Behavior of Concrete Compressive Strength by Utilizing Fly Ash and Wood Powder

The release of CO2 into the atmosphere, which is caused by cement manufacturing, is a substantial cause of global warming. Besides, rapid industrial expansion has prompted concerns about how to properly dispose of industrial by-products. Many of them might pollute the environment if discarded in open landfills. In recent years, utilization of natural and industrial waste as a supplement to cement or aggregates has become incredibly popular as a means of improving concrete performance, satisfy rising cement needs and achieving environmental sustainability. A blend of fly ash (as a cement substitute) and wood powder (as a fine aggregate substitute) might be a viable alternative for determining the impact on the concrete mixture. In this study, fine aggregate is substituted with 5%, 10%, and 15% wood powder, and cement is replaced with 10%, 15%, and 20% fly ash to get the best combination in terms of compressive strength. When a 5% wood powder replacement is done with fine aggregate and a 10-15% replacement of cement is made with fly ash, compressive strength improves between 2.19-3.58% and 4.12-7.51% for 28 days and 90 days. It is found that if the quantity of wood powder in concrete exceeds 5%, the compressive strength drops dramatically. Besides that, concrete constructed with a 20% fly ash and 15% wood powder mixture disintegrated while curing. However, concrete containing up to 10% wood powder and up to 15% fly ash has been demonstrated to be effective when compared to plain concrete. Furthermore, based on the compressive strength test results of concrete at 28 days and environmental sustainability, a considerable proportion of construction expenses may be saved by substituting 10-15% of cement with fly ash.