Utilization of Sugarcane Vinasse as a Sustainable Substitute for Concrete Mixing Water

Concrete has been utilized by humanity for approximately 10,000 years in its primitive form, evolving to include Portland cement only from the 19th century onwards. It has since expanded globally to become the most essential construction material, particularly in structural foundations. In pursuit of higher quality and strength, studies have sought additives to enhance certain intrinsic characteristics of concrete, such as setting time, workability, and consistency. A promising additive for achieving these goals is sucralose, which is abundantly found in vinasse reservoirs of sugar and alcohol mills in Brazil, the world's largest producer and exporter of these commodities. This study aims to analyze the influence of total and partial replacement of mixing water in concrete with vinasse in compressive strength of hardened concrete. The research involved creating 4 specimens for each of the 4 curing times and each of the 6 degrees of vinasse substitution, using the mix ratio 1:2.5:4.0, through empirical calculation method for material quantification. Compression strength tests were conducted using a hydraulic press equipped with a compression strength reading system, with readings taken at the end of curing periods of 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. Results show that a 60% substitution rate of mixing water with vinasse yields the most satisfactory performance in terms of strength enhancement, with an almost 20% increase compared to conventional concrete. Furthermore, 100% vinasse replacement demonstrated promising results in consistency improvement. While further research is needed to explore the impact of vinasse on aggregate granulometry and solid content, this study underscores the viability of vinasse as an eco-friendly and economically sound alternative in concrete production, without compromising the strength of the constructed works.