Effect of Sawdust Ash on the Properties of Concrete Produced with Portland Limestone Cement Grades 32.5N and 42.5R
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33003/fjs-2026-1018-5942Keywords:
Sawdust Ash, Concrete, Portland Limestone Cement, Compressive Strength, Split Tensile Strength, Sustainable ConstructionAbstract
The search for sustainable and resource-efficient construction materials has increased interest in waste-derived materials as partial cement substitutes. This study investigated the effects of sawdust ash (SDA) on concrete produced with Portland limestone cement grades 32.5N and 42.5R. SDA replaced cement at 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% by mass using a 1:2:4 mix ratio and water-to-cementitious-material ratio of 0.58. For each cement type, 50 cubes and 50 cylindrical specimens were produced and cured for 28 and 56 days. A two-way ANOVA assessed the effects of SDA level and cement type on 56-day compressive strength using 10 treatment combinations with five independent replicates each. The specific gravities of river sand, crushed granite, and SDA were 2.53, 2.54, and 2.05, respectively. Slump decreased from 53 to 20 mm for 32.5N concrete and from 48 to 22 mm for 42.5R concrete as SDA increased from 0% to 20%. Density similarly decreased, while water absorption increased. At 56 days, compressive strength of 32.5N concrete increased from 25.60 N/mm² at 0% SDA to 26.80 N/mm² at 5%, while 42.5R concrete increased from 26.90 to 31.90 N/mm². Further SDA addition reduced strength. The highest 56-day split tensile strengths were 2.90 N/mm² for 32.5N and 3.80 N/mm² for 42.5R at 5% SDA. Two-way ANOVA showed that SDA content, cement type, and their interaction significantly affected compressive strength (p < 0.001). The study concluded that, within the investigated replacement levels, 5% SDA replacement provided optimum strength performance, particularly with 42.5R cement,
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