The Coconut Shell Ash as an Aggregate Manufacture of Concrete Blocks and Interlocking Bricks

Abstract

Research aims to utilize coconut shell ash as aggregate in the production of construction materials. There are concrete blocks and interlocking bricks in experimental. The ratios of both products consisted of Portland cement type 1: coconut shell ash: dust stone is 1: 0: 7, 1: 0.2: 6.8, 1: 0.4: 6.6, 1: 0.6: 6.4, 1: 0.8: 6.2 and 1: 1: 6 by weight. The water to cement ratio of all sample was 0.6 by weight. The samples were formed with a hand-held blocking brick block machine. The experiment sample size of concrete blocks is 7 x 19 x 39 centimeters and interlocking bricks size is 12.5 x 25 x 10 centimeters. The concrete blocks experiment test is based on the Thai Industrial Standard 58–2560, and interlocking bricks based on Community product standard 602–2547. The results show that the blocks containing coconut shell ash in high quantities have weight, water absorption and compressive strength less than blocks containing coconut shell ash in low amounts. The ratio of 1:0.6:6.4 is suitable for both products. In this ratio, the properties of both products cured for 28 days show that compressive strength about 58% lower than the control mixture, moisture content increased about 31%, water absorption increased about 80%, and the density was reduced about 5 percent.