MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF BREWERS DRIED GRAIN ASH-HYDRATED LIME IN CONCRETE

Ordinary Portland cement (OPC), the world most used binder in concrete production is adjudged a non - environmental friendly material due to the CO2 gas that is emitted into the atmosphere during its production process. Also, with the future generation in mind, limestone resource needs to be adequately preserved and managed. Previous studies on the search for alternative binders had centred mostly on the use of Agro - waste pozzolans in concrete, with little emphasis on the use of the pozzolans with additives that may further enhance reaction in concrete. Hence, this paper explores the possibility of using OPC with brewers dried grain ash-hydrated lime (BDGA-HL) in concrete. Prior to testing for initial and final setting time, compressive, flexural and tensile strength; cubes, beams and cylindrical specimens containing BDGA-HL at 5, 10, 15 and 20 % cement replacement were cast (in a ratio of 1:1.5:3.2 and w/c of 0.61) and cured in water for 7, 14, 28, and 56 days. Based on the findings, a decrease in setting time of the paste was noticed when OPC was partially replaced with BDGA-HL. Also observed was an improvement in flexural and tensile strength up to 10 %; while the maximum compressive strength was attained at 15 %. The results obtained for BDGA-HL concrete were higher than that of plain concrete. It was concluded that BDGA-HL has an excellent pozzolanic potentials improving the properties of concrete