Evaluating Bagasse Ash as Partial Cement Replacement Material

The main goal of this study was to evaluate sugarcane bagasse ash as a partial cement replacement material. Sugarcane bagasse ash is a by-product of fuel blending in the sugar industry. Yet all economic sugar is obtained after extraction from the cane. The disposal of the discharged waste in agriculture causes environmental problems in the sugar industry. The cement industry also creates environmental problems due to carbon dioxide emissions during cement manufacturing. Initially, bagasse ash samples were collected from the rubble of the Arjo Didessa sugar factory. The crude bagasse ash was sieved with a sieve size of 250µm. The strength of grade C-25 concrete was designed using five different concrete mixture proportions ranging from 5 to 20% cement by weight, including a water-cement ratio of 0.45. Impact strength tests were conducted at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days of age for each replacement ratio. For the experimental work, a total of 60 cubic concrete specimens were cast for compressive strength tests, and 15 cylindrical concrete specimens were cast for water absorption tests. Working compressive strength results indicated that bagasse ash could replace up to 5% of ordinary Portland cement concrete.