BANANA LEAF ASH AS SUBSTITUTE

OF PORTLAND CEMENT IN CONCRETE

A project Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the College of Engineering

University of Cebu – Main Campus

Sanciangko St., Cebu City

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

Bachelor of Science in Naval Architecture

and Marine Engineering

By:

Bolongon, Gleecee S.

Catiil, Niña Jane L.

Jumao-as, Junard Dave S.

July 10, 2019

This thesis paper entitled “Banana Leaf Ash as Substitute of Ordinary

Portland Cement in Concrete” has been prepared and submitted by

Gleecee S. Bolongon, Niña Jane C. Catiil and Junard Dave S. Bolongon in

partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Bachelor of Science in

Civil Engineering and is hereby examined, accepted and approved.

_________________________

Chairman of the Panellists

Engr. Jo Ann C. Celedio __________________________

Adviser Panel Member

___________________________ __________________________

Panel Member Panel Member

ENGR. FEDERICO A. AVES, JR.

Research Coordinator, College of Engineering

ENGR. GREG R. BELONGILOT

Dean, College of Engineering

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

INTRODUCTION

Rationale of the Study

The general objective of this study is to investigate if the banana leaves

ash can be substitute to an ordinary Portland cement in making concrete. The

specific objectives of this study were to decide the compressive quality of solid

utilizing banana leaves ash as waste agribusiness and to determine the

chemical properties of banana leaves ash burning with different temperatures

as cement replacement.

Theoretical Background

Concrete is the most commonly used man-made material on earth. It is

an important construction material used extensively in buildings, bridges, roads

and dams. Its uses range from structural applications, to paviours, kerbs, pipes

and drains. This material is widely used because it has several benefits such

as, more durable, energy-efficient, low maintenance, affordability, fire-

resistance, excellent thermal mass and also versatility.

Concrete is made up of three basic components: water, aggregate (rock,

sand, or gravel) and Portland cement. Cement, usually in powder form, acts as

a binding agent when mixed with water and aggregates. This combination, or

concrete mix, will be poured and harden into the durable material with which

we are all familiar. Concrete has also its own disadvantages due to
considerable brittleness, which results in poor fracture toughness, poor

resistance to crack propagation, and low impact strength.

The use of alternative materials in construction has been increasingly

intense. MARGON and ROCK (2003) describe that it is due to the large volume

of materials consumed and the enhancement of its use in the construction

industry and in environmental protection area. JOHN (2000) in their study

indicate that the construction supply chain is already the largest recycler of the

economy, since it has great potential to increase the volume of materials to

recycle, consider the amount and characteristics of waste that consumes.

Among the various types of construction waste that can employ highlights are

the pozzolanic materials, which are characterized by possessing reactive

activity when in contact with compounds of cement.

THE PROBLEM

Statement of the Problem

Agriculture waste is a raw material for industry nowadays. It does not

only economical but also can lead to air pollution such as global warming

(R.Srinivasan K. , 2010). Agriculture waste material usually disposed into

landfill or disposed by open burning that may lead to air pollution.

The agriculture waste can be used as replacement or additive for

construction material. For example, Coconut fiber can be used as additive to

concrete, palm oil kernel can be used as coarse aggregates in concrete and

agriculture waste as replacement of cement in concrete.

waste product such as banana leaves ash can be used to replace cement in

the making of concrete and able to solve the environment problem.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research was conducted to determine if the ordinary Portland

cement can be replaced by banana leaves in making concrete by compression

method test. The result will be compare with concrete using Ordinary Portland

Cement. If the requirement strength can be achieved, the waste product can be

used as alternative product to replace cement.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Concrete

Concrete is a composite material, consisting mainly of Portland

cement, water and aggregate (gravel, sand or rock). When these materials are

mixed together, they form a workable paste which then gradually hardens over

time.

Concrete
Concrete material

a) Portland cement

b) Aggregates

c) Water

Portland cement

Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) is material that adhesive and cohesive

properties and it is common type of cement used in construction. OPC is

important because it is largely effect in construction structure. It is usually dark

in colour. Portland cement is and will remain a major construction material of

choice in Civil Engineering construction. It is the most important constituent of

concrete. Unfortunately, cement manufacturing consumes large amount of

energy amounting about 7.36 x106 kJ per ton of cement (Tarun, 1996).

According to U.S Geological Survey, USGS (2011), the OPC is produced

nearly 3.3 billion metric ton per year. The production of OPC release highly

amount of Carbon Dioxide. The amount of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emitted by

cement industry is nearly 900 kg for every 1000 kg cements produced.

Therefore, it is a vital to the industry to minimize the use of concrete in

construction, cement content in concrete and clinker in cement (Kemal Celik et

al, 2014).
 According to Portland Cement Association (2009), the basic ingredient of

cement is a chemical combination of calcium, silicon, aluminium, iron and small

amounts of other ingredients .Gypsum is added in the final grinding process to

regulate the setting time of the concrete lime and silica make up about 85% of

the mass. Common among the materials used in its manufacture are limestone,

shells and chalk or marl combined with shale, clay, slate or blast furnace slag,

silica sand and iron ore.

Table 2.1: Estimate Interval Limitation of Portland cement

Table 2.1 shows the percentage of chemical composition of Ordinary

Portland Cement. Based on Table 2.1, the highest percentage of chemical

composition for Portland cement is Calcium Oxide (CaO) which is 65.1%

followed by Silica (SiO3), 21.8% and Alumina (AL2O3), 4.2%. The lowest
percentage of chemical composition for Portland cement was Sodium (Na2O)

which is 0.13%, followed by Potassium Oxide.

Binder Percentage (%) Silicon Trioxide (SiO3) Aluminium Oxide(AL2O3)

21.8 4.2 Calcium Oxide(CaO) 65.1 Iron Oxide (Fe2o3) 2.5 Potassium

oxide(K2O) 0.72 Sulphur trioxide(SO3) 2.4 Others 3.15 (K2O), with 0.72% and

Sulphur Trioxide (SO3), 2.4%. In addition, increasing lime and silica content in

Portland cement help to increase the setting time but lime provide a high early

strength.

Aggregates

Aggregate is a broad category of coarse to medium grained particulate

material used in construction, including sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag,

recycled concrete and geosynthetic aggregates. Aggregates are the most

mined materials in the world. Aggregates are a component of composite

materials such as concrete and asphalt concrete; the aggregate serves as

reinforcement to add strength to the overall composite material. Due to the

relatively high hydraulic conductivity value as compared to most soils,

aggregates are widely used in drainage applications such as foundation

and French drains, septic drain fields, retaining wall drains, and roadside edge

drains. Aggregates are also used as base material under foundations, roads,

and railroads. In other words, aggregates are used as a stable foundation

or road/rail base with predictable, uniform properties (e.g. to help prevent

differential settling under the road or building), or as a low-cost extender that

binds with more expensive cement or asphalt to form concrete.

Water

Water is transparent fluid and also a major constituent of fluid of the living

thing. In mixing process, water must be clean from injurious of substances such

as oil, acid, alkalis or other organic material. Portable water, such as water in

wells is accepted to be mix in mortar. The other characteristic of water that can

be used is water that containing pH value less than 6.Seawater containing up

to 35,000 parts per million (ppm) of dissolved salts is generally suitable is

generally suitable as mixing water for unreinforced concrete (A.F.Abdul

Wahab,2011).

Compressive Strength

Strength of hardened concrete measured by the compression test. The

compression strength of concrete is a measure of the concrete's ability to resist

loads which tend to compress it. The compressive strength of concrete is

measured by crushing cylindrical concrete specimens in compression testing

machine.
 The compressive strength of concrete can be calculated by the failure

load divided with the cross sectional area resisting the load and reported in

pounds per square inch in US customary units and mega pascals (MPa) in SI

units. Concrete's compressive strength requirements can vary from 2500 psi

(17 MPa) for residential concrete to 4000psi (28 MPa) and higher in commercial

structures. Higher strengths up to and exceeding 10,000 psi (70 MPa) are

specified for certain applications.

Banana leaves

Banana leaves have a wide range of applications because they are

large, flexible, waterproof and decorative. They are used for cooking, wrapping,

and food-serving in a wide range of cuisines in tropical and subtropical areas.

They are used for decorative and symbolic purposes in

numerous Hindu and Buddhist ceremonies. In traditional homebuilding in

tropical areas, roofs and fences are made with dry banana-leaf thatch. Banana

and palm leaves were historically the primary writing surfaces in many nations

of South and Southeast Asia.