Strength Development of Sugar Cane Bagasse Ash Stabilized by Cement for Road Construction Works

Abstract

This study investigated the development of compressive strength of sugar cane bagasse ash (SCA) mixed with cement. Sugar cane bagasse ash is the by-products from sugar industry. In this study, the material SCA was brought from Sugar Power Plant Company Limited. The set of modified compaction of SCA mixed with cement at 2% upto 10% were performed. The compaction results showed that the maximum dry density (MDD) was measured between 1,335 kg/m³ and 1,490 kg/m³ and the average amount of optimum water content of 25% was reported. This amount of water content at 25% was to be used in preparing specimens for unconfined compression tests (UCS tests). The strength tests included the SCA specimens mixed with cement at 4%, 6%, 8% and 10% with the curing periods of 7 days, 14 days and 28 days. As a results of cementation by hydration of cement and water, the UCS test results showed that the strength increased with increasing the amount of cement and curing periods. At the certain amount of cement, this study proposed the relationship between the values of unconfined compressive strength (q_u) and curing time (t). Also, with the cement content at least 6% at the curing age of 7 days, the test results showed that the specimens had strength more than 7 kg/cm² satisfying the requirement for subbase course. However, specimens with the cement content of 4% required the curing period at least 21 days to develop the strength upto 7 kg/cm² for the subbase course. In addition, the results suggested the use of 10% cement content at the curing time of 28 days to satisfy the strength at 17.5 kg/cm² according to the DOH standard for the base course materials. Therefore, the study results recommended that SCA mixed with cement be the materials with values added for civil engineering works with the potential to be used as material substitution for road constructions.