ABSTRACT

Analysis of investigation on the characteristics of cornstalk blended ash cement was carried out based on the interest of coming out with a good pozzolanic material with all required cement properties. Hence, the supposed competitive demand relationship between cement products in construction works has been majorly wined by cement and this makes people to depend mostly on it despite the increase in price and some with inadequate properties.

          In an attempt to reuse and convert agro wastes into useful materials for the construction industry, this research considered the application of corn stalk ash (CSA) as partial replacement for ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in the production of concrete cubes.

The study investigated the oxide composition of CSA to ascertain its suitability as a pozzolanic material. Some properties of cement with CSA as a replacement for OPC were examined.

The results showed that CSA is not a good pozzolana as it does not satisfy the requirement for use as a pozzolana according to ASTM C618(2005). The compressive

strength of the specimens with replacement levels at 10% and 20% cured for periods of 7–28 days was lower at early curing time but improved significantly at later age.10% replacement level did not show increased strength compared to 20% CSA at 28 days curing period. Density decreased with increasing ash content, water absorption rate increased with increased CSA contents, while abrasion resistance increased with increasing amount of CSA substitutions. The test results revealed that

CSA concrete cubes can attain higher strength than the conventional ones at longer curing periods,due to its pozzolanic reactions.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title page

Certification

Dedication

Acknowledgement

Abstract

Table of Contents

List of Tables

List of Figures

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

                     i.        Background to the study

                    ii.        Problem statement

                   iii.        Aim of the study

                   iv.        Objectives of the study

                    v.        Justification

                   vi.        Scope

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0.Introduction

2.1.Corn and Corn Cultivation

2.2.Corn and Corn Stalk

2.3.Chemical Composition of Corn Stalk

2.4.Corn Stalk Ash blended Cement and Construction Industry

2.5.Brief description of Cement

2.6.Chemical Properties of Cement

2.7.Lafarge Cement

2.8.The Need for Corn Stalk Ash Blended Cement

2.9.Empirical Study

CHAPTER THREE :METHODOLOGY

3.1.Experiment Site

3.2.Compressive Strength

3.3.Chemical Analysis

3.4.Physical Analysis

CHAPTER FOUR:RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

CHAPTER FIVE:CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

          5.0.Conclusion

5.1.Recommendation

REFERENCES

APPENDIX

         Appendix A: Getting Corn Stalk from Field

          Appendix B: Corn Stalk blended Ash