Impact of the Properties and Reactivity of Rice Husk Ash on Lime Mortar Properties
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 26, Issue 9
Abstract
This paper studies the effect of rice husk ash (RHA) in the properties of hydrated lime (calcium lime-CL90s) mortars with a view to improve their properties and make them more sustainable. The variation in mortar properties was related to the activity of the RHA, which was assessed by measuring its specific surface area, fineness, reactivity, composition, and amorphousness. According to the results, the RHA investigated is a low-temperature, highly reactive ash of high specific surface area that contains crystalline silica and unburnt cellulosic material and was probably produced between 400 and 500°C. Pozzolanic hydrates were clearly present after 24 h, progressively increasing in size and amount (at 3 and 7 days) and linking to each other to form continuous networks after 14 days. The paper concludes that lime replacement by RHA improves mortar workability, lowering water/binder ratio and the amount of water required to reach a specific consistency. RHA also enhances bulk density and lowers the difference between real and bulk densities thus resulting in lower porosity. Lime replacement by RHA enhances strength, and accelerates setting and early strength gain. Finally, with increasing RHA content, lime mortars become progressively stiffer and more elastic, yet remain plastic and thus undergo significant strain before failure.
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Acknowledgments
The authors are very grateful to Mr. Narayan P. Singhania of N K Enterprises, for providing the rice husk ash and answering all our questions during 9 years! We wish him all the best. The authors thank Dr. Robbie Goodhue, Dept. of Geology, TCD, for his assistance with the XRD analysis; Ms. Elaine Treacy, Dept of Geography, TCD, for her assistance with the laser grading; and Mr. Heath Bagshaw, Centre for Microscopy and Analysis, TCD, for his help with the SEM/EDX analyses. We acknowledge the support of the technical staff in the Dept. of Civil Engineering, TCD. We also thank Mr. E. Byrne of The Traditional Lime Co and Mr. L. Byrne of Clogrennane Lime for donating materials.
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© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Mar 4, 2013
Accepted: Oct 24, 2013
Published online: May 20, 2014
Published in print: Sep 1, 2014
Discussion open until: Oct 20, 2014
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