An Approach to a New Supplementary Cementing Material: Arundo donax Straw Ash

Jordi Payá, Josefa Roselló, José María Monzó, Alejandro Escalera, María Pilar Santamarina, María Victoria Borrachero and Lourdes Soriano
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Jordi Payá: Grupo de Investigación en Química de los Materiales (GIQUIMA), Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología del Hormigón ICITECH, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia E-46022, Spain
Josefa Roselló: Departamento de Ecosistemas Agroforestales, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia E-46022, Spain
José María Monzó: Grupo de Investigación en Química de los Materiales (GIQUIMA), Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología del Hormigón ICITECH, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia E-46022, Spain
Alejandro Escalera: Grupo de Investigación en Química de los Materiales (GIQUIMA), Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología del Hormigón ICITECH, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia E-46022, Spain
María Pilar Santamarina: Departamento de Ecosistemas Agroforestales, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia E-46022, Spain
María Victoria Borrachero: Grupo de Investigación en Química de los Materiales (GIQUIMA), Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología del Hormigón ICITECH, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia E-46022, Spain
Lourdes Soriano: Grupo de Investigación en Química de los Materiales (GIQUIMA), Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología del Hormigón ICITECH, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia E-46022, Spain

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 11, 1-16

Abstract: Arundo donax is a plant native to Asia and is considered an invader species in the Mediterranean region and many tropical zones in the world. These invader plants can be collected to produce a biomass, which can be converted to ash by combustion. The scope of the study is to assess the use of these ashes ( Arundo donax straw ash [ADSA]) as supplementary cementing material due to their relatively high silica content. Electron microscopy studies on dried and calcined samples of different plant parts (cane, sheath leaf and leaf) were carried out. Some different cellular structures were identified in the spodogram (remaining skeleton after calcination). Major silica content was found in leaves and sheath leaves. The main element in all the ashes studied, together with oxygen, was potassium (22 to 46% depending on the part of the plant). Chloride content was also high (5–13%), which limits their use to non-steel reinforced concrete. The pozzolanic reactivity of ADSA was assessed in pastes by thermogravimetric analysis and in mortars with ordinary Portland cement based on compressive strength development. Excellent results were found in terms of reactivity.

Keywords: biomass ash; pozzolan; spodogram (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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