Optimizing Concrete Sustainability: Impact of Bagasse Ash and Stone Dust on Mechanical Properties and Durability

Effectively managing and reducing industrial and municipal waste is crucial for addressing environmental issues like pollution and resource depletion. Since cement production is a major contributor to greenhouse gases, using eco-friendly building materials becomes essential in the fight against global warming and for a more sustainable future. This research proposes an innovative approach to concrete technology by concurrently exploring the use of SCBA and SD as partial replacements for cement and sand at varying ratios in eco-strength concrete mixes for 28 and 34 MPa. This combination of materials will help to evaluate the economic and environmental benefits of using these alternative materials, such as reduced reliance on traditional cement and sand resources, potential cost savings, and the mitigation of environmental impacts through waste utilization. The influence of BA and SD on workability, mechanical properties, and durability were experimentally investigated. The introduction of 9% SCBA as a substitute for cement and 40-50% SD as a replacement for sand leads to a substantial enhancement in both compressive and tensile strength. This improvement is attributed to factors such as pozzolanic reactions, enhanced particle packing, and optimal curing conditions. Additionally, a notable increase in flexural strength is observed with 6% cement replacement using SCBA and 40% sand replacement with SD. However, it is observed that as the ratios of SCBA and SD increase, there is a concurrent rise in water absorption. The findings reveal that the optimized mix, derived from response surface analysis, closely aligns with the control mix in terms of mechanical strengths, emphasizing its appropriateness for structural applications.