Strength Properties of Corn Cob Ash Concrete
Strength Properties of Corn Cob Ash Concrete
Strength Properties of Corn Cob Ash Concrete
2 (ISSN: 2141-7016) jeteas.scholarlinkresearch.org Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering and Applied Sciences (JETEAS) 3(2):297-301 (ISSN: 2141-7016)
Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering and Applied Sciences (JETEAS) 3(2):297-301 (ISSN: 2141-7016) as the agricultural waste product obtained from maize or corn; which is the most important cereal crop in sub-Saharan Africa. According to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) data, 589 million tons of maize were produced worldwide in the year 2000 (FAO Records; 2002). The United States was the largest maize producer having 43% of world production. Africa produced 7% of the worlds maize (IITA Records; 2002). Nigeria was the second largest producer of maize in Africa in the year 2001 with 4.62 million tons. South Africa has the highest production of 8.04 million tons (FAO Records; 2002). There had been various research efforts on the use of corn cob ash (CCA) and other pozzolan as a replacement for cement in concrete. Olutoge et al (2010); presented a comparative study on fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) high performance concrete, Ogunfolami (1995); considered mixing of the CCA with Ordinary Portland cement at the point of need (i.e. on site). Adesanya and Raheem (2010); studied the workability and compressive strength characteristics of Corn cob ash (CCA) blended cement concrete. Adesanya and Raheem (2009); also assessed the development of Corn cob ash (CCA) Blended Cement. This present while investigating the strength of corn-cob ash concrete, also attempted an examination of split tensile and high strength properties of such concrete. EXPERIME TAL STUDIES Compressive strength tests were carried out on concrete cubes (150mm 150mm 150mm) while split tensile strength tests were carried out on concrete cylinders 100mm (diameter) x 200mm (height) having varying composition of corn cob ash as a replacement for cement in concrete. Batching operation by volume approach was used adopting a mix of 1:2:4 (cement: fines: coarse aggregates) with water/cement ratio of 0.50. Grade 35 MPa concrete was also designed using the ACI method of mix proportioning with water/cementitious material ratio of 0.45. The following samples were tested in the study 1. ormal Strength Concrete (1:2:4) (i) Control concrete (i.e., 0% CCA replacement) 24cubes and 4 cylinder samples (ii) CCA concrete, 10% 24cubes and 4cylinder samples. (iii) CCA concrete, 20% 24cubes and 4cylinders samples. Mix Proportioning and Casting of Concrete Cubes Batching by volume was adopted in the study. A mix of 1:2:4 (cement: fines: coarse aggregates) was investigated with water/cement ratio of 0.50. The fine
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aggregate used was sharp sand. Granite was used as coarse aggregate. A wooden mould of size 150 150 150 mm was used for casting. The mould was assembled prior to mixing and properly lubricated for easy removal of hardened concrete cubes. Twenty Four (24) samples of concrete cubes each were prepared in percentage by volume of corn cob ash to cement as binder in the order 0:100, 10:90 and 20:80 ranging zero to partial replacement of corn cob ash for cement, making a total of seventy two (72) cubes. The mix was uniformly mixed with shovel until it reached a plastic state after which it was placed in the moulds. The molded concrete cubes were given 24 hours to set before striking out the moulds. They were then immersed into large curing basins in order to increase the strength of the concrete, promote hydration, eliminate shrinkage and absorb heat of hydration until the age of test. Cubes were cured for 7 days, 14 days, 21 days and 28 days. The cubes were weighed before testing and the densities of cubes at different time of testing were measured as shown in figures 1a. Prior to testing, the specimens were brought out of the curing basins and left in the open air for about 2 hours before crushing. The compressive strength tests were carried out by a mechanically controlled Compression Machine made in Birmingham by W. & T. Avery Limited as shown in figure 2. The maximum capacity of the machine was 2000KN. The strength values were the average of Four specimens tested in each case. Mix Proportioning and Casting of Concrete Cylinders Batching operation by volume approach was also adopted in the study. A mix of 1:2:4 (cement: fines: coarse aggregates) was investigated with water/cement ratio of 0.50. The fine aggregate used was sharp sand with granite as coarse aggregate. Plastic cylindrical pipe moulds with length to diameter ratio of 2:1 (200mm length and 100mm diameter) were used for casting. The mould was assembled prior to mixing and properly lubricated for easy removal of hardened concrete cylinders. The mixing, casting and curing processes followed the same approach as for the concrete cubes, except for the fact that Four (4) samples of concrete cylinders each were prepared in percentage by volume of corn cob ash to cement as binder in the order 0:100, 10:90 and 20:80. The concrete cylinders were cast in four layers of 50mm each and consolidated with a 12mm diameter tampering rod 25times for each layer. The concrete cylinders were subsequently cured and tested at 28days, unlike the cubes that were cured and tested for 7, 14, 21 and 28days.The concrete cylinders were weighed before testing and the densities of concrete cylinders were measured as shown in figure 1b. The split tensile tests were carried out using an electrically controlled Compact1500 compression machine made in England by
Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering and Applied Sciences (JETEAS) 3(2):297-301 (ISSN: 2141-7016) Engineering Laboratory Equipment Limited (ELE) as shown in figure 3. The maximum capacity of the machine was 1560KN. The strength values were the average of four specimens tested in each case. 2. High Strength concrete (i) Control concrete (i.e., 0% CCA replacement) 16cubes and 4cylinder samples (ii) CCA concrete, 10% 16cubes and 4cylinder samples. Design of a High Strength (Grade 35Mpa) Concrete Using Corn Cob Ash The specific gravity of the corn cob ash was a requirement to designing a high strength concrete. So the specific gravity of the corn cob ash was determined by weighing a sample of the dry corn cob ash and equivalent volume of water sample. The ratio of the weight of the corn cob ash sample to the weight of equivalent water sample gives the specific gravity of the corn cob ash. American concrete Institute Method of Mix Design was used to design the grade 35 concrete using corn cob ash as a partial replacement for cement. The mixes designed are listed as follows: Table 1 Batching of designed Grade 35 MPa concrete
Ash Content (kg) Cement Content (kg) Fine Aggregate (kg) Coarse Aggregate (kg) Water/Cement Ratio (liters) CO TROL 8 18.16 21.04 3.6 CCA CO CRETE 0.8 7.2 16.96 21.04 3.6
(a)
(b) Fig 1 (a) & (b) Weighing process to determine density of concrete sample
Corn Cob Ash 0% CCA as a partial replacement for cement in concrete CONCRETE: 10% CCA as a partial replacement for cement in concrete
Mix Proportioning and Casting of Concrete Cubes and Cylinders The batching details are presented on Table 5. The moulds were assembled prior to mixing and properly lubricated for easy removal of hardened concrete cubes and cylinders. The mixing, casting and curing processes followed the same approach as for the concrete samples made of batching by volume of mix 1:2:4 above, except for the fact that Sixteen (16) samples of concrete cubes and Four (4) samples of concrete cylinders each were prepared in percentage replacement of cement with corn cob ash as binder in the order 0:100 and 10:90. The concrete cubes were cured and tested at 7, 14, 21 and 28days, while the concrete cylinders were cured and tested at 28days.The density, compressive strength and tensile tests were examined as above for the previous mixes.
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Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering and Applied Sciences (JETEAS) 3(2):297-301 (ISSN: 2141-7016) RESULTS A D DISCUSSIO 1) Concrete batching by volume of mix 1:2:4 The results of the physical and mechanical properties of the varied corn cob ash concrete are presented in Tables 2-5 as obtained from the study. Table-2 gives the average density of the concrete cubes; Table-3 gives the average compressive strengths of the concrete cubes; Table-4 gives the average density of the concrete cylinders; while Table-5 gives the average tensile strength of the concrete cylinders examined. Table 2 Density of the cubes (x103kg/m)
0% Ash Content (Control) 10% Ash Content 20% Ash Content 7days 2.50 14days 2.56 21days 2.62 28days 2.65
2.47 2.39
2.51 2.40
2.56 2.42
2.58 2.42
13.18 9.18
15.41 10.96
19.41 12.74
20.00 13.78
2.33
2.43
2.33
2.40
28 days
Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering and Applied Sciences (JETEAS) 3(2):297-301 (ISSN: 2141-7016) Table 7 Characteristic strength of the designed grade 35 concrete cubes (N/mm)
0% Ash Content (Control) 10% Ash Content 7 days 26.00 14days 30.00 21days 33.22 28days 34.00
21.11
26.00
28.67
29.11
Table 8 Density (x103kg/m) and Tensile Strength (N/mm) of the high strength Concrete Cylinders at 28days testing
Ash Content (%) 0% 10% Density (x103kg/m) 4.84 4.78 Tensile Strength ( /mm) 2.83 2.42
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millennium development goals (MDG), thereby also enhancing the economic power of the rural dwellers if they are encouraged to plant maize from which these corn cobs could be gotten. The global green environment initiative will also be greatly influenced by the reduction in solid waste disposal. The volume replacement attempted to get high strength concrete should be enhanced with super-plasticizers and a further reduction in the water-cement ratio so that concrete of very high strength can be achieved.
Physical and Mechanical Properties The physical properties of the high strength concrete were the same as the ones observed in the previous specimens except for the reduced workability and the specific gravity of the ash was 1.15. Table 6 showed varying values of density of the designed grade 35 concrete, unlike the grade 25 concrete that increased with curing age. Table 7 revealed an increase in compressive strength with curing age; while the compressive strength at 28days was 29.11N/mm which was less than the control whose value of 34.00 N/mm falls just below the designed 35 N/mm. However, it is assumed that a reduced water/cementitious material ratio, will enhance the strength of concrete and as stated earlier, an important pozzolan characteristic is the slow development of strength which implies that 10% corn cob ash concrete might develop the required strength over a longer period of time. CO CLUSIO Based on the findings from this study, the following conclusions can be arrived at; 1. Concrete strengths increases with curing age and decreases with increasing percentage of corn cob ash. 2. Corn cob ash concretes do not attain their design strengths at 28days. The strengths of corn cob ash concrete are dependent on its pozzolanic activities. RECOMME DATIO 1. Subsequent studies should be done on 040% replacement of cement with corn cob ash and in steps of 5%. 2. Concretes with the presence of ash content should be allowed to cure for 90days, by which pozzolanic activity of ash would have been concluded. 3. The use of locally available materials in infrastructure development will be met with the use of corn cob ash as a construction material and ultimately help meet our
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ACK OWLEDGEME T The Authors wish to thank Mr. Stephen Obaten of Yaba College of Technology for the Laboratory experiments. REFERE CES ACI Committee 2111. 1-91 (1994): Standard Practice for selecting Proportions for Normal, Heavyweight, Mass Concrete, Part 1, ACI Manual of Concrete Practice. Adesanya D.A., Raheem A.A. 2009. Development of Corn Cob Ash Blended Cement, Construction and Building Materials, (Vol. 23, pp.347-352). Adesanya D.A., Raheem A.A. 2010. A study of the workability and compressive strength characteristics of corn cob ash blended cement concrete, Construction and Building Materials, (Vol.23, pp. 311-317). Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Records (2002). Retrieved from: http://apps.fao.org/ default.htm Gambhir, M.L. (2004) Concrete Technology, Tata McGraw- Hill Publishing Company Limited, New Delhi, pp. 352-448. IITA. Maize. (2002). Retrieved http://intranet/iita4/crop/maize.htm from:
Ogunfolami T.F. 1995. The Effect Of Thermal Conductivity and Chemical Attack on Corn Cob Ash Cement Concrete, Unpublished B. Sc. Project Report, Department of Building, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. Olutoge F.A., Bhashya V., Bharatkumar B.H., and Sundar Kumar S. 2010. Comparative Studies on Fly Ash and GGBS High Performance Concrete, Proceeding of National Conference on Recent Trend and Advance in Civil Engineering-TRACE2010.