Optimizing concrete sustainability with bagasse ash and stone dust and its impact on mechanical properties and durability

Addressing environmental challenges such as pollution and resource depletion requires innovative industrial and municipal waste management approaches. Cement production, a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, highlights the need for eco-friendly building materials to combat global warming and promote sustainability. This study evaluates the simultaneous use of Sugarcane Bagasse Ash (SCBA) and Stone Dust (SD) as partial replacements by volume for cement and sand, respectively, at varying ratios in eco-strength concrete mixes designed for 28 MPa (ES-28) and 34 MPa (ES-34), emphasizing their economic and environmental benefits. The influence of SCBA and SD on workability, mechanical properties, and durability were experimentally investigated. Results reveal that for ES-28, with 9% SCBA and 50% SD, compressive and tensile strengths were nearly equal to the control mix, while flexural strength improved by 6.86%. For ES-34, with 9% SCBA and 50% SD, compressive strength was enhanced by 10.16%, tensile strength by 11.68%, and flexural strength by 5.22%, compared to the control mix. This improvement is attributed to pozzolanic reactions, enhanced particle packing, and optimal curing conditions. However, water absorption increased significantly, with ES-28 showing a 31.61% rise and ES-34 a 22.32% rise when SCBA was 9% and SD was 50%. These results highlight the trade-offs between mechanical performance and durability. The optimized mix, derived from response surface analysis, demonstrates significant potential as a sustainable alternative to conventional concrete, aligning with environmental and structural performance objectives.