EFFECTS OF THE PARTIAL REPLACEMENT OF PRIME CEMENT BY SUGAR CANE BAGASSE ASH ON THE PHYSICOMECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE MADE IN THE CITY OF GOMA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC)

The present study proposes the study of the mechanical properties of the concretes obtained by partial substitution of PRIME cement by sugar cane bagasse ashes in the DRC. The Dreux-Gorisse method was used for the concrete design mix. Since cement is not always within the reach of the majority of the population in the Third World, a product such as sugar cane bagasse ash is being tested as a partial replacement for cement in concrete with ash percentages ranging from 0 % to a value that allows to obtain an acceptable mechanical strength of the concretes for the realization of sustainable constructions by the populations, these percentages were the followings (0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%).The compressive strengths obtained on concrete specimens at 14 days were respectively 23.6, 23.47, 19.91, 12.5 and 4.8 MPa while those at 28 days were respectively 27, 26.85, 22.78 , 14.3 and 9.2 MPa. These partial substitution percentages gave good strengths of concretes for the construction of housing and structures in reinforced concrete and make it possible to reduce the quantity of cement in the mixture and also reduce the cost of constructions with cement material.