Strength Performance Improvement of Concrete Incorporating Bagasse Ash: An Experimental Study

Abstract This paper investigates the potential of sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) as a supplementary cementitious material to improve the mechanical and durability properties of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete. A systematic experimental program was designed in which SCBA replaced cement at five levels (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% by weight of cement) in a conventional M25 concrete mix. The SCBA was processed (controlled burning, grinding, and sieving) and characterized for chemical composition (XRF), mineralogy (XRD), morphology (SEM), fineness, and loss-on-ignition (LOI). The workability and hardened properties such as compressive strength (7, 28, 90 days), split tensile strength, flexural strength, water absorption and chloride permeability were measured. Microstructural evolution and pozzolanic activity were evaluated using XRD and SEM. Statistical analysis (ANOVA) was used to identify the significance of strength changes with replacement level and curing age. Results indicated that an optimum SCBA replacement near 10%–15% producing an increase or equality in 28- and 90-day compressive strength compared to control, consistent with recent literature. The study concludes that properly processed SCBA is a viable eco-friendly supplementary cementitious material that can enhance strength and durability while reducing cement demand and CO₂ footprint. Keywords sugarcane bagasse ash, supplementary cementitious material, compressive strength, pozzolan, durability, concrete.