Effect of curing conditions on mechanical properties and sorption characteristics of concrete using sugarcane bagasse ash

With the significant development in infrastructure and buildings, the demand for concrete is gradually increasing. However, with the trend of sustainable development, there are more and more researchers focusing on the application of industrial and agricultural by-products in concrete production. This study aims to evaluate the applicability of sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) in cement replacement considering the curing conditions. The cement was partially replaced by 5% of SCBA. The mechanical properties and sorption characteristics of concrete were investigated for up to 56 days. The results show that the ultrasonic pulse velocity and compressive strength of concrete specimens containing SCBA were lower than the reference concrete before 28 days, regardless of curing conditions. However, the ultrasonic pulse velocity, compressive strength, sorption characteristics, and apparent porosity of concrete incorporating SCBA were slightly higher than those of the reference concrete under tap water curing at 56 days. Additionally, ambient air curing significantly reduced the ultrasonic pulse velocity and compressive strength, as well as increased the sorption characteristics of concrete, especially concrete containing SCBA. As a consequence, the concrete specimens cured under ambient air condition showed lower performance than those under tap water condition.