Open AccessA Cameroonian Study on Mixing Concrete with Wood Ashes: Effects of 0-30% Wood Ashes as a Substitute of Cement on the Strength of Concretes
Author(s) -
Théodore Gautier L. J. Bikoko
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
revue des composites et des matériaux avancés
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1958-5799
pISSN - 1169-7954
DOI - 10.18280/rcma.310502
Subject(s) - cement , compressive strength , eucalyptus , wood ash , portland cement , pulp and paper industry , materials science , curing (chemistry) , fly ash , environmental science , composite material , waste management , botany , chemistry , engineering , organic chemistry , biology
To fight against the high cost and the increasing scarcity of cement and at the same time to reduce the CO2 greenhouse gases emission associated with the production of Portland cement, two types of wood ashes as a substitute of cement in the production of concretes were investigated. In this paper, we substituted cement by two types of species of wood ashes namely, avocado and eucalyptus ashes following the proportions ranging from 0% to 30% on one hand, and on the other hand, we added these two types of species of wood ashes namely, avocado and eucalyptus ashes following the proportions ranging from 0% to 10% by weight of cement in the concrete samples. After 7, 14 and 28 days of curing, compressive strength tests were conducted on these concrete samples. The findings revealed that using wood ashes as additives/admixtures or as a substitute of cement in the production/manufacturing of concrete decreased the compressive strength of concrete. Hence, it can be said that wood ash has a negative influence on the strength of concrete. At three percent (3%) and ten percent (10%) of addition, the wood ash from eucalyptus specie offers better resistance compared to the wood ash from avocado specie, whereas at five percent (5%) of addition, the wood ash from avocado specie offers better resistance compared to the wood ash from eucalyptus specie. At thirty percent (30%) of substitution, the wood ash from eucalyptus specie offers better resistance compared to the wood ash from avocado specie. The compressive strengths increase with the increase of curing age.