A Novel Approach to Utilize Fly Ash to Enhance Compressive Strength of Diesel-Soaked Concrete

Abstract

Petroleum, popularly known as black diamond, has been the major cause of the renaissance in civilization history. Petroleum products adversely affect the environment. Concrete is a prominent construction material. Concrete finds applications in the construction of petroleum storage areas, garages, and petrol bunks. This study attempts to study the impact of diesel on concrete structures. The concrete properties were enhanced by partially replacing the costly cement with solid waste from thermal power stations “fly ash”. Concrete cubes were cast, cured in water and diesel. The concrete samples were tested for strength, age, and durability. Trials were conducted with different blends of fly ash to partially replace cement, enhance the quality of concrete, and reduce concrete cost. Mineralogical and morphological analysis of concrete can be done using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), which indicates the presence of phases that positively affect compressive strength.