A Case Study on Partial Replacement of Cement by Saw Dust Ash in Concrete

The sustainable utilization and minimization of industrial and domestic wastes provides secondary raw materials that lead to sustainable technologies. This research proposal looked into the viability of the use of saw dust ash as a partial cement replacement material and compared the fresh and hardened concrete properties of the saw dust ash concrete and Portland cement concrete. The methodology of the study was mainly laboratory testing of the materials. The scope of the research covered the potential of using saw dust ash in India as a cement replacement material. From the research, it was found out that saw dust ash concrete compared well with Portland cement concrete up to 12 % cement replacement. Further replacement, however, would be detrimental to the strength of the concrete. The saw dust ash concrete was also found to be cheaper and friendlier to the environment than Portland cement concrete in proportion to the percentage of cement replaced. The main recommendation therefore was to replace cement with 12 % saw dust ash as this particular proportion of replacement would enable cost savings, reduction of environmental pollution and achievement of normal strength concrete as well. The findings of this research call for the safe use and disposal of saw dust and its ash and should also ignite an interest in the cement industry to produce cement that is friendlier to the environment green cement