ABSTRACT
Analysis of investigation on the characteristics of cornstalk blended ash cement was carried out based on the interest of coming out with a good pozzolanic material with all required cement properties. Hence,the supposed competitive demand relationship between cement products in construction works has been majorly wined by cement and this makes people to depend mostly on it despite the increase in price and some with inadequate properties.
In an attempt to reuse and convert agro wastes into useful materials for the construction industry, this research considered the application of corn stalk ash (CSA) as partial replacement for ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in the production of concrete cubes.
The study investigated the oxide composition of CSA to ascertain its suitability as a pozzolanic material. Some properties of cement with CSA as a replacement for OPC were examined.
The results showed that CSA is not a good pozzolana as it does not satisfy the requirement for use as a pozzolana according to ASTM C618(2005). The compressive
strength of the specimens with replacement levels at 10% and 20% cured for periods of 7–28 days was lower at early curing time but improved significantly at later age.10% replacement level did not show increased strength compared to 20% CSA at 28 days curing period. Density decreased withincreasing ash content, water absorption rate increased with increased CSA contents, while abrasionresistance increased with increasing amount of CSA substitutions. The test results revealed that
CSA concrete cubes can attain higher strength than the conventional ones
at longer curing periods,due to its pozzolanic reactions.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Title page
Certification
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Abstract
Table of Contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
- Background to the study
- Problem statement
- Aim of the study
- Objectives of the study
- Justification
- Scope
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0.Introduction
2.1.Corn and Corn Cultivation
2.2.Corn and Corn Stalk
2.3.Chemical Composition of Corn Stalk
2.4.Corn Stalk Ash blended Cement and Construction Industry
2.5.Brief description of Cement
2.6.Chemical Properties of Cement
2.7.Lafarge Cement
2.8.The Need for Corn Stalk Ash Blended Cement
2.9.Empirical Study
CHAPTER THREE :METHODOLOGY
3.1.Experiment Site
3.2.Compressive Strength
3.3.Chemical Analysis
3.4.Physical Analysis
CHAPTER FOUR:RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
CHAPTER FIVE:CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
 5.0.Conclusion
5.1.Recommendation
REFERENCES
APPENDIX
Appendix A: Getting Corn Stalk from FieldAppendixB: Corn Stalk blended Ash
AppendixC: Crushing Machine
AppendixD: Concrete Cubes after 28days Curing
AppendixE: Alpan Machine
AppendixF: Surface Area Machine
AppendixG: Burning of Corn Stalk into Ash
                                               LIST OF TABLES
Table 4.1 Chemical Composition of Cornstalk Ash
Table 4.2 Results for Surface Area, Residue and Expansion
Table 4.3 Compressive Strength for Ordinary Cement
Table 4.4 Compressive Strength of Cornstalk Blended Ash-10
Table 4.5 Compressive Strength of Cornstalk Blended Ash-20
Table 4.6 Flexural Strength of Ordinary Cement, 10 and 20 Blended Cement
Table 4.7 Compressive Strength of Ordinary Cement, 10 and 20 Blended Cement
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2.1: Properties of Cement
Figure 3.1: Corn plant
Figure 3.2: Specimen of Cornstalk
Figure 3.3: Cornstalk Ash
Figure 4.1: Flexural Strength Graph of Ordinary Cement
Figure
4.2: Compressive Strength Graph of
Cornstalk Blended Ash
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Background to the study
Various blends of cement utilized in construction are portrayed by their physical properties. Some key parameters control the nature and quality of cement. The physical properties of good cement are based on; Fineness of cement, Soundness, Consistency, Strength, Setting time, Heat of hydration, Loss of ignition, Bulk density, Specific gravity (Relative density). In addition, cement has a very high cost in many developing countries like Nigeria and its usage cannot be sustained. The need for moderate structure materials in giving satisfactory lodging to people of the world has turned into the real worry of researchers.The expense of traditional structure materials keep on expanding as most of the populace keeps on falling beneath the destitution line. This consequently requires the look for elective neighborhood materials as aggregate or fractional swap for concrete (Adesanya and Raheem, 2009; Akinwumi and Aidomojie, 2015; Raheem &Adedokun 2017). The research has led to the discovery of the potentials of using industrial by-products and agricultural wastes as replacement of some cement materials.Agricultural and industrial wastes possess pozzolanic properties used in cement replacement.The application of agro and industrial wastes in the production of cement is an environmentally friendly method of disposal of large amounts of substances that would have constituted pollution to land, water and air. The agricultural and industrial wastes that possessed pozzolanic characteristics and which had been studied and applied as partial replacements for cement are Rice husk ash [6-9], Corn cob ash [4, 10-12], Waste burnt clay [13-14], Hair fibre [15] and Saw dust ash [16-17]. The saw dust ash (SDA) which has been proven to be a pozzolanic material was used as a partial substitution for OPC in this study. Many researchers have argued that concrete is one of the major materials used for radiation protection in facilities. The radiation protection feature of concrete depends on its components. Cement production is one of the important sources of carbon dioxide emission to the atmosphere. CO2,which is a greenhouse gas, contributes about 65% of global warming (Vijayakumar, 2013; Raheem &Adedokun 2017). The high energy demand as well as the emission of carbon dioxide, which caused global warming and depletion of limestone deposits are the major challenges associated with cement production.
In the recent years, there is great interest in replacing a long time used materials in concrete structure by new materials to produce cheaper, harder and durable concrete.Abdelrahman& El-Awney (2015).The raw materials for cement production are limestone (calcium), sand or clay (silicon), bauxite (aluminum) and iron ore, and may include shells, chalk, marl, shale, clay, blast furnace slag, slate. Chemical analysis of cement raw materials provides insight into the chemical properties of cement.
Corn, also known as maize, is one of the most successful cereal grasses of all time. It has been under human cultivation for over 10,000 years and has spread itself into every niche of commercial agriculture (Adesanya, & Raheem (2009). Maize crop started as a subsistence crop in Nigeria and has gradually risen to a commercial crop on which many agro-based industries depend on as raw materials (Iken, and Amusa, 2014).Corn stalk is a waste product obtained from maize plant, which is the major cereal crop produced in sub-Saharan Africa.Therefore, this research investigated the use of Corn stalk as a partial replacement for ordinary Portland cement in the production of concrete cubes. It includes the determination of the oxide,composition of the CSA, evaluation of the compressive strength, density, water absorption,crushing strength of the concrete and the abrasive resistance of the concrete cubes.
