Behavior of the self-compacting mortar with sugarcane bagasse ash in the fresh and hardened state

Abstract

Self-compacting concrete (SCC) is a material with high workability and moderate viscosity when compared to conventional concrete. Due to its advantages, the SCC has been investigated in the last decades and the research studies the use of new components in its structure and the search for the improvement of its performance, both in the fluid and in the hardened state. The goal of this study was to evaluate the behavior of self-compacting mortars with limestone filler and with the addition of sugarcane bagasse ash (SBA) partially replacing the small aggregate. To reach this goal, initially, a rate of replacement of natural sand by SBA was set. Afterwards, slump-flow and funnel-V tests were carried out in order to check the behavior of the mortars in the fresh state. After checking the behavior of the mortars in their fresh state, the different mix proportions that achieved the best aspects of fluidity and viscosity was selected, and, for self-compacting mortars, specimens were molded to determine tensile strength at 28 days, and compressive strength at 7 and 28 days. The experimental analyses demonstrated an increase in viscosity and reduction in fluidity with increasing content of limestone filler, facilitating the obtaining of self-compacting mortars. Regarding the performance of the material in the hardened state, the mortars showed a slight increase in tensile and compressive strength due to the filler effect of fines. It was possible to replace 40% of the small aggregate with SBA.