Influence of Prewetted Rice Husk Ash Aggregate Pellets in Concrete

Abstract

This paper summarizes the experimental studies on strength characteristics of concrete in which Rice husk ash (RHA) is used as a partial replacement of fine aggregate. Artificial aggregates are very popular now a days since the scarcity of river sand has increased drastically. India is familiar for agriculture so every year 120 million tons of rice husk are produced from the gross field. The amorphous silica presented in the RHA is almost 85% to 90%, which is used as pozzolanic material in concrete. The concrete made by partially replacing fine aggregate with prewetted RHA aggregate under self-curing process. At that, maximum of 20% (by volume) was replaced. Self-curing is the solution to inadequate curing for today’s water scarcity. Fresh concrete properties and strength properties are analyzed. Test results indicate the concrete mixed with 15% RHA aggregate exhibited better results under self-curing conditions when compared to the control mix and other mixes.