Effect of banana tree leaves ash as cementitious material on the durability of concrete against sulphate and acid attacks

Shahzeb Bhutto; Fahad-Ul-Rehman Abro; Mohsin Ali; Abdul Salam Buller; Naraindas Bheel; Yaser Gamil; Taoufik Najeh; Ahmed Farouk Deifalla; Adham E Ragab; Hamad R Almujibah

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29236

Effect of banana tree leaves ash as cementitious material on the durability of concrete against sulphate and acid attacks

Heliyon. 2024 Apr 6;10(7):e29236. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29236. eCollection 2024 Apr 15.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Civil Engineering, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro, 76090, Sindh, Pakistan.
² Graduate School of Urban Innovation, Department of Civil Engineering, Yokohama National University, Kanagawa, 240-8501, Japan.
³ Department of Civil Engineering, NED University Constitute College Thar Institute of Engineering, Science and Technology, 69230, Mithi, Tharparkar, Sindh, Pakistan.
⁴ Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Bandar Seri Iskandar, Tronoh, Perak, 32610, Malaysia.
⁵ Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia.
⁶ Operation and Maintenance, Operation, Maintenance and Acoustics, Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering, Lulea University of Technology, Sweden.
⁷ Structural Engineering and Construction Management Department, Future University in Egypt, 11835, New Cairo, Egypt.
⁸ Department of Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering, King Saud University, P.O. Box 800, Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia.
⁹ Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif, 21944, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

The construction industry's rapid growth poses challenges tied to raw material depletion and increased greenhouse gas emissions. To address this, alternative materials like agricultural residues are gaining prominence due to their potential to reduce carbon emissions and waste generation. In this context this research optimizes the use of banana leaves ash as a partial cement substitution, focusing on durability, and identifying the ideal cement-to-ash ratio for sustainable concrete. For this purpose, concrete mixes were prepared with BLA replacing cement partially in different proportions i.e. (0 %, 5 %, 10 %, 15 %, & 20 %) and were analyzed for their physical, mechanical and Durability (Acid and Sulphate resistance) properties. Compressive strength, acid resistance and sulphate resistance testing continued for 90 days with the intervals of 7, 28 and 90 days. The results revealed that up to 10 % incorporation of BLA improved compressive strength by 10 %, while higher BLA proportions (up to 20 %) displayed superior performance in durability tests as compared to the conventional mix. The results reveal the potentials of banana leave ash to refine the concrete matrix by formation of addition C-S-H gel which leads towards a better performance specially in terms of durability aspect. Hence, banana leaf ash (BLA) is an efficient concrete ingredient, particularly up to 10 % of the mix. Beyond this threshold, it's still suitable for applications where extreme strength isn't the primary concern, because there may be a slight reduction in compressive strength.

Keywords: Acid attack; Banana tree leaves ash; Cementitious materials; Concrete; Durability properties; Sulphate attack.