Characterization and assessment of the potential use of charcoal ash in cementitious composites
Elias Rocha Gonçalves Júnior; Esther Tavares; Afonso Rangel Garcez de Azevedo; Markssuel Teixeira Marvila
Abstract
This study evaluated the use of charcoal ash (CA-ash) as a partial replacement for Portland cement in mortars. X-ray fluorescence revealed high CaO (≈69%) and K2O (≈11%) contents, while X-ray diffraction identified crystalline phases of quartz and sylvite, confirming the non-pozzolanic nature of the ash. Laser granulometry indicated a median particle size of approximately 19 µm. Isothermal calorimetry showed a reduction in heat flow and cumulative heat release with increasing CA-ash content, mainly due to clinker dilution. In the fresh state, the incorporation of 5% and 10% CA-ash reduced the consistency index from 264 mm in the reference mixture to approximately 230 mm and 215 mm, respectively. The mixture containing 5% CA-ash exhibited the highest compressive strength, increasing from about 10 MPa in the reference mortar to approximately 14 MPa at 7 days. Water absorption (≈10.6%), open porosity (≈20%), and apparent density (1.83-1.89 g/cm3) showed only minor variations among mixtures. Statistical analysis (ANOVA) indicated that mixture composition significantly affected compressive strength and apparent density, whereas water absorption and open porosity were not statistically influenced. Overall, CA-ash behaves predominantly as an inert filler that improves early mechanical performance while maintaining matrix compactness.
Keywords
Referências
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Submetido em:
24/10/2025
Aceito em:
07/05/2026
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