International Journal of
Advanced Multidisciplinary Application

Volume 3, Issue 5

• Author(s)Rajesh Kumar Sharma, Priya Nair, Anil Verma
• AffiliationDepartment of Civil Engineering, Rajasthan Institute of Technology, Jaipur, India
• Page No.15-20
• Volume, Issue & YearVolume 3, Issue 5, May 2026
• Published On2026/05/05
• JournalInternational Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Application (IJAMA)
• ISSN No.3048-9350
• DOIhttps://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20071147

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental study on the influence of fly ash (FA) as a partial cement replacement material on the mechanical and durability characteristics of ordinary Portland cement concrete. Five mix designs incorporating FA at 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% replacement levels by weight of cement were prepared and tested for compressive strength at 28, 56, and 90 days curing, flexural strength, split tensile strength, water absorption, and rapid chloride permeability (RCPT). Workability was assessed through slump cone tests and compacting factor tests. Microstructural investigation was conducted through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging at 28 days. Results indicate that 10% FA replacement yields the optimum combination of strength and durability, achieving a 28-day compressive strength of 25.0 MPa, a 90-day value of 33.1 MPa, water absorption of 3.4%, and RCPT charge of 890 Coulombs. The slow pozzolanic reactivity of FA produces progressive strength gain between 56 and 90 days that partially offsets the early-strength deficit relative to the control mix. Replacement levels exceeding 15% result in measurable strength reduction at 28 days but remain within acceptable limits at 90 days for low-demand structural applications. SEM imaging confirms formation of denser calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gel and reduced porosity at the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) in FA-modified mixes at 28 days. The study demonstrates that FA incorporation at optimum dosage simultaneously reduces embodied carbon by approximately 9% and improves long-term durability performance, making it suitable for sustainable concrete construction in Indian conditions.

Keywords: fly ash, supplementary cementitious material, compressive strength, pozzolanic reaction, chloride permeability, SEM, durability, sustainable concrete, partial cement replacement

References

1. [1] Bureau of Indian Standards (2013). IS 12269:2013 – Specification for 53 Grade Ordinary Portland Cement. BIS, New Delhi.
2. [2] Bureau of Indian Standards (2013). IS 3812:2013 – Specification for Pulverised Fuel Ash. Part 1. BIS, New Delhi.
3. [3] Bureau of Indian Standards (2016). IS 383:2016 – Coarse and Fine Aggregate for Concrete – Specification. BIS, New Delhi.
4. [4] Bureau of Indian Standards (2019). IS 10262:2019 – Concrete Mix Proportioning – Guidelines. BIS, New Delhi.
5. [5] Malhotra, V. M., & Mehta, P. K. (2002). Pozzolanic and Cementitious Materials. Advances in Concrete Technology. Gordon and Breach Publishers, Amsterdam.
6. [6] Neville, A. M. (2011). Properties of Concrete, 5th Edition. Pearson Education, Harlow, UK.
7. [7] Siddique, R. (2004). Performance characteristics of high-volume Class F fly ash concrete. Cement and Concrete Research, 34(3), 487–493.
8. [8] Poon, C. S., Lam, L., & Wong, Y. L. (2000). A study on high strength concrete prepared with large volumes of low calcium fly ash. Cement and Concrete Research, 30(3), 447–455.
9. [9] Kumar, B., Tike, G. K., & Nanda, P. K. (2007). Evaluation of properties of high-volume fly-ash concrete for pavements. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 19(10), 906–911.
10. [10] Atis, C. D. (2003). High-volume fly ash concrete with high strength and low drying shrinkage. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 15(2), 153–156.
11. [11] Papadakis, V. G. (1999). Effect of fly ash on Portland cement systems: Part I. Low-calcium fly ash. Cement and Concrete Research, 29(11), 1727–1736.
12. [12] Ramezanianpour, A. A., & Malhotra, V. M. (1995). Effect of curing on the compressive strength, resistance to chloride-ion penetration and porosity of concretes incorporating slag, fly ash or silica fume. Cement and Concrete Composites, 17(2), 125–133.
13. [13] Chindaprasirt, P., Homwuttiwong, S., & Sirivivatnanon, V. (2004). Influence of fly ash fineness on strength, drying shrinkage and sulfate resistance of blended cement mortar. Cement and Concrete Research, 34(7), 1087–1092.

Explore Our Related Journals

Looking for the right journal for your next manuscript? Explore our international peer-reviewed journals covering engineering, management, computer science, artificial intelligence and multidisciplinary research.