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Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at
http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 02 Issue 10
October 2016
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 46
A Study of Mechanical Properties on Concrete with Rice Husk Ash
Lavanya Velpula ; Dr. S. Vijay Bhaskar Reddy, M.Tech., Ph.D.
1M.Tech. (Engineering Structures) CMR Engineering College, Telangana, India
2Professor, Department of Civil EngineeringmCMR Engineering College, Telangana, India
Abstract
Concrete has become basic material in
day to day life of humans. In recent years
lot of research is going on the
development of high strength concrete by
using supplementary materials for cement
and aggregates. The present investigation
is mainly focused on the effect of
mechanical properties and durability of
high strength concrete with supplementary
materials. In this investigation concrete
having compressive strength 50 and
70MPa and rice husk ash (RHA) as
supplementary material. Sulphuric Acid
(H2SO4) and Hydrochloric acid (HCl) has
been used as curing media in this
investigation apart from the water. Rice
husk added to the concrete with 0 to 20 %
by weight of cement. Fresh properties of
concrete like slump and hardened
properties like compressive strength, split
tensile strength after 28 days of curing are
conducted along with durability. The
results are quite impressive by using rice
husk in the concrete strength point of view
and acid resistance.
Key words: Rice Husk ash, durability,
supplementary materials, high strength
concrete.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Concrete is the basic engineering material
used in most of the civil engineering
structures. Its popularity as basic building
material in construction is because of, its
economy of use, good durability and ease
with which it can be manufactured at site.
The ability to mould it into any shape and
size, because of its plasticity in green stage
and its subsequent hardening to achieve
strength is particularly useful. Concrete
like other engineering materials needs to
be designed for properties like strength,
durability, workability and cohesion.
Concrete mix design is the science of
deciding relative proportions of
ingredients of concrete, to achieve the
desired properties in the most economical
way. With advent of high-rise buildings
and pre-stressed concrete, use of higher
grades of concrete is becoming more
common. Even the revised IS 456–2000
advocates use of higher grade of concrete
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Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at
http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 02 Issue 10
October 2016
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 47
for more severe conditions of exposure,
for durability considerations. Rice husk is
a potential material, which is amenable for
value addition. The usage of rice husk
either in its raw form or in ash form. Most
of the husk from the milling is either burnt
or dumped as waste in open fields and a
small amount is used as fuel for boilers,
electricity generation, bulking agents for
composting of animal manure, etc. The
exterior of rice husk are composed of
dentate rectangular elements, which
themselves are composed mostly of silica
coated with a thick cuticle and surface
hairs. The mid region and inner epidermis
contain little silica confirmed that the
presence of amorphous silica is
concentrated at the surfaces of the rice
husk and not within the husk itself.
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
Marble and limestone specimens were
exposed for one year by Youngdall and
Doe [1] to ambient atmospheric conditions
in four cities of Eastern USA. The results
show that the specimens were damaged by
calcium loss due to acid deposition. Neal
et al. [2] conducted the experiments on
marble were exposed to simulated acid
rain of different pH values by to corrosion
levels equivalent to exposure to ambient
atmosphere for a 10 – year period. Results
shows the dissolution rate decreased
logarithmically with time and was
determined by the transport rate of
dissolved ions. Rands et al. [3] found that
both the acidity and ionic strength in
rainwater played an important role in
limestone deterioration. Shadong et al [4]
conducted the laboratory experiments on
the acid rain effect on cement concrete.
They have concluded that the deterioration
of acid rain on the concrete specimen is
caused by both H+ dissolution and SO4
2-
expansion. Rostami and Brendley [5]
tested the acid resistance of alkali fly ash
concrete (cured at 40–90 ̊C) in terms of
mass loss. Torii and Kawamura [6]
investigated the effect of using silica fume
and fly ash as partial replacement for
cement on the resistance of concrete to a
2% solution of sulphuric acid. They
concluded that such a partial replacement
for cement could not effectively prevent
the acid-type deterioration involving
surface scaling and softening of mortar.
Ali Reza [7] investigated mechanical and
durability properties of ternary concrete by
combining silica fume and low blast
furnace reactive slag with different mix
proportions. By the use of ternary mixes,
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e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 02 Issue 10
October 2016
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 48
28 day durability properties of slag based
blended concrete was increased compare
to the conventional concrete with addition
of silica fume. The present investigation
mainly focused on the curing of concrete
in acid environment. In this investigation
two types of acids i.e., HCl and H2SO4 are
used and concrete having compressive
strength 50MPa has been used.
3. MATERIALS USED
3.1 Cement
Ordinary Portland cement of 53 grades
available in local market is used in the
investigation. The cement used has been
tested for various proportions as per IS:
4031-1988 and found to be conforming to
various specifications of IS: 12269-1987.
The specific gravity was 3.16
3.2 Fine aggregate
River sand procured from Karimnagar has
been used. The fine aggregate having
specific gravity 2.62. The sample is
confirming to zone II and fineness
modulus is 3.16.
3.3 Coarse aggregate
10 mm and 20 mm crushed gravel of 2.69
specific gravity was used. The coarse
aggregate was air-dried in the laboratory
and sieve analysis was carried out.
3.4 Rice husk
The chemical composition of rice husk is
similar to that of many common organic
fibres and it contains of cellulose 40–50%,
lignin 25–30%, ash 15–20% and moisture
8–15%. Rice husk ash contains 87–97% of
silica with small amount of alkalis and
other trace elements.
3.5 Superplasticizer
High Range Water Reducing Admixture
(HRWRA) confirming to ASTM C 494 [19]
commonly called as super plasticizers, are
used for improving the flow or workability
for decreased water-cement (w/c) ratio
without sacrifice in the compressive
strength. These admixtures when they
disperse in cement agglomerates
significantly decrease a viscosity of the
paste by forming a thin film around the
cement particles. In the present investigation
water-reducing admixture CONPLAST
SP430 obtained from FOSROC Chemicals,
Bangalore was used.
3.6 Sulphuric acid
Historical name of this acid is oil of
vitriol. Sulphuric acid is a highly eroding,
tough mineral acid with the molecular
formula H2SO4. It is a pungent-ethereal,
colorless to slightly yellow viscous liquid
which is soluble in water at all
concentrations. Sometimes, it is dyed dark
