Study of Ricehusk
Study of Ricehusk
Study of Ricehusk
Abstract during milling is mostly used as a fuel in the boilers for processing
In the present investigation, a feasibility study is made to use paddy, producing energy through direct combustion and / or by
Rice Husk Ash as an admixture to an already replaced Cement gasication. About 20 million tons of RHA is produced annually.
with y ash (Portland Pozzolana Cement) in Concrete, and an This RHA is a great environment threat causing damage to the land
attempt has been made to investigate the strength parameters of and the surrounding area in which it is dumped. Lots of ways are
concrete (Compressive and Flexural). For control concrete, IS being thought of for disposing it by making commercial use of this
method of mix design is adopted and considering this a basis, RHA. In the present investigation, Portland cement was replaced
mix design for replacement method has been made. Five different by rice husk ash at various percentages to study compressive and
replacement levels namely 5%, 7.5%, 10%, 12.5% and 15% are exural strength.
chosen for the study concern to replacement method. Large range
of curing periods starting from 3days, 7days, 28days and 56days II. Experimental Procedure
are considered in the present study.
A. Materials Used
Keywords
Rice Husk Ash in Concrete, Portland Pozzolana Cement (i). Cement
Cement used in the experimental work is PORTLAND
I. Introduction POZZOLONA CEMENT conforming to IS: 1489 (Part1)-1991.
Concrete is a widely used construction material for various types The physical and chemical properties of the cement obtained
of structures due to its structural stability and strength. All the on conducting appropriate tests as per IS: 269/4831 and the
materials required producing such huge quantities of concrete requirements as per IS 1489-1991 are given in Table 1 & Table
come from the earths crust. Thus, it depletes its resources every 2.
year creating ecological strains. On the other hand, human activities
on the Earth produce solid waste in considerable quantities of over Table 1: Physical properties of procured PPC
2500/MT per year, including industrial wastes, agricultural wastes Test Requirements of
and wastes from rural and urban societies. Recent technological Particulars
Results IS: 1489-1991
development has shown that these materials are valuable as
Specic Gravity 3.15
inorganic and organic resources and can produce various useful
products. Amongst the solid wastes, the most prominent ones are Fineness (m2/kg) 369 300 Min
y ash, blast furnace slag, rice husk, silica fume and demolished Normal Consistency 32%
construction materials. Setting Time (Minutes):
From the middle of 20th century, there had been an increase in the Initial 175 30
consumption of mineral admixtures by the cement and concrete Final 265 600
industries. The increasing demand for cement and concrete is Soundness
met by partial cement replacement. Substantial energy and cost Le-Chatlier Expansion 1 mm 10 mm Max
savings can result when industrial by-products are used as a partial Autoclave Expansion 0.06 % 0.8% Min
replacement for the energy intense Portland cement. The use of Compressive Strength
by-products is an environmental friendly method of disposal of (Mpa)
large quantities of materials that would otherwise pollute land, 27 16 Min.
72 + 1 hr (3 days)
water and air. Most of the increase in cement demand will be met 38 22 Min.
168 + 2 hr (7 days)
by the use of supplementary cementing materials. 56.5 33 Min.
672 + 4 hr (28 days)
Rice milling generates a by-product known as husk. This surrounds
Drying Shrinkage % 0.06 % 0.15 Max
the paddy grain. During the milling of paddy about 78 % of weight
% of Fly Ash addition 29
is received as rice, broken rice and bran. The rest 22 % of the
weight of paddy is received as husk. This husk is used as fuel in
the rice mills to generate steam for the parboiling process. This Table 2: Chemical Properties of Procured PPC
husk contains about 75 % organic volatile matter which burns Requirements of
up and the balance 25 % of the weight of this husk is converted Particulars Test Results
IS: 1489-1991
into ash during the ring process, which is known as rice husk
Loss on Ignition 1.79 5.0 Max
ash (RHA). Rice husk was burnt approximately 48 hours under
uncontrolled combustion process. The burning temperature was Magnesia (% by
1.86 6.0 Max
within the range of 600 to 850 degrees. The ash obtained was mass)
ground in a ball mill for 30 minutes and its color was seen as grey. Sulphuric anhydride
1.55 3.0 Max
This RHA in turn contains around 85%-90% amorphous silica. So (% by mass)
for every 1000 kg of paddy milled, about 220 kg (22%) of husk Insoluble Material (
24.44 27.464 Max
is produced, and when this husk is burnt in the boilers, about 55 % by mass)
kg (25%) of RHA is generated. Chloride (%) 0.011 0.1 Max
India is a major rice producing country, and the husk generated
cement and ne aggregate until the coarse aggregate is uniformly specied. The permissible errors shall be not greater than + 0.5
distributed throughout the batch, and percent of the applied load where a high degree of accuracy is
The water shall then be added and the entire batch mixed until the required and not greater than + 1.5 percent of the applied load
concrete appears to be homogenous and has the desired consistency. for commercial type of use. The bed of the testing machine shall
If repeated mixing is necessary, because of the addition of water be provided with two steel rollers, 38 mm in diameter, on which
in increments while adjusting the consistency, the batch shall be the specimen is to be supported, and these rollers shall be so
discarded and a fresh batch made without interrupting the mixing mounted that the distance from centre to centre is 60 cm for 15.0
to make trial consistency tests. cm specimens or 40 cm for 10.0 cm specimens. The load shall be
applied through two similar rollers mounted at the third points of
III. Tests Conducted the supporting span that is spaced at 20 or 13.3 cm centre to centre.
Test for Compressive Strength of Concrete Specimen: (As per The load shall be divided equally between the two loading rollers
IS: 516-1959) and all rollers without subjecting the specimen to any torsional
stresses or restraints.
A. Apparatus:
E. Procedure
1. Testing Machine Test specimens stored in water at a temperature of 240 to 300C for
The testing machine may be of any reliable type, of sufcient 48 hours before testing shall be tested immediately on removal from
capacity for the tests and capable of applying the load at the the water whilst they are still in a wet condition. The dimensions
specied rate. The permissible error shall be not greater than + of each specimen shall be noted before testing. No preparation
2 percent of the maximum load. The testing machine shall be of the surface is required.
equipped with two steel bearing platens with hardened faces.
One of the platens shall be tted with a ball seating in the form F. Calculation
of a portion of a sphere, the centre of which coincides platen The exural strength of the specimen shall be expressed as the
shall be plain rigid bearing block. The bearing faces of the both modulus of rupture fb, which, if a equals the distance between
platens shall be at least as large as, and preferably larger than the the line of fracture and the nearer support, measured on the centre
nominal size of the specimen to which the load is applied. The line of the tensile side of the specimen, in cm, shall be calculated
bearing surface of the platens, when new, shall not depart from to the nearest 0.5 kg/sq cm as follows:
a plane by more than 0.01 mm at any point, and they shall be fb = p x l
maintained with a permissible variation limit of 0.02 mm. The b x d2
movable portion of the spherically seated compression platen when a is greater than 20.0 cm for 15.0 cm specimen,
shall be held on the spherical seat, but the design shall be such or greater than 13.3 cm for a 10.0 specimen, or
that the bearing face can rotated freely and tilted through small fb = 3 p x a
angles in any direction. b x d2
when a is less than 20.0 cm but greater than 17.0 cm for 15.0
B. Procedure cm specimen or less than 13.3 cm but greater than 11.0 cm for a
Specimens stored in water shall be tested immediately on removal 10.0 specimen
from the water and while they are still in the wet condition. Surface Where
water and grit shall be wiped off the specimens and any projecting b = measured width in cm of the specimen,
ns removed. Specimens when received dry shall be kept in water d = measured depth in cm of the specimen at the point
for 24 hours before they are taken for testing. The dimensions of of failure
the specimens to the nearest 0.2 mm and their weight shall be l = length in cm of the span on which the specimen was
noted before testing approximately 140 kg/sq cm/min until the supported, and
resistance of the specimen to the increasing load breaks down and p = maximum load in kg applied to the specimen
no greater load can be sustained. The maximum load applied to If a is less than 17.0 cm for a 15.0 cm specimen, or less than
the specimen shall be recorded and the appearance of the concrete 11.0 cm for a 10.0 specimen, the results of the test shall be
and any unusual features in the type of failure shall be noted. discarded.
From the gure, it is clear that as the age advances, the strength 10%, 12.5% and 15%. Along with the variations shown for each
of Control concrete increases. The rate of increase of strength is replacement, for comparison similar variations is also shown for
higher at curing period up to 28 days. However the strength gain control concrete i.e., for 0% replacement.
continues at a slower rate after 28 days. In each of these variations, it can be clearly seen that, as the age
advances, the compressive strength also increases. The highest
strength obtained at a particular age for different replacement
levels with RHA is reported in table 13 for the ages of 3 days, 7
days, 28 days and 56 days respectively.
From the above table it can be clearly seen that, the strength is
higher for control concrete (i.e 0% replacement) for initial period
up to between 3-7 days up to 10% replacement with Rice husk
ash, and for 15% replacement with RHA, the strength is very
much higher when compared to that of control concrete. The rate
of strength development between 7-28 days is maximum when
cement is replaced with 5% RHA. Thus from the above table it is
clear that the rate of strength development is maximum up to the
age of 28 days at all the replacement levels with RHA, and as the
age advances from 28 56 days, the rate of strength development
gradually decreases at all the replacement levels.
Comparison between different replacements is made possible if the
water cement ration is common. For better pictorial representation,
the variations are also represented in the form of bar charts in the
gure. The graph is so developed that a common water cement
ratio is considered for different replacement, so that for a particular
water cement ratio how the variation is observed with different
replacement.
Table 10: Flexural strength of Control and Rice Husk ash concrete
in N/mm2
Curing
3 days 7 days 28 days 56 days
Period
0% 1.01 1.17 4.21 4.95
5% 1.22 1.36 3.62 4.21
7.5% 1.44 1.62 3.84 4.62
10% 1.34 1.41 2.75 3.29
12.5% 1.22 1.44 2.24 2.76
15% 1.04 1.25 2.08 2.35
Rice Husk Ash (RHA) Concrete: Variation of exural strength
with respect to age and percentage of RHA and effect of RHA
percentage on Flexural strength of M20 grade concrete is depicted
Rice Husk Ash (RHA) Concrete: Variation of exural strength in the gures. The rate of development of exural strength is
with respect to age and percentage of RHA and effect of RHA higher at 7 days to 28 days. At the later age between 28 days to
percentage on Flexural strength of M20 grade concrete is depicted 56 days only a marginal increase is observed. At 28 days, there
in the gures. The rate of development of exural strength is is very less variation in exural strength of RHA concrete at the
higher at 7 days to 28 days. At the later age between 28 days to replacement levels, where as there is a comparative increase in
56 days only a marginal increase is observed. At 28 days, there exural strengths of RHA concrete at higher curing period
is very less variation in exural strength of RHA concrete at the
Table 11: 28 Day Compressive and Flexural Strength of Control Concrete & Rice Husk Ash concrete
Strength
Compressive Strength in N/mm2 Flexural Strength in N/mm2
Type
Percentage
0% 5% 7.5% 10% 12.5% 15% 0% 5% 7.5% 10% 12.5% 15%
Replacement
Control
30.3 4.21
Concrete
Rice Husk ash
31.5 31 30 30.14 25 3.62 3.84 2.75 2.24 2.08
Concrete
V. Conclusion
Based on the limited study carried out on the strength behavior of
Rice Husk ash, the following conclusions are drawn:
At all the cement replacement levels of Rice husk ash; there is
gradual increase in compressive strength from 3 days to 7 days.
However there is signicant increase in compressive strength
from 7 days to 28 days followed by gradual increase from 28
days to 56 days.
At the initial ages, with the increase in the percentage replacement
of both Rice husk ash, the exural strength of Rice husk ash
concrete is found to be decrease gradually till 7.5% replacement.
However as the age advances, there is a signicant decrease in
the exural strength of Rice Husk ash concrete.
By using this Rice husk ash in concrete as replacement the emission
of green house gases can be decreased to a greater extent. As a
result there is greater possibility to gain more number of carbon
credits.
The technical and economic advantages of incorporating Rice
Husk Ash in concrete should be exploited by the construction and
rice industries, more so for the rice growing nations of Asia.
References
[1] Rama Rao G.V, Seshagiri Rao M.V,"High Performance
Concrete Mix Design using Husk Ash As Mineral Admixture,
proceedings of natural conference on materials and structures,
Warangal, pp. 65-70, 2004.
[2] Rama Samy, Dr. Viswa. S,Durable To Properties Of Rice
Husk Ash Concrete, ICI journal Indian concrete institute
pp. 41-50, 2009.
[3] A.A. Boateng, D.A. Skeete,Incineration of Rice Hull for
use as a Cementitious Material: The Guyana Experience,
Cement and Concrete Research, Vol. 20, 1990, pp. 795-
802.
[4] Arpana,"Rice Husk Ash-Admixture to concrete, 2nd
National conference on Advances in concrete Technology,
February 26-27, 2004, pp. 93-98.
[5] Chai Jaturapitakkul, Boonmark Roongreung,"Cementing
Material from Calcium Carbide Residue-Rice Husk Ash,
Journal of materials in civil Engineering ASCE, September-
October 2003, pp. 470-475.
[6] Deepa G. Nair, K.S Jagadish, Alex Fraaij,Reactive
Pozzolanas from Rice Husk Ash: An alternative to cement
for rural housing, Cement and Concrete Research 36, 2006
pp. 1062-1071.
[7] G.V.Rama Rao, M.V.Sheshagiri Rao,"High performance
Concrete with Rice Husk Ash as Mineral Admixture, ICI
Journal, April-June 2003, pp. 17-22.
[8] Gemma Rodriguez de Sensale,Strength Development
of Concrete with Rice- Husk Ash, Cement & Concrete
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[9] H.B.Mahmud, B.S.Chia, N.B.A.A. Hamid,"Rice Husk
Ash-An Alternative material in producing High Strength
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