Investigation of pozzolanic properties of sugarcane bagasse ash for commercial applications

Abstract

The ideal climatic and environmental conditions for sugarcane cultivation are present all year round in the tropical island of Sri Lanka. Given the annual sugar consumption of the nation, a significant amount of sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA), a by-product with no intended commercial use but potential environmental and health risks, is produced. Numerous studies have been conducted recently to assess the viability of using SCBA as a pozzolanic material in structural applications. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the microstructure of SCBA samples from three sugar manufacturing facilities in Sri Lanka to identify the pozzolanic capacities. Several quantitative and qualitative characterization techniques have been utilized for the investigations. While maintaining the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) 618 specification as the standard for pozzolanic properties, a comparative investigation of the attributes of samples from each location was conducted. Beyond that, the relationship between the SCBA generation process parameters and their impact on the properties of SCBA have been identified. Finally, the SCBA source of the Pelwatte unit has been identified as the ideal source for the pozzolanic material from the three locations, considering quality and the extent of additional treatments required before use. Other prospective areas of research on SCBA and its potential applications have been recognized.