Composition and properties of oil shale ash concrete

Abstract

Oil shale ash (OSA) as a binder has air, pozzolanic or latent hydraulic properties depending on the combustion temperature and type of ash collection equipment. This paper focuses on the use of OSA as the main binder for low strength concrete. Impact of hardening conditions on the strength development and soundness of various concrete mixes made with two main types of OSA and their mixes was tested. Crushed limestone was used as aggregate. Concrete mixes were designed at an OSA:aggregate ratio of 3:1 and 1:1, using fresh concretes with the same workability. The results revealed differences in the strength development, 28-day compressive strength and durability properties between hardened concretes made with various OSA binders. The compressive strength of concretes made with various OSA was tested in different curing conditions. The durability properties of OSA based hardened concrete such as water absorption and resistance were tested. The results of expansion and water resistance tests indicated that by increasing the content of CFB ash in OSA binders, water resistance was improved and expansion diminished. © 2014 Estonian Academy Publishers.