Experimental Investigation on Fiber-Reinforced Concrete with Bagasse Ash as Binder

Abstract

Utilizing waste materials in concrete provides an environmental disposal option. Due to a rise in infrastructure development, the demand for concrete raw materials has increased rapidly. In the current study, bagasse fiber after sugarcane juice extraction, bagasse ash waste from the sugar industry, and coir fiber from coconut are considered as potential replacements to raw materials. Bagasse ash is substituted with variable percentages, i.e., 5, 10, 15, and 20% of Ordinary Portland Cement, while Sugarcane Bagasse fiber and Coir fiber are added at 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0% of Ordinary Portland Cement. Cubes (150 mm *150 mm *150 mm), cylinders (300 mm height, 150 mm diameter), and prisms (500 mm *100 mm *100 mm) were prepared with M30 grade concrete. After curing for 7, 28, and 56 days, mechanical characteristics such as compressive strength, split tensile strength, and flexural strength were determined. Ultrasonic pulse velocity test was considered as a non-destructive testing approach to determine strength of concrete without destructing the specimens and compared with strength values obtained in destructive tests. Durability tests, i.e., acid attack, sorptivity, carbonation, and rapid chloride ion penetration tests were conducted for 90 days cured specimens. As per the experimental findings, adding 15% of Sugarcane bagasse ash and 1.5% of fibers increase the strength properties of concrete. With 15–20% bagasse ash and 1.5–2.0% fiber replacements showed better durability in comparison to conventional concrete. Therefore, bagasse ash, bagasse fiber and coir fibers prove to be sustainable alternative materials in environment-friendly concrete production. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2024.