The Effect of Water-Binder Ratio and RHA on the Mechanical Performance of Sustainable Concrete

Abstract

Nowadays, the utilization of industrial energy, as well as construction waste, is of high concern. The current paper describes a study of the mechanical properties of cement concrete mixes utilizing Rice Husk Ash (RHA) as a cement substitute. The use of such industrial and agricultural by-products has been the focus of waste reduction for economic, environmental, and technical reasons. In this research, the compressive and split tensile strength of concrete was studied through a 15% substitution of cement with RHA with 0.40, 0.45, and 0.50 water-binder ratios. It has been found that the addition of RHA significantly improves the mechanical properties of concrete for the used water-binder ratios. The ultimate strength in both compressive and tensile strength was observed at a water-binder ratio of 0.50. It has also been observed that as the water to cement ratio increased, higher gains in concrete's compressive and tensile strength were obtained for all curing periods.