To Study the Partial Replacement of Cement with Bamboo Leaf Ash and Eggshell Powder with Addition of Coted Pet Fiber

Abstract

Concrete, the most widely used construction material globally, plays a vital role in infrastructure development due to its versatility, strength, and durability. However, the production of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), a key ingredient in concrete, is associated with high energy consumption and significant carbon dioxide (CO?) emissions. In pursuit of sustainable alternatives, this study explores the partial replacement of cement with Bamboo Leaf Ash (BLA) and Eggshell Powder (ESP), along with the incorporation of coated Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) fibers to enhance mechanical and durability performance. BLA, a silica-rich agro-waste, exhibits pozzolanic activity and improves long-term strength development, while ESP, primarily composed of calcium carbonate, functions as a micro-filler that contributes to matrix densification. Additionally, coated PET fibers, derived from recycled plastic bottles, are introduced to improve tensile behavior, reduce crack propagation, and enhance ductility. This research supports the development of eco-friendly, cost-effective, and sustainable concrete, contributing to resource conservation and environmental protection in the construction industry. The experimental investigations are administered for compressive strength, split tensile and flexural strength for curing period of 7, 14, 28 days. Workability gets reduced at higher replacement of materials and the experimental results shows test are satisfactory up to the combined replacement percentage with cement of 11% BLA&ESP with addition of 2% coted PET fibers in concrete. The values of compressive strength, flexural strength and split tensile strength were higher compared to alternative replacement percentages.

Introduction

Cement usage has significantly increased due to infrastructure growth, raising environmental concerns due to its carbon footprint and depletion of natural resources. There is an urgent need to explore sustainable and high-performance alternatives for concrete to support future, more complex construction demands. These alternatives include industrial and agricultural waste materials like silica fume, PET fibers, bamboo leaf ash (BLA), and eggshell powder (ESP).

2. Alternative Materials for Sustainable Concrete

• Silica Fume (SF): A by-product of silicon/ferrosilicon production. It has extremely fine, reactive particles with high pozzolanic activity that significantly improve concrete strength and durability.

• PET Fibers: Made from recycled plastic bottles. They improve tensile strength and crack resistance but have weak bonding with cement. Coating the fibers with silica fume enhances their performance.

• Bamboo Leaf Ash (BLA): Created by burning bamboo leaves. Rich in silica and other pozzolanic compounds, BLA can improve workability but may reduce compressive strength at high replacement levels.

• Eggshell Powder (ESP): A calcium carbonate-rich waste material similar to limestone (used in cement). When used in concrete, it improves mechanical strength and reduces cement usage and CO? emissions.

3. Literature Review

• BLA Studies:

  • Ikumapayi (2023): BLA reduces alkali-silica reaction expansion; best at 5% replacement.

  • Abdul Razak B H (2023): Up to 20% BLA replacement yields acceptable compressive strength.

• ESP Studies:

  • Kamran Basit (2019): 10% ESP replacement yields highest compressive strength.

  • KANAKA RANYA (2019): 10% ESP and 50% quarry dust provide optimal strength gains.

• PET Fiber Study:

  • Aditya Krishna Reddy (2018): 0.75% coated PET fibers significantly improve all strength parameters.

4. Materials Used

• Cement: OPC Grade 43, standard for general construction.

• Coarse Aggregates: Graded 10 mm & 20 mm sizes, conforming to IS:383-1970.

• Fine Aggregates: River sand, sieved to IS:383-1970 standards.

• Eggshell Powder (ESP): Rich in CaCO? (90%), processed from waste.

• Bamboo Leaf Ash (BLA): Rich in SiO? (72.25%), produced from burning bamboo leaves.

• Coated PET Fibers: Recycled, silica fume-coated fibers that enhance bonding with cement.

5. Methodology

• Concrete Mixing: Done either manually or mechanically for uniformity.

• Curing: Specimens are cured in water tanks at 27±2°C for 7, 14, and 28 days.

• Workability Test: Slump cone test is used to assess the concrete's workability.

• Compressive Strength Test: Conducted on cubes after curing for 7, 14, and 28 days.

• Split Tensile Strength Test: Conducted on cylinders to assess tensile performance.

Conclusion

On filling up the moulds hand compaction should be opted, as to reduce the segregation of the fibre in the concrete mould. By replacing the cement with the replacement of egg shell powder 5.5% and bamboo leaf Ash 5.5% in cement with addition of 2% coated pet fiber in concrete mix strengths get increased, also the replacement can be taken into consideration up to certain percentage workability factors gets enhanced as well. Coted PET fiber acted as a reinforcement and hence acted as resistance to the cracks, thus increasing the flexural strength.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Puneet Singh, Sourabh Lalotra. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.