Rice Husk Ash-Infused Concrete For Seismic Resilience: Experimental Evaluation Of Mechanical Durability, Microstructural Enhancements, And Sustainable Integration In Retrofitted Structures

Authors: Pratham Gawande, Dr Anudeep Nema

Abstract: Rice husk ash (RHA), an agricultural waste rich in reactive silica, has shown strong potential as a supplementary cementitious material. This research investigates the effect of partial replacement of ordinary Portland cement with rice husk ash on the fresh properties, mechanical performance, durability, microstructure, with the aim of developing durable materials suitable for earthquake-resistant structures. In this study, cement was partially replaced with RHA at 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% by weight. The fresh properties of concrete, including slump, compacting factor, density, and initial surface absorption, were evaluated. Mechanical properties such as compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and flexural strength were determined at curing ages of 7, 28, and 60 days. Concrete containing 10% RHA exhibited the highest compressive, splitting tensile, and flexural strengths, with maximum improvements of approximately 7.16%, 7.03%, and 3.82%, respectively, compared to conventional concrete. Overall, the findings of this study demonstrate that rice husk ash can be effectively used as a sustainable supplementary cementitious material to produce high-strength, durable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly concrete.