Eco-friendly and cost-effective self-compacting concrete using waste banana leaf ash

The requirements of higher cement content and numerous admixtures in self-compacting concrete (SCC) yield a comparatively high production due to the high cement consumption that limits its use in everyday construction. As a result, it is prudent to consider alternatives for decreasing the environmental effects while producing a cost-effective SCC. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the fresh mechanical, durability, and microstructural characteristics as well as the environmental impacts of self-compacting concrete (SCC) incorporating waste banana leaf ash (BLA) to determine the optimum percentage of BLA. Concrete mixtures with 10%, 20%, and 30% OPC substitutions were investigated. Test findings revealed that all the fresh mixes performed within the EFNARC (2002) recommended limit. Despite the fact that increasing concentrations of BLA reduced the mechanical properties, concentrations of up to 20% BLA demonstrated strength comparable to the control mix. Furthermore, chloride ion penetration increased to 4%, with 20% BLA replacement falling into the moderate ion permeability zone. Finally, a relatively lower CO2-eq (maximum 29.13% reduction) per MPa indicates a significant positive impact due to the reduced Global Warming Potential (GWP)

Performance evaluation of high-performance self-compacting concrete with waste glass aggregate and metakaolin

High-Performance Self-Compacting Concrete (HPSCC) has attracted much attention in recent decades due to its remarkable ability to fill formworks with densely packed reinforcing bars while requiring minimal or no external compaction. Because of the negative environmental impacts of cement and natural aggregates in concrete production, a much more sustainable alternative to manufacturing HPSCC is required. Recycled glass waste is one of the most attractive waste materials that can be used to create sustainable concrete compounds, which is currently a major area of study among researchers. This study aims to develop information not only about the fresh, mechanical, and durability characteristics of HPSCC, evaluate the environmental impact and correlate the crushing strength using a non-destructive approach by utilizing waste glass aggregates at replacement percentages of 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%. To improve the performance of the produced HPSCC, Metakaolin was also added. The results of the fresh concrete tests revealed that the substitution of an optimal level of waste glass with Metakaolin provides adequate implementation in flowability, passing ability, and viscosity behaviors. Even though there is a reduction in the mechanical performance with glass aggregates, Metakaolin significantly improved strength and ductility by up to 16.12% and 15.91%, respectively. Furthermore, in most cases, the use of glass aggregates with Metakaolin significantly alters the durability properties of concrete while minimizing the environmental impact as well as the overall project cost. Finally, the NDT assessment demonstrates that the analytical equation can efficiently predict the compressive strength and promising to use for field application