ABSTRACT

Concrete is one of the materials that is widely used in construction all around the world.
This material is widely used because it has several benefits such as, more durable,
energy-efficient, low maintenance, affordability, fire-resistance, excellent thermal mass
and also versatility. This research was conducted to determine the optimum
temperature and strength of concrete to produce good cementitious material by using
banana fiber ash. Agriculture waste material can help to increase the strength of
concrete. The source of natural fibre are found in plant and they are readily
environmental friendly and cheap. In addition, natural fiber ash has an excellent
potential to improve the performance of concrete. In this study, compressive strength
test was conducted to know the strength of concrete with three different temperatures.
Banana trunk is cut layer by layer and bum in furnace with three different temperatures
that is 400°C, 500°C, and 600°C. A total of 27 cubes with 1 OOmm x 1 OOmmx 100mm
were used to determine the strength of concrete using banana fiber ash. All this
specimens is cure for 7 days, 14 days and 28 days using water curing method. 2% of
banana fiber ash was replaced with cement by weight. The materials use in this study
was banana fibre ash, sand, cement, coarse aggregate, and water. The result analysis
shows, The higest temperature obtain in this research was by burned banana ash with
500°C. while the lowest temperature was 600°C when the concrete was curing for 28
days. The lowest the temperature the higher the strength of concrete can be obtained.
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Concrete is the most commonly used man-made material on earth. It is an

important construction material used extensively in buildings, bridges, roads and dams.
Its uses range from structural applications, to paviours, kerbs, pipes and drains. This
material is widely used because it has several benefits such as, more durable, energy-
efficient, low maintenance, affordability, fire-resistance, excellent thermal mass and also
versatility.

Concrete is made up of three basic components: water, aggregate (rock, sand, or

gravel) and Portland cement. Cement, usually in powder form, acts as a binding agent
when mixed with water and aggregates. This combination, or concrete mix, will be
poured and harden into the durable material with which we are all familiar. Concrete has
also its own disadvantages due to considerable brittleness, which results in poor
fracture toughness, poor resistance to crack propagation, and low impact strength.

The use of alternative materials in construction has been increasingly intense.

MARGON and ROCK (2003) describe that it is due to the large volume of materials
consumed and the enhancement of its use in the construction industry and in
environmental protection area. JOHN (2000) in their study indicate that the construction
supply chain is already the largest recycler of the economy, since it has great potential
to increase the volume of materials to recycle, consider the amount and characteristics
of waste that consumes. Among the various types of construction waste that can
employ highlights are the pozzolanic materials, which are characterized by possessing
reactive activity when in contact with compounds of cement.

The general goal of this study is to test if the banana leaves ash can be substitute to an
ordinary Portland cement in making concrete. The particular destinations of this study
were to decide the compressive quality of solid utilizing banana leaves ash as waste
agribusiness, and to decide the compound properties of banana fiber ash smoldering
with various temperatures as cement replacement.
1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT
Agriculture waste is a raw material for industry nowadays. It does not only
economical but also can lead to air pollution such as global warming (R.Srinivasan
K. , 2010). Agriculture waste material usually disposed into landfill or disposed by
open burning that may lead to air pollution.

The agriculture waste can be used as replacement or additive for construction material.
For example, Coconut fibre can be used as additive to concrete, palm oil kernel can be
used as coarse aggregates in concrete and agriculture waste as replacement of cement
in concrete.

To overcome this problem, this research is carried out to determine the waste product
such as banana leaves ash can be used to replace cement in the making of concrete
and able to solve the environment problem.

1.3 OBJECTIVE
The general objective of this study is to investigate if the banana leaves ash can be
substitute to an ordinary Portland cement in making concrete. The specific objectives of
this study were:
1) To decide the compressive quality of solid utilizing banana leaves ash as waste
agribusiness
2) To determine the chemical properties of banana leaves ash burning with
different temperatures as cement replacement.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE of the STUDY

This research was conducted to determine if the ordinary Portland cement can be
replaced by banana leaves in making concrete by compression method test. The result
will be compare with concrete using Ordinary Portland Cement. If the requirement
strength can be achieved, the waste product can be used as alternative product to
replace cement.

Definition of terms

Concrete
Concrete is a composite material, consisting mainly of Portland
cement, water and aggregate (gravel, sand or rock). When these materials are mixed
together, they form a workable paste which then gradually hardens over time.
 Concrete
Concrete material
a) Portland cement
b) Aggregates
c) Water

Portland cement
Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) is material that adhesive and cohesive properties and
it is common type of cement used in construction. OPC is important because it is largely
effect in construction structure. It is usually dark in colour. Portland cement is and will
remain a major construction material of choice in Civil Engineering construction. It is the
most important constituent of concrete. Unfortunately, cement manufacturing consumes
large amount of energy amounting about 7.36 x106 kJ per ton of cement (Tarun, 1996).
According to U.S Geological Survey, USGS (2011), the OPC is produced nearly 3.3
billion metric ton per year. The production of OPC release highly amount of Carbon
Dioxide. The amount of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emitted by cement industry is nearly 900
kg for every 1000 kg cements produced. Therefore, it is a vital to the industry to
minimise the use of concrete in construction, cement content in concrete and clinker in
cement (Kemal Celik et al, 2014).
According to Portland Cement Association (2009), the basic ingredient of cement is a
chemical combination of calcium, silicon, aluminium, iron and small amounts of other
ingredients .Gypsum is added in the final grinding process to regulate the setting time of
the concrete lime and silica make up about 85% of the mass. Common among the
materials used in its manufacture are limestone, shells and chalk or marl combined with
shale, clay, slate or blast furnace slag, silica sand and iron ore.
Table 2.1: Estimate Interval Limitation of Portland cement

Table 2.1 shows the percentage of chemical composition of Ordinary Portland Cement.
Based on Table 2.1, the highest percentage of chemical composition for Portland
cement is Calcium Oxide (CaO) which is 65.1% followed by Silica (SiO3), 21.8% and
Alumina (AL2O3), 4.2%. The lowest percentage of chemical composition for Portland
cement was Sodium (Na2O) which is 0.13%, followed by Potassium Oxide
Binder Percentage (%) Silicon Trioxide (SiO3) Aluminium Oxide(AL2O3) 21.8 4.2
Calcium Oxide(CaO) 65.1 Iron Oxide (Fe2o3) 2.5 Potassium oxide(K2O) 0.72 Sulphur
trioxide(SO3) 2.4 Others 3.15 (K2O), with 0.72% and Sulphur Trioxide (SO3), 2.4%. In
addition, increasing lime and silica content in Portland cement help to increase the
setting time but lime provide a high early strength.
Aggregates
Aggregate is a broad category of coarse to medium grained particulate material used
in construction, including sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag, recycled concrete and
geosynthetic aggregates. Aggregates are the most mined materials in the world.
Aggregates are a component of composite materials such as concrete and asphalt
concrete; the aggregate serves as reinforcement to add strength to the overall
composite material. Due to the relatively high hydraulic conductivity value as compared
to most soils, aggregates are widely used in drainage applications such as foundation
and French drains, septic drain fields, retaining wall drains, and roadside edge drains.
Aggregates are also used as base material under foundations, roads, and railroads. In
other words, aggregates are used as a stable foundation or road/rail base with
predictable, uniform properties (e.g. to help prevent differential settling under the road or
building), or as a low-cost extender that binds with more expensive cement or asphalt to
form concrete.

Sand gravel
Water
Water is transparent fluid and also a major constituent of fluid of the living thing. In
mixing process, water must be clean from injurious of substances such as oil, acid,
alkalis or other organic material. Portable water, such as water in wells is accepted to
be mix in mortar. The other characteristic of water that can be used is water that
containing pH value less than 6.Seawater containing up to 35,000 parts per million
(ppm) of dissolved salts is generally suitable is generally suitable as mixing water for
unreinforced concrete (A.F.Abdul Wahab,2011).
Compressive Strength
Compressive strength of mortar is a property of mortar that easy to measure. A good
compressive strength of mortar can be achieved by increasing the cement content in
the mortar mixture. Although cement added will increase the compressive strength,
vertical cracking can occurs when load are applied. If cracking occurs, it tends to follow
the joint. Occurred cracking can easily repair. The factors that affect the compressive
strength of mortar are the sanding grading, cement content and water content.
When the element such as fine content of sand, the content of air and water are
increased in mortar, it will decrease the compressive strength of mortar. By adding the
cement content, it will provide the greater strength to the mortar. Fortunately,
compressive strength of mortar does not influenced massively to the strength of the
masonry construction. The strength of wall can be increased about 10% for strength of
mortar is increased to 130%. Compressive strength must comply with ASTM C-109
which is standard test method for compressive strength of mortar.
AGRICULTURE WASTE (AW)
Agriculture waste is defined as wastes that produce from agriculture industry such as
bagasse, banana fibre, coconut fibre and others waste. Agriculture waste usually can be
obtain in rural area because of the production of agriculture require such a big area.
Nowadays, development of agriculture industries are increased because of maximum
demand of agriculture product such as fruits, vegetables, and many more. These
situations may bring to others problems like setting out the agriculture waste.
BANANA LEAVES

PREPARATION STAGE
Prior to mixing, coarse and fine aggregates together with the standard Portland Cement
will be obtained. Also, an adequate amount of waste dried banana leaves for testing will
be collected. The gathered dried banana leaves will be placed in an empty container or
any material can do to be burned and turned to ash.

EXPERIMENTAL STAGE
As shown in flow chart above, the first step to do with is the preparation of materials.
Preparation is the single most important part of making a successful presentation.
Prepare all the materials to be use in order to conserve time and have enough time to
do with the work. After preparing all the needs, start with the mixing with the different
mixtures which is the standard concrete mixtures and the concrete mixtures with dried
banana leaves ash contains different percentage of ash as shown in Table No. 01. After
which, do the process of casting, Casting is a manufacturing process by which a liquid
material is usually poured into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired
shape, and then allowed to solidify. Next is to proceed with the water curing. Curing can
be described as keeping the concrete moist and warm enough so that the hydration of
cement can continue. This process results in concrete with increased strength and
decreased permeability. Standard recommendations for curing is moist curing for a
minimum of seven days for concrete mixtures and maximum of 28 days. After that, go
with the Universal Testing Machine (UTM). UTM is used to test the tensile stress and
compressive strength of materials. Finally, proceed with the evaluation of the result test
in determining the compressive strength of the concrete.

POST EXPERIMENTAL STAGE

By Using of Analysis Variance (ANOVA), Analysis of the 5 samples mixes in every

curing period (7 days, 14days,21days,28days) will be done. ANOVA is utilized to
identify whish concrete mix has the most favorable characteristics which may improve
the performance in construction.