Effect of mixes made of coal bottom ash and fly ash on the mechanical strength and porosity of Portland cement

Abstract

New additions to the cement are needed to achieve a more sustainable and durable construction material. Within this context, bottom ashes can be used as a main constituent of Portland cements when it is mixed in an optimized proportion with fly ashes. The mechanical characteristics of standarized mortars made of mixes of pulverized coal combustion bottom and fly ashes are studied. The mortars were made of ordinary Portland cement (CEM I 42.5 N) and mixes of bottom ashes with fly ashes in similar proportions to those of CEM II/A-V, CEM II/B-V and CEM IV/A (V). Summing up, it can be said that the utilization of bottom ashes mixed with fly ashes in replacement levels from 0% to 100% do not affect significantively on the mechanical caracteristics of the mortars considered in the present study which had an addition maximum content of 35%.

Keywords

• bottom ash
• fly ash
• portland cement constituents
• additions
• compressive strength