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International Journal on Emerging Technologies 6(1): 144-150(2015)

ISSN No. (Print) : 0975-8364
ISSN No. (Online) : 2249-3255

Effect of Rice Husk on Compressive Strength of Concrete

Naveen*, Sumit Bansal** and Yogender Antil***
*M. Tech. Scholar, Department of Civil Engineering. GIET, Sonipat, (HR), INDIA
**Assistant Professor Department of Civil Engineering. GIET, Sonipat, (HR), INDIA
***Assistant Professor Department of Civil Engineering. GIET, Sonipat, (HR), INDIA
(Corresponding author: Naveen)
(Received 04 May, 2015 Accepted 04 June, 2015)
(Published by Research Trend, Website: www.researchtrend.net)
ABSTRACT: During last few decades requirement of high performance and highly durable concrete has
been on rise. Concrete is no longer made of aggregates, Portland cement and water only. Often, if not always
it has to incorporate at least one of the additional ingredients such as admixtures, supplementary cementious
material or fibers to enhance its strength and durability. The use of mineral admixture in combination with
chemical admixture has allowed the concrete technologists to tailor the concrete for many specific
requirements. Amongst the mineral admixture, silica fume, because of its finely divided state and very high
percentage of amorphous silica, proved to be most useful, if not essential for the development of very high
strength concretes and concrete of very high durability i.e. high performance concrete. Therefore it is being
used on a worldwide scale in concrete, for the making of high performance concrete. In spite of its numerous
advantages silica fume suffers from one major disadvantage that it is imported therefore, very costly. In this
work an attempt has made to find a suitable alternate of rice husk ash. The objective of research paper to
analysis the M-30 and M-60 grade concrete and find what effect on compressive strength of concrete at 7 days
and 28 days. Replacement of cement by rice husk ash showed in M30 grade concrete compressive strength
improvement up to the replacement of 10% in all ages. Both concrete mixes at 10% rice husk ash level
showed 3 to 10% increase in compressive strength. Rice husk ash levels of 15 to 20% showed reduction in
compressive strength in all ages.
Keywords: Rice Husk, Strength of Concrete, Portland cement,
facing these nations. Using sawdust ash (SDA) instead
I. INTRODUCTION
of sawdust in its natural form may lead to a cheaper
Concrete has continuously posed challenges to concrete. Rice husk constitute about 1/5th of the 300
architects, engineers, researchers and constructors all million metric tons of rice produced annually in the
these years. While trying to improve certain properties world. Rice husk ash is obtained from agricultural
of concrete, the other properties have suffered, hence waste rice husk. Controlled burning of rice husk
maintaining a perfect balance between the various between 500 and 600oC for short duration of about 2hrs
requirements of concrete happens to be the key to yields ash with low un-burnt carbon and anamorphous
successfully use this wonderful material in emerging silica. When rice husk is burnt in an uncontrolled
India. India is fastest growing economy among all manner, the ash, which is essentially silica, is converted
developing nation. So replacement of ordinary Portland to crystalline forms and is less reactive. Both the
cement by pozzolana Portland cement is more efficient crystalline and amorphous rice husk ash is used to
in terms of economy in mass construction. Replacement manufacture a lime- rice husk ash mix or a Portland rice
of pozzolana Portland cement by mineral admixtures husk ash cement or the rice husk ash can be used as a
(slag, silica fume) shows more efficiency in terms of Portland cement replacement in concrete. Research in
both economy & strength. Industrialization in India and the United States has found that if the hulls or
developing countries has resulted in an increase in straw are burned at a controlled low temperature, the
agricultural output and consequent accumulation of ash collected can be ground to produce a pozzolan very
unmanageable agro wastes. Pollution arising from similar to (and in some ways superior to) silica fume
wastes is a cause of concern for many developing and heat produced during burning can beneficially used
nations such as India, Nigeria. Recycling of such waste in power production, by doing so not only crop waste
into new building materials could be a viable solution can effectively disposed, but also can generate
not only to the pollution problem, but also to the electricity for the area, and provide high quality cement.
problem of the high cost of building materials currently
 Naveen, Bansal and Antil 145
There are two well -known methods for producing rice
II. MATERIAL AND METHODS
husk ash, fluidized bed technology which is practiced in
U.S and second method is torbed reactor which was The various material used in the experimental work
developed recently developed in Egypt, it is found that were cement, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate, mineral
the rice husk ash produced by the torbed technology is admixtures, (namely rice husk ash) superplasticizer and
superior than fluidized bed technology. The water.
characteristics of the typical rice husk produce in India The cement used in this research work was ordinary
has organic amorphous silica (made of rice husk ash) Portland cement of 53 grade. Cement was tested for its
with silica content of above 85%, in very small particle suitability according to IS 12269:1999. The various
size of less than 25 microns, which is used for making properties of the cement are shown in Table 1. Sand
green concrete, high performance concrete, refectories, used, as a fine aggregate in this experimental study was
insulators, flame retardants etc. Mauro observed that, land quarried and locally known as Koilwar, generally
when rice husk ash is added to concrete there was used in and around Patna. The sieve analysis of fine
38.7% decrease in water absorption and 25% of aggregate is shown in Table 2. The sand used in this
increment in compressive strength was obtained when experiment falls in Grading zone 2, as per IS: 83:1970.
5% of rice husk ash was added to ordinary Portland
cement. Dass and other several investigators have III. OBSERVATION
examined the characteristics and properties of rice husk Table 1: Properties of cement.
ash as; the Blaine air fineness is around 400 to 600
m2/kg and its specific gravity is around 2.3. The V Permissible Range
presence of silica in RHA was known since 1938 and al As per
an extensive literature search highlighted many uses of Test Parameter ue IS:12269:1999
Specific
RHA as silica replacement. Two main industrial uses
Gravity 3.15 3.10-3.15
were identified: as an insulator in the steel industry and Blaine Fineness
as a pozzolan in the cement industry. RHA is used by (m2/Kg) 307 225
the steel industry in the production of high-quality flat Normal
steel. Moreover, RHA is an excellent insulator, having Consistency
low thermal conductivity, high melting point, low bulk (%) 32 30-35
density, and high porosity. It is this insulating property Initial setting
that makes it an excellent “tundish powder” that time (min) 62 30
prevents rapid cooling of the steel and ensures uniform Final setting
solidification in the continuous casting process. In time (min) 260 600
addition, substantial research was carried out on its use Soundness of
cement
in the manufacture of concrete. In particular, there are
(Le Chatelier
two areas for which RHA is used: in the manufacture of expansion
low cost building blocks and in the production of high value in mm) 2 10
quality cement. The addition of RHA to cement Compressive
enhances the cement properties. Addition of RHA to Strength
Portland cement not only improves the early strength of (MPa)
concrete, but also leads to the formation of a calcium 7 days 37
silicate hydrate gel around the cement particles, which 28 days 58 53
becomes highly dense and less porous. This may
increase the strength of concrete against cracking. In Table 2: Sieve analysis of fine aggregate and Zones
general, concrete made with Portland cement as per IS:383-1970.
containing RHA has a higher compressive strength.
Burning of rice husk at different temperatures produces (%) Passing
different kinds of ashes. Once the rice husk is burned Sieve Size Passing (%) Zones as per IS:383-1970
without releasing CO2 in the atmosphere the end (mm) 1 2 3
product is rice husk ash. It has many industrial uses. 10 100 100 100 100
The company uses a patented technology to purify the 90-100 90- 90-100
4.75 98.5 100
silica content of the ash up to 99%. The impurities are
2.36 95.5 60-95 75-100 85-100
metallic salts which can be processed as fertilizers in 1.18 87.5 30-70 55-90 75-100
rice production. The purified SiO2 can be processed 0.600 54 15-34 35-59 60-79
further to produce Silicon crystals for the production of 0.300 8 5-20 8-30 12-40
microchips and solar cells or photovoltaic panels. 0.150 3.75 0-10 0-10 0-10
 Naveen, Bansal and Antil 146
Table 3: Properties of fine aggregate. 6.
Properties Values Table 5: Properties of coarse aggregate.

Fineness 2.5 Properties Values

Modulus Fineness Modulus 6.7
Specific 2.66 Specific Gravity 2.68
Gravity Water Absorption
Bulk Density 1614 (%) 0.4
(kg/m3) Bulk Density
(kg/m3) 1810
Graded crushed stone aggregate with maximum
nominal size of 20mm and down was used a coarse Table 6: Properties of Rice husk ash.
aggregate. Type of coarse aggregate was used to have
better gradation and higher density of the mix. The Parameters Values
sieve analysis data for coarse aggregate is shown. The Silicon dioxide (SiO2) 87.20%
various properties of coarse aggregates are given in Aluminium oxide (Al2O3) 0.15%
Table. Ferric oxide (Fe2O3) 0.16%
Calcium oxide (CaO) 0.55%
Table 4: Sieve analysis of coarse aggregate. Magnesium oxide (MgO) 0.35%
Sieve Size Percent Passing Sulphur trioxide (SO3) 0.24%
(mm) (20mm and Carbon (C) 5.91%
down) Loss on Ignition 5.44%
20 100 Fineness passing 45
12.5 95 micron 96%
10 86 Non
4.75 18 Mineralogy crystalline
2.36 4.5 Shape Irregular
Rice husk ash is obtained from agricultural waste of The proportions of various mixes are given.
rice husk. Rice husk used in the experimental study is Water/cementious material ratio is kept around 0.43
obtained from a M/S Prakash Rice mill Danapur, Bihar and 0.35. M30 M60 grades concrete are used
and its specific gravity is 2.06. Bulk density of rice throughout the experimental study. A total of 10
husk ash used was 718 kg/m3. The particles of rice husk concrete mixes were used for this study. Concrete
ash used were finer than 45 m.Various properties of mixes were made with 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%
Rice husk ash are given in Table 6. Potable water was replacement of cement with rice husk ash. The details
used in the experiment, whose Ph value is greater than of the mix proportions are given in Table 7.

Table 7: Mix Proportions for M30 grade concrete Mixtures.

Mix Designations BC BR1 BR2 BR3 BR4
Rice Husk Ash Present
(%) 0 5 10 15 20
w/c ratio 0.43 0.43 0.43 0.43 0.43
Cement (Kg/m3) 420 399 378 357 336
Rice Husk Ash (Kg/m3) 0 21 42 63 84
Sand (Kg/m3) 621.60 582.18 542.88 503.59 464.29
Coarse Aggregate
(Kg/m3) 1108.80 1108.80 1108.80 1108.80 1108.80
Water (lit/m3) 180.60 180.60 180.60 180.60 180.60
 Naveen, Bansal and Antil 147
Table 8: Mix Proportions for M60 grade concrete Mixtures.
Mix Designations CC CR1 CR2 CR3 CR4
Rice Husk Ash Present (%) 0 5 10 15 20
w/c ratio 0.35 0.35 0.35 0.35 0.35
Cement (Kg/m3) 474 450.3 426.6 402.9 379.2
Rice Husk Ash (Kg/m3) 0 23.7 47.4 71.1 94.8
Sand (Kg/m3) 636 585.10 535.61 483.21 433.72
Coarse Aggregate (Kg/m3) 1113 1113 1113 1113 1113
Water (lit/m3) 166 166 166 166 166
Concrete specimens are prepared by proper mixing of Direct compressive load is applied without shock and
ingredients in proportions as mentioned in Table 10 and increased continuously at rate of 140 kg/cm2/min
Table 11. First of all small amount of water is poured (31.5t/min) until the resistance of specimen to the
into tilting drum mixer then coarse aggregate, fine increasing load breaks down and no greater load was
aggregate, cement and mineral admixture are fed, sustained, as shown in Fig. 6. The Failure load for each
thereafter the ingredients are mixed dry in the mixer for of the specimen was noted. Average of three specimens
about 30 seconds, then water was added and mixing at each age of testing was taken as the representative
was continued till the concrete attained the uniform compressive strength of the concrete.
colour and consistency, then mixer was stopped for
about two minutes. Slump was measured. Then
compaction factor test was conducted. Specimens were
compacted by placing them on the vibrating table.
Density and temperature were measured subsequently.
Total numbers and types of specimen cast for each mix
are given in Table 12. The Compression Test had been
carried out at different ages of 7 and 28 days. Splitting
Tensile Test had been carried out at ages of 7 and 28
days. Flexural strength Test is conducted at age of 28
days.
Table 9: Number of Specimens.
Specimen Type Number
Cubes 60 Fig. 6. Compressive strength test.
150X150X150mm
Cylinders 150X300mm 30 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Beams 20 This results of various test conducted on both fresh as
150X150X500mm well as hardened concrete. Relationship developed
between percentage of rice husk ash added,
After 24 hours of casting, specimens were de-moulded
compressive strength of different mixes. The tests for
and marked and immediately submerged in the curing
compressive strength of concrete were conducted for
tank of fresh water. They were cured continuously in
different concrete mixes i.e. M30 and M60 grade with
water tank till testing. Compressive strength test is
different rice hush ash content i.e. 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%
most important one, as concrete is primarily meant to
and 20% at the selected age i.e. 7 days and 28days. The
withstand compressive stresses. Three cubes of 150mm
results are complied in the Table 10 and Table 11 given
size are cast for testing at each selected age i.e. 7day,
below.
and 28days.
Table 10: Compressive Strength of M30 Grade RHA Concrete.
S.No. Mix designation RHA content Compressive Strength in MPa for
(%) 7 days 28 days
1. BC 0% 32 44.5
2. BR1 5% 33.5 46
3. BR2 10% 35.5 47.5
4. BR3 15% 30 38.5
5. BR4 20% 27.5 36.5
 Naveen, Bansal and Antil 148

Table 11: Compressive Strength of M60 Grade RHA Concrete.

S.No. Mix RHA content Compressive Strength in MPa for
designation (%) 7 days 28 days
1. CC 0% 52 61.5
2. CR1 5% 53.5 64.5
3. CR2 10% 54.2 65.5
4. CR3 15% 49.5 62
5. CR4 20% 47.5 58
husk ash added (i.e. 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%) and
Graphical representation gives a clear picture of the
Compressive Strength for ages of 7 days and 28 days.
increase or decrease in Compressive strength and
Similarly, Graphs were plotted between percentage of
Flexural strength with different percentages of rice husk
rice husk ash added and Flexural Strength.
ash. Graphs were plotted between percentage of rice

50
COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH VARIATION FOR 7DAYS WITH % RICE
45 HUSK IN M-30 GRADE
40

35 35.5
33.5
32
30 30
27.5
25

20
0 5 10 15 20 25 30

X-axis represent- % Rice husk

Y axis represent- compressive strength variation for 7 days in MPA for M-30

Graph 1: Compressive Strength Variation for 7days for M-30 Grade.

COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH VARIATION OF 7 DAYS

IN
M-60 GRADE
55
54.2
53 53.5
52
51
49.5 Y-Values
49
47 47.5

0 10 20 30

X-axis represent- % Rice husk, Y axis represent- compressive strength variation for 7 days in MPA for M-60
Graph 2: Compressive Strength Variation of 7 Days for M-60 Grade.
 Naveen, Bansal and Antil 149

COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH VARIATION FOR 28

FOR M-30 GRADE
60
50 47.5
44.5 46
40 38.5 36.5
30
20 Y-Values
10
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30

X-axis represent- % Rice husk

Y axis represent- compressive strength variation for 28 days in MPA for M-30

Graph 3: Compressive Strength Variation for 28 for M-30 Grade.

Y-Values
68
65 64.5 65.5
62 61.5 62
59
58 Y-Values
56
53
50
0 5 10 15 20 25 30

X-axis represent- % Rice husk

Y axis represent- compressive strength variation for 28 days in MPA for M-60

Graph 4: Compressive Strength Variation for 28 Days for M60 Grade.

Table 12: Change in Compressive strength of M30 Grade of Concrete compared with Control Concrete in
respective ages.
S.No. Mix designation RHA content(%) Change in Compressive Strength

7 days 28 days
1. BC 0% - -
33.5 46
(Increased by 4.68 (Increased by 3.37
2. BR1 5% times) times)
35.5 47.5
(Increased by 10.93 (Increased by 6.74
3. BR2 10% times) times)
30 38.5
(Decreased by 6.25 (Decreased by 13.48
4. BR3 15% times) times)
27.5 36.5
(Decreased by 14.06 (Decreased by 17.97
5. BR4 20% times) times)
 Naveen, Bansal and Antil 150
Table 13: Change in Compressive strength of M60 Grade of Concrete compared with Control Concrete in
respective ages.

S.No. Mix designation RHA content Change in Compressive Strength

(%)
7 days 28 days
1. CC 0% - -
2. CR1 5% 53.5 64.5
(Increased by (Increased by
2.88 times) 4.87 times)
3. CR2 10% 54.2 65.5
(Increased by (Increased by
4.23 times) 6.50 times)
4. CR3 15% 49.5 62
(Decreased by (Increased by
4.80 times) 0.8 times)
5. CR4 20% 47.5 58
(Decreased by (Decreased by
8.65 times) 5.69 times)

CONCLUSIONS investigation.
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