The Effect of Adding Barley and Oats Husks Ashes on the Properties of Ordinary Portland cement

Abstract

In this scientific study, the researcher’s analysed agricultural waste materials, namely barley husk ash (BHA) and oats husk ash (OHA), as possible substitutes for ordinary Portland cement (OPC). The primary aim was to improve OPC production capacity while mitigating ecological and economic problems linked with traditional OPC production. A range of cement blends, comprising different proportions (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 wt. %) of BHA or OHA additives in OPC, were prepared and analysed.
 Raw material analysis was conducted through X-ray fluorescence technique (XRF), complying with established standards. Cement mixes, resulting from the blends, were scrutinised for their cementing properties and mechanical performance according to international standards. The properties analysed were standard water of consistency (WOC), bulk density, apparent porosity and compressive strength after a hydration period of 28 days. A 15% ash inclusion resulted in the maximum compressive strength of hardened cement pastes, specifically, a 42% increase for reinforcing with BHA (strength value rose from 358 to 510 Kg/cm3) and a 38% increase in strength value for OHA incorporation (strength value increased from 340 to 470 Kg/cm3).
 The study's findings showed that the incorporation of 15-20 wt. % of BHA or OHA led to a substantial improvement in the cementing properties examined. It is noteworthy that BHA was found to be more advantageous as cement mixes containing BHA demonstrated superior cementing properties in comparison to the other investigated samples. The superior performance of the cement blends can be attributed to the relatively higher pozzolanic nature demonstrated by BHA, which had a positive impact overall.