Effect of Sugar Cane Bagasse Ash Incorporated as Viscosity Modifying Agent on Fresh, Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Self-Compacting Concrete

The global construction industry faces a crucial challenge reconciling economic growth with environmental sustainability, notably due to the significant environmental impact of cement production, particularly in countries like Pakistan. As the demand for cement grows, so does the carbon footprint and environmental degradation, necessitating the exploration of sustainable alternatives like sugarcane bagasse ash (SBA), a byproduct of sugarcane processing, to mitigate these issues while also addressing rising costs in concrete production. Embracing SBA offers a promising avenue to alleviate environmental concerns and enhance the sustainability of the construction sector. This study investigated the SBA properties and effectiveness as a viscosity modifying agent (VMA) in self-compacting concrete (SCC), examining varying SBA content effects on fresh and hardened SCC properties. The hydration and microstructure properties were evaluated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) to investigate SBA-based SCC. The results indicate that SBA has the potential to enhance mechanical and microstructural properties by possibly increasing the formation of Calcium Silicate Hydrate (CSH) gel. Adding 5% SBA demonstrated favorable fresh properties while incorporating up to 15% SBA showed improvements in compressive strength. Overall, adding SBA to cement manufacturing during clinkerization can reduce environmental pollution and lower production costs.