Feasibility of using pozzolanicity tests to assess reactivity of wood biomass fly ashes

Abstract

Pozzolanic activity of materials can initially be assumed from the quantity of the pozzolanic oxides SiO2, Al2O3 and Fe2O3. Some of the methods for assessing pozzolanic reactivity of materials include measurement of CaO consumption (Frattini test), decrease in electrical conductivity and pH of a solution containing pozzolanic material, or measurement of an increase in strength of mortar with replacement of cement by pozzolanic material (strength activity index, SAI). The above-mentioned pozzolanicity tests are used in this study to evaluate reactivity of wood biomass fly ashes (WBA-F). The results presented in the paper show that only the SAI method can fully reveal the hydraulic and pozzolanic activity of WBA-F.

Keywords

• wood biomass fly ash
• frattini test
• electrical conductivity
• strength activity index
• pozzolanic reactivity