THE EFFECT OF BIOCHAR AS PARTIAL CEMENT REPLACEMENT ON MECHANICAL, DURABILITY, THERMAL, AND MICROSTRUCTURAL PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE COMPARISON WITH BIOMASS
Abstract
This thesis paper examines the use of 1% cement replacement with date palm derived biochar and compares it to 1% replacement of biomass. The main aim of this idea is to reduce the carbon emissions from concrete production factories and utilize the abundant waste from date palm plants, which is prevalent in the UAE. Three samples of concrete were used: 1% biochar mix, 1% biomass mix, and a control mix. Mechanical tests, including compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths, were evaluated. Thermal conductivity, chloride penetration, water absorption, and characterization testing by XRD, TGA, SEM, and FTIR were conducted. As for compressive strength, results showed that both additives were lower than the control, with biochar performing better than biomass. In flexural and tensile strength, the biomass sample performed better than biochar. However, biochar was found to be a better performer regarding thermal insulation and chloride resistance, as seen in the FTIR and TGA results. Structure-wise, SEM analysis showed biochar to have a denser matrix than biomass, which exhibited more pores. It is evident that biochar replaced concrete would deem beneficial in applications where durability and thermal stability is needed. This research sheds light on the structure and environmental benefits that could come with utilizing sustainable biochar to replace concrete