INVESTIGATION ON THE DURABILITY OF CONCRETE WITH RICE HULL ASH (RHA) USING SORPTIVITY AND RAPID CHLORIDE MIGRATION TESTS

Abstract

Rice hull ash (RHA) is an agricultural residue that typically exhibits pozzolanic properties. In this study, RHA was used as a partial cement replacement in concrete. Physical and chemical characterization tests using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) revealed that the RHA is an amorphous material with over 90% SiO₂. Concrete specimens with 5% and 10% RHA percentage replacement by weight were prepared. After 28 and 56 days of curing, the water sorptivity, and chloride migration were evaluated. Results showed that for the sorptivity tests, all specimens containing RHA exhibited lower sorptivity values after 28 and 56 days of curing relative to the control. The rapid chloride migration test showed that the concrete specimens with RHA consistently outperformed the standard concrete, further indicating that the addition of RHA increased the durability of concrete. From the results, RHA can be used as a viable partial cement replacement up to 10 wt%, with a marked improvement in durability properties. The use of RHA as partial cement replacement can result in a more environmentally friendly concrete.