Abstract:
The use of concrete in construction has been widely adopted due to its durability and strength.
However, the development of cracks and damage caused by shrinkage, temperature variations,
and external loads. remains a major concern. In order to address this issue, the study proposes
the development of self-healing concrete material by utilizing sawdust ash and lime as a partial
replacement for cement., which has the ability to autogenously repair cracks and improve its
overall durability
The study involved incorporating sawdust ash and lime into a concrete mix as partial replacement
at various concentrations. To achieve this objective a concrete mix with 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%
of Sawdust ash and lime used for cement replacement was prepared. To evaluate the performance
of self-healing concrete, the compressive strength was measured on the 7th, 14th, and 28th days
of curing.
Furthermore, the study assesses the self-healing efficiency of the developed concrete by subjecting
it to controlled cracking and monitoring the crack-healing process over time. Various analytical
techniques, including microscopic analysis, are employed to analyze the healing mechanism and
evaluate the effectiveness of the sawdust ash and lime in promoting crack repair.
The result shows that the strength of concrete increase with the increase in percentage
replacement up to 5% of combined replacement of SDA and lime and curing age increase.
However, the targeted strength was obtained up to 10% sawdust and 5% lime. To examine the
healing ability of the concrete microscopic observation was conducted. Microstructural analysis
of results indicates that there is amount of calcite (CaCO3), Ettringite and quartz. Due to
additional production of these materials, the self-healing ability of concrete was improved.
In conclusion, sawdust ash and lime can be effectively used as partial replacements of cement in
concrete mixes to enhance the self-healing ability and mechanical properties of concrete, thereby
increasing the sustainability of concrete structures.
