Evaluates Some Engineering Properties of Innovative Sustainable Cement Blocks as a Partial Replacement of Groundnut Shell Ash (GSA)

PR Fernando*,HAYN Hatangala, S Karunagaran and DMJC Dissanayake

Eastern University, Chenkalady, Vanthrumoolai, Sri Lanka

*Corresponding Author: PR Fernando, Eastern University, Chenkalady, Vanthrumoolai, Sri Lanka.

Received: April 18, 2018; Published: June 04, 2018

Citation: PR Fernando., et al. “Evaluates Some Engineering Properties of Innovative Sustainable Cement Blocks as a Partial Replacement of Groundnut Shell Ash (GSA)". Acta Scientific Agriculture 2.7 (2018).

Abstract

  As a result of the rising cost of building materials, it has become necessary to find an affordable and economically available material which might be partially merged with cement in the production of blocks. This study investigated the result of groundnut shell ash merging with cement on some engineering properties of cement blocks. Groundnut shells were collected from a self-employment industry situated in Puttalam district Sri Lanka. These shells were clean and burnt in an open atmosphere and allowed to cool. Then the coal was further burnt in a muffle furnace at 600^̊C for 4 hours to get groundnut shell ash (GSA). Physical properties of GSA merged cement blocks were determined in accordance with standard specifications. The GSA was merged with the cement as a percentage varying from 0 to 25% with the step of 5%. A complete of 72 blocks comprising of 12 blocks for each GSA merge percentage of cement block size of 225 mm × 113 mm × 75 mm of merging ratio 1:6 and water-cement ratio 0.5 to 0.6 were cast, cured and crushed at 7, 14 and 21 days respectively.

  Analysis of density, water absorption, compressive strength and flexural strength of the cement blocks showed that the 5 and 10% cement replacements is appropriate for load bearing outer walls whereas the 20% and 25% substitution was found additional appropriate for non-load bearing indoor walls. The 15% substitution was but found to be appropriate for non-load bearing outer walls.

  It is therefore hope that this research work will provide a quick reference to practicing Engineer, who will find GSA as a good partial replacement for cement, thus reducing cost of cement block production.

Keywords: Groundnut Shell Ash; Cement Block; Engineering; Water Absorption; Compressive Strength; Sustainable

Copyright: © 2018 Muhammad Shaaban. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.