Experimental study on sustainable cement concrete paver blocks incorporating coconut shell aggregate, quarry dust, silica fume and rice husk ash.

Abstract

Owing to India’s extensive geographical expanse and diverse topographical circumstances, road transport has emerged as a crucial means of transit in the country. The Indian government is prioritising the enhancement of road transport infrastructure nationwide by allocating substantial capital investments. An eminent concern in India revolves around the insufficient allocation of infrastructure for pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles. An effective approach to tackle this problem is to establish dedicated infrastructure facilities for pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles. Paver blocks are predominantly utilised for the construction of these structures and the most common type of paver blocks used are Concrete Paver Blocks (CPB). Due to the lower strength criteria for these CPB, a diverse array of waste/alternate materials are being utilised in the production of CPB. This study seeks to examine the application of silica fume and rice husk ash as supplemental cementitious materials (SCMs), and coconut shell aggregate and quarry dust as substitutes for coarse and fine aggregates, respectively, in CPB. The study aims to assess the strength, durability, and abrasion properties of environmentally friendly concrete paver blocks. Replacing cement with CSA and QD weakens concrete, whereas adding SCMs like RHA and SF strengthens it. Because CS30QD30R20S10 has somewhat higher strength than CM, the combination of CSA, QD, RHA, and SF may be more environmentally beneficial. Higher CSA and QD concentration increased abrasion loss, presumably due to a weaker matrix. However, SCMs improved abrasion resistance. CS30QD30R20S10 had somewhat less abrasion loss than CM, hence CPB produced with it will function better.