Properties Of Foamed Concrete With Oil Palm Ash Inclusion And Its Application As An Interlocking Mortarless Block

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Date
2015-12
Authors
Abdulameer, Mohammed Zuhear
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Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
(OPA) is one of the waste materials produced by the palm oil industry. It is normally left to rot on the premises of the palm oil mills or dumped into low cost landfills causing a number of environmental issues. OPA has been used as a pozzolanic material in numerous studies for producing concrete and other cement related products. However, OPA had to be processed further to enhance its physical and mechanical properties, as a result, increasing its cost and reducing its opportunity to be used in concrete production on a larger scale. This study endeavoured on using OPA passing through a 300μm sieve (UOPA) to partially replace cement in the production of foamed concrete. The foamed concrete mix containing an optimum amount of UOPA was chosen to fabricate a novel mortar-less interlocking block (BTechLiTe block). Up to 65% by weight of cement was replaced by UOPA in foamed concrete mixes with design densities of 1150 and 1450kg/m3 and having filler to binder ratios (FB) of 1, 1.5 and 2. In total 36 mixes were prepared and were tested for their physical, mechanical and durability properties at different ages. The results showed that it was potential to use UOPA in producing foamed concrete with the aid of a superplasticiser and achieving similar replacement levels recommended by studies using processed OPA. The mix containing 35% UOPA replacement level (II-35) was chosen for the fabrication of the BTechLiTe block. The BTechlite block system showed strength of 3.75MPa which is higher than the minimal requirement for block strength according to BS 5628.
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Keywords
Oil palm ash
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