Preservation of natural resources by utilizing combustion ash in concrete and determination of its engineering properties

Due to the large amount of combustion ash being thrown into landfills, which can lead to environmental pollution, new alternatives to construction materials can be developed by utilising this combustion ash as a part of the main raw materials, while at the same time helping to preserve natural resources in the concrete manufacturing industry. Generally, using new waste materials will eventually affect the engineering properties of concrete. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to analyse the engineering properties of concrete containing combustion ash as a partial replacement for ordinary Portland cement (OPC). CA can be classified as combustion bottom ash (CBA) and combustion fly ash (CFA). CA is tested for its chemical compositions using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), and its four main compositions, which are silica, alumina, iron, and calcium, are examined and discussed extensively. Other testing for the property of CA includes Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM) and specific gravity testing for coarse aggregate. To produce sustainable concrete from waste, several tests have been conducted to determine the engineering properties of the concrete, such as compressive strength, flexural strength, and splitting tensile strength. Results show that CA, which consists mainly of silica dioxide, contributed to the strength of concrete. SEM images show that CBA has a porous structure with an angular and rough texture, whereas CFA has more rounded particles, which influence the overall compressive strength. Furthermore, it was discovered that as the proportion of CBA utilised increased, the compressive strength, flexural strength, and splitting tensile strength of the concrete improved. Based on the results of the testing, CBA is suggested for use as a supplementary cementitious material in concrete.