Optimizing the Use of Sugarcane Bagasse Ash for Making Paving Blocks

Abstract

One of the sugar industries produces bagasse ash in large quantities. Bagasse ash in the sugar industry cannot be utilized. Bagasse ash has a relatively high silica content of 68.5% which can be used as a substitute material to reduce the use of cement in the manufacture of paving blocks. In this study, the manufacture of concrete bricks used the manual pressing method. Paving blocks are made of sand, cement, bagasse ash, rock ash and water. The ratio of cement, rock ash and sand using a ratio of 1:2:6 with variations of bagasse ash 10, 20 and 30%. The test results obtained the highest quality concrete bricks on drying day 7 with 214 kg/cm2 obtaining B quality based on SNI 03-0691-1996 and the compressive strength of the resulting concrete bricks will increase with increasing drying time. This innovation can increase the usability of bagasse ash and become a new business opportunity for the sugar industry.