The Behavior of Portland Cement Concrete Mixed with Sewage Sludge Ash
Disciplines
Civil Engineering | Environmental Engineering
Abstract (300 words maximum)
As one of the strongest and most cost-effective substances used in constructions is Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) that uses lots of materials. However, its usage is not without consequences, as producing concrete utilizes a significant amount of non-renewable natural resources, such as sand and various other aggregates. This consumption of natural resources enhances the further depletion of these materials, damaging the environment. To reduce this environmental impact, alternative aggregates are being considered, such as recycled waste materials, sewage sludge ash (SSA). SSA is a by-product produced during the incineration of dewatered sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants. Previously used as a soil fertilizer, SSA has garnered increased attention due to its pozzolanic attributes. When grounded into a fine material, SSA has been found to be cementitious, and can be potentially used as replacement for fine aggregate in concrete. In this project, we will examine the workability and strength of SSA in PCC by replacing varying percentages of fine aggregate with SSA (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%). Each percentage of SSA will be tested at different curing periods (7-,14- and 28-day) In addition, a control batch will be cast to provide a baseline of comparison of the typical strength and workability of concrete. Through this experimentation, we can expand our knowledge on the behavior of PCC mixed with SSA. The benefits of using SSA in concrete will be recycling waste materials to reduce waste going into landfills. We expect that the strength of the concrete with the SSA will be the same, or stronger than, the control batch, and that there will be certain correlations with resistivity.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
SPCEET - Civil and Environmental Engineering
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Yongguk Seo
The Behavior of Portland Cement Concrete Mixed with Sewage Sludge Ash
As one of the strongest and most cost-effective substances used in constructions is Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) that uses lots of materials. However, its usage is not without consequences, as producing concrete utilizes a significant amount of non-renewable natural resources, such as sand and various other aggregates. This consumption of natural resources enhances the further depletion of these materials, damaging the environment. To reduce this environmental impact, alternative aggregates are being considered, such as recycled waste materials, sewage sludge ash (SSA). SSA is a by-product produced during the incineration of dewatered sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants. Previously used as a soil fertilizer, SSA has garnered increased attention due to its pozzolanic attributes. When grounded into a fine material, SSA has been found to be cementitious, and can be potentially used as replacement for fine aggregate in concrete. In this project, we will examine the workability and strength of SSA in PCC by replacing varying percentages of fine aggregate with SSA (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%). Each percentage of SSA will be tested at different curing periods (7-,14- and 28-day) In addition, a control batch will be cast to provide a baseline of comparison of the typical strength and workability of concrete. Through this experimentation, we can expand our knowledge on the behavior of PCC mixed with SSA. The benefits of using SSA in concrete will be recycling waste materials to reduce waste going into landfills. We expect that the strength of the concrete with the SSA will be the same, or stronger than, the control batch, and that there will be certain correlations with resistivity.