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Assessment of mechanical properties of cashew nut shell ash blended concrete

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Abstract

Cement production evolves high amounts of CO2 which degrades the air quality and the depletion of natural resources is problematic. Cashew nut shell waste obtained from incinerators which extract oil from cashew nut agro-waste by exothermic process is one of the promising alternative materials to the cement which can be used in the construction industry. X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDAX) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses explored the microstructural and mineralogical aspects which indicated that Cashew Nut Shell Ash (CNSA) is having similar properties to that of cement. Maintaining the constant fluid-binder proportion of 0.5, cement is substituted by CNSA as 5, 10, 15 and 20% by weight to study the fresh and hardened properties of M25 concrete through slump cone test, compression test and split tensile test. CNSA is considered as a good pozzolan as the strength activity index (SAI) is found greater than 75%. The development of Calcium Silicate Hydrate gel is more predominant in the case of the mix with 15% of CNSA. Improvement of both compressive and tensile strength is observed in the mixes where CNSA is added when compared to the mix without CNSA. It is concluded that using CNSA in concrete is beneficial in reducing environmental and sustainability issues.

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Acknowledgements

The authors want to thank Dr. Sridhar Balasubramanian, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, for his work in directing XRD and XRF examinations. M.J. Kishore extends his gratitude toward the technical personnel of Vellore Institute of Technology, Tamil Nadu for their assistance in performing Electron microscopic analysis as well as in experimental work.

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This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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  1. School of Civil Engineering (SCE), Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamilnadu, 632 014, India

    Jugal Kishore Mendu

  2. Centre for Disaster Mitigation and Management (CDMM), Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamilnadu, 632 014, India

    Rama Mohan Rao Pannem

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  1. Jugal Kishore Mendu
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Correspondence to Rama Mohan Rao Pannem.

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Mendu, J.K., Pannem, R.M.R. Assessment of mechanical properties of cashew nut shell ash blended concrete. Innov. Infrastruct. Solut. 6, 227 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41062-021-00586-x

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