Experimental Investigation on Partial Replacement of Cement with Fly Ash and Glass Powder

Use of glass in concrete is an interesting possibility for economy on wastage disposals. It is an amorphous material with high silica content, thus making it potentially pozzolanic when particle size is less than 75 μm [1, 2]. The amorphous silica (SiO₂) in the glass powder reacts with the portlandite [Ca(OH)₂] generated during cement hydration and convert to gels of calcium silicate hydrate (C–S–H) [3]. A major concern regarding the use of glass in concrete is the chemical reaction that takes place between the silica rich glass particle and the alkali in pore solution of concrete, which is called Alkali Silica Reaction. It can be very detrimental to the stability of concrete, unless appropriate precautions are taken to minimize its effects. The inclusion of fly ash in glass powder concrete has shown reduction in the alkali silica reaction and improvement in the workability and durability properties of concrete [4, 5]. This study summarizes information on the mechanical properties of concrete containing fly ash and glass powder. The main objective of this work is to study the suitability of these materials as partial replacement of cement. In this study, cement is partially replaced with fly ash and glass powder in different proportions by weight and the combined optimum percentage is determined. The properties of concrete containing optimum percentage of these materials are compared with that of control concrete. A better understanding of the performance of these materials could lead to its increased usage, consequently contributing to sustainability.