Evaluating the effects of agricultural wastes on concrete and composite mechanical properties: a review

Abstract

Wastes generation and emission of greenhouse gases are the major concerns of the contemporary world. Concrete’s cements companies in the globe are producing up to 2.8 billion tons of cements annually. This contributed to the emission of anthropogenic substances into the atmosphere which destroys the ozone layers. The incessant disposal of these agricultural wastes has detrimental effect on the environmental and human health. Thus, utilizing these wastes as secondary resources in concrete is a reasonable consideration in sustainable waste management in the circular economy. The use of agricultural wastes in concrete production has been gaining attraction in recent years, however, their effectiveness and performance in concrete need evaluation. This study presents an overview of the effects of some agricultural wastes: Bagasse, Coconut shell, Cotton, Oil palm and Hemp fibers on concrete and composite’s mechanical properties. As reviewed, Sugar-Cane Bagasse Ash (SCBA) and Coconut Shell Ash (CSA) are rich in cementitious (pozzolanic) properties (SiO2, Fe2O3 and Al2O3) for cement production up to 70%. Sugar-cane bagasse and oil palm-fiber ashes improved concrete workability. SCBA and CSA highly increased the concrete compressive strengths. The concrete tensile strengths were increased up to 97% with the inclusion of cotton and bagasse ashes. The SCBA, hemp-fiber and treated oil palm - fiber ash increased the concrete and composite’s flexural strengths up to 11.3%, 26.2% and 50.7% respectively. In conclusion, the output of this review will supply full data of the research gaps yet to cover on the use of agro-wastes in concrete for future investigations

State of the Art Review of Attributes and Mechanical Properties of Hempcrete

“…The aforementioned ingredients possess the capability to impact not just the hydrophobic properties of hempcrete, but also its ability to resist microbial deterioration. Moreover, they contribute to the characterization of the bond quality between the hemp hurd and the lime binder [23,[32][33][34][35].…”

Structural Performance of Concrete Reinforced with Banana and Orange Peel Fibers -A Review

“…Among the three, hemicelluloses are the least, with 5.933%, followed by lignin and cellulose, with 19.801% and 69.096% constituent, respectively, as indicated in Table 5. The best component of plant fiber is cellulose, which is a suitable property for concrete structural reinforcement [49]. 69.096% of cellulose from orange peels has excellent potential for concrete reinforcement.…”

“…The process of a concrete structure contracting and expanding due to climatic variations is known as concrete elasticity. If the issue is frequent and not adequately addressed, it may result in cracks [49]. As a result, quality design is required to expand cracks of concrete composites or materials to prevent cracks.…”

“…As it has been known, concrete workability depends on the materials' quality, the proportion of mixed aggregates, the percentage of water applied to the concrete mixing, and its production methods. If these were not adequately catered for, it could result in segregation, production of tick concrete that cannot flow easily, wet concrete, formation of pores and holes within the concrete, shrinkage, and creeping [49]. Apart from proper production methods, applying admixture in concrete will improve the quality of concrete produced.…”

“…All construction industries require the use of concrete with high-yielding strength to construct structural members. The suitability of the materials used will determine the weight of the concrete produced against deformations during loading [49]. Applying orange peel fiber in composite or concrete improved the quantity of concrete structural properties.…”