INVESTIGATION INTO THE PROPERTIES AND STRUCTURE OF TERNARY BLENDS OF SAW DUST ASH AND SPONGE GOURD ASH IN MORTAR
Abstract
This study explores the utilization of ternary blends of sawdust ash (SDA) and sponge gourd ash (SGA) as partial replacement of cement in mortar.Comprehensive characterization of SDA and SGA, including their chemical composition, specific gravity, particle size distribution, and pozzolanic activity, were carried out. Also, the fineness, soundness, and setting times of mortar containing the ternary blend of SDA and SGA were investigated. Further, microstructural investigations using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were also conducted. The results showed that; the fineness of ternary blends of SDA and SGA increases with SGA from 262.56 m²/kg to 459.81 m²/kg, the soundness of SDA and SGA blends decreases from 5.90 mm to 4.50 mm, the consistency decreased from 28.1 mm to 26.0 mm with increasing SGA, the initial and final setting times decreased from 98/216 minutes to 80/194 minutes with increasing SGA, SDA and SGA exhibit high silica and alumina content, as indicated by XRF results. The SEM analysis reveals particle sizes ranging from 0.1 ?m to 100 ?m for SDA and 10 ?m to 100 ?m for SGA. Compositionally, SDA consists of Graphite, Urea, Silicon Dioxide, and Englishite, while SGA comprises Quartz, Hanksite, Davyne, and Woodhouseite, displaying varying particle morphologies.
Keywords: Sawdust ash (SDA), Spongegourdash (SGA), Ternary blends, Pozzolanic activity, Microstructure, Compressive strength, Splitting tensile strength, Flexural strength.
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