Professional Documents
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3, January-March 2009
ABSTRACT
Sawdust Ash (SDA) generated from rice mills is usually delivered to landfills
for disposal. Using of sawdust ash in concrete is an interesting possibility for
economy on waste disposal sites and conservation of natural resources .This paper
examines the possibility of using sawdust ash as replacement in fine aggregate for a
new concrete. Natural sand was partially replaced (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and
30%) with SDA. Compressive strength, Tensile strength (cubes and cylinders) and
Flexural strength up to 180 days of age were compared with those of concrete made
with natural fine aggregates. Fineness modulus, specific gravity, moisture content,
water absorption, Bulk density, %voids, % porosity (loose and compact) state for
sand (S) and SDA were also studied. The test results indicate that it is possible to
manufacture concrete containing sawdust ash with characteristics similar to those of
natural sand aggregate concrete provided that the percentage of sawdust ash as fine
aggregate is limited to 10-20% respectively.
Key Words : Sawdust Ash, Mechanical properties, Fineness Modulus, Bulk
density, Moisture content, Water absorption.
of concrete is becoming scarce due to the It is made of green, ecologically pure stuff,
excessive nonscientific methods of mining controls interior humidity level, frost proof,
from the riverbeds, lowering of water table, and favorable thermal mass, sound proofing,
sinking of the bridge piers,etc. are becoming and fire proof and light weight4.
common treats. The present scenario Some researchers carried out in the past
demands identification of substitute materials used wood ash wastes as a replacement for
for the river sand for making concrete. The cement in concrete mixes5-6. Large quantity
choice of substitute materials for sand in of wastes used in this research is currently
concrete depends on several factors such as disposed in sanitary landfills or open dumped
their availability, physical properties, into uncontrolled waste pits and open areas.
chemical ingredients etc, SDA (Sawdust This is a world wide energy loss and
Ash) is one of the byproducts in burning environment disposal problem. Disposal of
sawdust not being used for any applications this product waste is a major problem for
other than fillingup many small business. Therefore, the
Sawdust ash as fine aggregate is of acceptable solution of this problem with a
particular interest, because their use can commercial value is crucial.
considerably reduce the problem of dumping The objective of this paper is to present
and waste storage simultaneously helps the the results of experimental investigations on
preservation of natural fine aggregate Physical and Mechanical properties of
resources. There is however some obstacles concrete made with SDA concrete. Natural
for the use of sawdust ash aggregate in fine aggregate is substituted by weight by
concrete. Codes limitations on water sawdust ash at rates varying from 5,
absorption and lack of knowledge about the 10,15,20,25 and 30 percentages.
behavior of concrete made of sawdust ash as Compressive tension, and flexural strength
fine aggregate. The first use of sawdust and are evaluated and compared up to 180 days
shavings in place of sand and gravel to get a of ages. Specific properties of concrete
lighter and cheaper concrete should get materials and SDA are also studied.
acquainted a lighter and cheaper concrete
should get acquainted with the ting diatom. MATERIAL AND METHODS
Friberg used it to cut costs in his new home
The raw materials, used for this study are
at Moscow, Idaho after the Second World
natural coarse aggregate, fine aggregate,
War2.
SDA aggregate and 53 grades Portland
Recent successful studies on the use of cement. The SDA used for this study was
wood sawdust wastes as a new brick material collected from the rice mills points in
supplement appears to be viable solution not Chidambaram taluk at Cuddalore District.
only to the environmental problem but also Sawdust is shown in Fig. 1 Sawdust ash by
to the problem of to economic design of open burning using a small construction area
buildings3. Recent successful studies on the used to burn the Paddy shown in Fig. 2. SDA
use of sawdust as aggregate in concrete have shown in Fig. 3 was collected and sieved
been reported in BMP Association Ltd. using sieve size from 4.75mm onwards.
Sawdust concrete. In this study they Table 1 shows the Fineness Modulus results
represents that sawdust concrete has several of S, SDA, (S+ 10%SDA), (S+20%SDA),
unique characteristics which make it and (S+30%SDA). Fig. 3 shows the Fine
competitive among other building materials. aggregate material of grading curve and also
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Journal of Environmental Research And Development Vol. 3 No. 3, January-March 2009
compact state)
(kg/m3)
% Voids 35.39 34 55 47 48 49.3
% Porosity 25.9 25 40 32.4 32.8 33.3
Flakiness Index - 10 - - - -
Elongation Index - 9.61 - - - -
Oxide SiO2 Al2O3 Fe2O3 CaO MgO MnO Na2O K2O P2O5 SO2
Percentage
65.3 4.0 2.23 9.6 5.8 0.01 0.07 0.11 0.43 0.45
by mass
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Journal of Environmental Research And Development Vol. 3 No. 3, January-March 2009
Thus, the results are presented in Fig. 4 and increase in mixing ratio was repeated for
Fig. 5 Concretes containing SDA as fine concretes 180 days of age. At 5%, 10% and
aggregates, with a mixing ratio of 20%, 25% 15% mixing ratio there was increase in
and 30% displayed a reduction in strength than that of plain concrete. In any
compressive strength than that of plain case, the SDA as fine aggregate in concrete
concrete respectively. This tendency towards did not have any notable effect on the
a decrease in compressive strength with an compressive strength of the concrete.
than that of plain concrete. In any case, the have any notable effect on the compressive
SDA as fine aggregate in concrete did not strength of the concrete.
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