Investigation of Concrete Tensile Strength with Partial Replacement of Cement with Bamboo Stem Ash (BSA) in Concrete Structures

The research study is an investigation of concrete tensile strength with bamboo stem ash (BSA) partial replacement of cement and involves evaluation of split tensile strength of BSA concrete under certain curing conditions for optimum replacement level of BSA. Cement paste is solely responsible for the formation of intermolecular bonds in solid concrete which directly affects tensile strength. The research procedure involves casting concrete cylindrical elements (150 x 300 mm long) using a mix proportion of 1:1.5:3 and a constant water cement ratio of 0.5. Concrete was partially replaced with bamboo stem ash at 5%, 7.5%, and 10% by weight of cement. Workability test was performed using slump test and two curing conditions were employed, ie, air and water, also splitting tensile test experiment were conducted at 3, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 42 days. Split tensile strength is calculated from observed failure load due to tension, and equivalent to loss of intermolecular force of attraction (ie, debonding) between concrete molecules. The observed results indicated that for air cured specimen, control concrete exhibited substantial increase in tensile strength between 3 and 14 days with maximum of 2.15 N/mm2 at 14 days, similarly 5% BSA concrete demonstrated considerable improvement during this period, with increase from 1.43 N/mm2 to 1.75 N/mm2 at 14 days, while replacement levels of 7.5% and 10% resulted in progressive reduction in tensile strength due to effect of BSA contribution to cementitious-paste matrix bond strength. Water cured specimen produces stable strength development throughout the curing period and at 3 days, 5% BSA concrete presented highest splitting tensile strength of 8.66N/mm2 at 14 days while the control concrete specimen strength equals 8.00 N/mm2 at 14 days. In conclusion, 5% BSA replacement level consistently produced highest tensile strength performance and beneficial effect at this replacement level effectively compensated for reduction in cement content

Concrete, Cement, BSA, Tensile strength, Intermolecular forces

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