higher than the minimum value (75%) specified by ASTM
C618 [9].
The results of chemical compositions of Portland
cement type I and ground RHBA analyzed via X-ray fluorescence
(XRF) are tabulated in Table 2. The major chemical
composition of ground RHBA was 74.8% of SiO2
which was less than that of rice husk ash (SiO2 more than
90%) studied by other researches [10–12]. The total percentage
of SiO2+Al2O3 + Fe2O3 was 75.8%. The SO3
and loss on ignition (LOI) were 0.4% and 11.2%, respectively.
It was noted that the LOI of ground RHBA was
slightly higher than the limited value specified by ASTM
C618 for natural pozzolan (10%) [9]. The results of strength
activity index and from previous researches [1,2], however,
it was suggested that RHBA has a highly pozzolanic property
and can be used as a cement replacement in concrete,
even though LOI of RHBA is higher than 10%.
2.1.3. Fine and coarse aggregates
Local river sand, having a fineness modulus of 3.04,
was used as a fine aggregate. Crushed limestone with
maximum size of 20 mm was used as a coarse aggregate.
The fine and coarse aggregates had specific gravities of
2.60 and 2.67, and water absorptions of 0.94% and
0.46%, respectively.
2.1.4. Recycled aggregates
For the recycled aggregates, cylinder samples of 150 mm
diameter and 300 mm length which were tested to determine
the compressive strengths (25–40 MPa), were crushed
by using swing hammer mills. The crushed concrete was
screened by sieving to produce recycled coarse and fine
aggregates (RCA and RFA). Table 3 reports the physical
properties of recycled aggregates. Grading size of recycled
aggregates as compared with ASTM C33 [13] grading
requirements for fine and coarse aggregates are shown in
Fig. 2a and b, respectively. It was found that the fineness
modulus of RFA was 3.55 and grading sizes was slightly
coarser than the limited specified by ASTM C33 [13]. For
RCA, it had the fineness modulus of 6.40 and grading size
was within the ASTM C33 grading requirement.
The specific gravities of RCA and RFA were 2.45 and
2.31, respectively. The water absorptions of recycled aggregates
were 5.61% and 11.91% for coarse and fine aggregates,
respectively. The low specific gravity and high
water absorption of recycled aggregate was due to the residues
of old mortar attached to the recycled aggregates
[4,5]. Los Angeles abrasion of RCA was 33.08%, which
was higher than that of crushed limestone (21.70%). This
is due to the adhering cement paste which is usually weaker
than the normal aggregate [14].
2.2. Mix proportions and test specimens
The mixture proportion of the conventional concrete
(concrete made from normal aggregates and assigned as
CON) and recycled aggregate concretes are summarized
in Table 4. Both of the normal and recycled aggregates
used in this study were in air-dried state. Constant effective
water to binder ratio (w/b) was calculated and kept at 0.48
for all concrete mixtures. To maintain the slump of fresh
concrete between 50 and 100 mm, the amount of mixing
water was adjusted to compensate the water absorption
by recycled aggregates. In addition, superplasticizer was
used in the mix of recycled aggregate concrete containing
ground RHBA in order to maintain the slump of fresh concrete
as that of the concrete made from normal aggregates.
The recycled aggregate concretes were prepared by using
100% of RCA and local river sand was replaced by RFA at
the levels of 0%, 50%, and 100% by weight of the fine
aggregate (denoted as CS, CSF, and CF, respectively).
The ratio of fine to coarse aggregate was 45:55 by volume.
Table 3
Physical properties of normal and recycled aggregates
Properties Normal aggregates Recycled
aggregates
River sand Limestone Fine Coarse
Fineness modulus 3.04 6.79 3.55 6.40
Specific gravity (SSD) 2.60 2.67 2.31 2.45
Absorption (%) 0.94 0.46 11.91 5.61
Los Angeles abrasion loss (%) N/A 21.70 N/A 33.08