Experimental Investigations on Sustainable Concrete with Bamboo Flakes Ash

Abstract

Concrete remains one of the most extensively utilized construction materials worldwide however its production requires large amounts of natural resources with cement manufacturing being the primary contributor to carbon dioxide CO2 emissions. The environmental impact of cement is considerable as it accounts for nearly 7 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions thereby intensifying climate change concerns. In response the construction industry has increasingly focused on sustainable alternatives particularly the incorporation of supplementary cementitious materials SCMs to reduce dependence on conventional cement. In this context bamboo flakes an agricultural by product were collected sun dried and subjected to controlled combustion in a specially designed barrel to obtain Bamboo Flake Ash BFA. Chemical analysis revealed that BFA is rich in silica SiO2 alumina Al2O3 and ferric oxide Fe2O3. According to ASTM C618 2003 specifications a material qualifies as pozzolanic when the combined proportion of these oxides exceeds 70 percent. BFA exhibited a combined oxide content of 80.02 percent confirming its strong pozzolanic reactivity. For experimental investigation cement was partially replaced with BFA at levels of 5 percent 10 percent and 15 percent by weight. Compressive strength testing was conducted after 7 14 and 28 days of curing while split tensile strength was assessed for the optimal mix corresponding to the 28 day strength achieved with 5 percent BFA. Durability studies further showed that BFA concrete particularly at 5 percent replacement absorbed less water compared to control specimens. Although several SCMs have been explored globally the application of Bamboo Flake Ash in cementitious composites offers a novel and sustainable approach to concrete technology.