering, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria
DOI: 10.36108/laujoces/6202.61.0242
Abstract
The demand rate of cement in the construction industries is affected due to the high cost of cement production leads to the continuous increase in its price in the face of global economic recession. Also, high energy demand and emission of carbondioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere during cement production, has a negative influence on ecology and future of human beings as a result of global warming. These need to be controlled by sourcing for alternatives for partial replacement of cement. In order to achieve this, an assessment on the characteristic strength performance of Groundnut Shell Ash (GSA) blended with Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) concrete needed to be carried out. An assessment was done to determine the effect of partially replaced OPC with GSA on concrete workability. The chemical and physical properties of GSA were also considered. Concrete was cast in 72 cubes, 72 cylinders and 72 beams using GSA as partial replacement for cement in different percentages (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25), and subsequently cured in clean water for 7, 14, 21 and 28 days in order to determine the compressing strength of the specimen. The slump test results showed that the slump decreases with increase in GSA percentage replacement. The results showed that the compressive strength of OPC/GSA concrete decreases as the percentage of the GSA in the concrete increases for all the tests. Also, the strength of the concrete increases with the increase in the days of curing. The average compressive strength value of 10% GSA replacement in the concrete gave highest strength value of 10.41 MPa and 12.37 MPa for 7 and 14 days test respectfully. While the average compressive strength value of 5% GSA replacement in the concrete gave highest strength value of 18.77 MPa and 20.35 MPa for 21 and 28 days test respectfully. Consequently, the compressive strength results showed that 5-10% would be most acceptable and considered as the best GSA replacement in concrete and a good development for construction work. The GSA/OPC blending can be used for concrete production, mortar for masonry and plastering, bricks/blocks manufacturing and soil stabilization.
Keywords: Groundnut Shell Ash, Blended Cement, Concrete