When it comes to concrete, there are a lot of options to choose from. The most common types of concrete are portland cement, masonry construction and fly ash concrete.
In fact, the choice between the three really depends on the type of project you need it for.
For example, if you’re building a home or business you’ll probably want to use fly ash concrete. It’s non-toxic, cost-effective and durable enough to last years without cracking.
In this article we’ll go over some of the reasons why fly ash concrete is the go-to material for many residential and commercial projects.
If you’re a business owner or contractor working on a residential or commercial project, you’re probably familiar with concrete. But have you heard of fly ash concrete?
Fly ash concrete is a type of concrete that’s made with fly ash, a byproduct of coal burning. According to the American Coal Ash Association (ACAA), about 72 million tons of fly ash was generated in 2017, but only about a quarter of that amount was used in construction and other related applications. While the ACAA says that there’s no shortage of fly ash right now, it’s always good to be aware of alternative materials to use in case this changes in the future.
Here are some reasons why we think fly ash concrete is an excellent choice for your next project:
Fly Ash Concrete Is Stronger than Ordinary Concrete
Fly ash concrete has been around for decades, but it wasn’t until recently that many contractors started using it for their projects. That’s because the technology for making fly ash more consistent and predictable only appeared after 2003. Now, however, it has become a popular material used in both residential and commercial construction projects. One reason why many contractors prefer using fly ash is because it helps make stronger
Fly ash is a byproduct of coal combustion and one of the most abundant materials on the planet. In fact, it is estimated that about 50% of our landfills are filled with fly ash. While fly ash has been used in concrete applications for over 50 years, its use as a replacement for Portland cement has only recently begun to gain momentum; today, fly ash concrete is used in more than 60% of all concrete projects, and the trend shows no signs of slowing down. Here’s why:
Fly ash concrete provides excellent strength and durability at a lower cost than traditional portland cement mixes. Fly ash is an eco-friendly material, as it reduces greenhouse gas emissions and saves energy by requiring less heat to produce than portland cement. Fly ash also improves the workability of wet concrete mixes, making it easier to pump and place than traditional mixes, which means faster finish times (and reduced labor costs).
While fly ash concrete can be used in most residential and commercial applications, it’s especially useful for projects that require high compressive strength or where there will be significant wear and tear over time (e.g., parking lots). Fly ash concrete has also been used successfully in large civil engineering projects such as bridges and buildings – proof positive that this innovative material
In order to build a strong foundation for any structure, concrete is the go-to material. As a building material, concrete has proven itself to be incredibly reliable over the course of human history. Concrete’s durability and versatility make it a great choice for any kind of construction project, from homes to skyscrapers.
One of the most popular types of concrete is fly ash concrete. Fly ash is considered a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) and is used in combination with Portland cement to produce stronger, more durable concrete. Fly ash enhances the properties of fresh concrete, including workability, pumpability, strength, finish ability and durability.
Fly ash concrete has many advantages over traditional Portland cement in terms of sustainability and performance:
Reduces CO2 emissions by up to 40% compared to traditional Portland cement
Allows for higher water reduction (up to 12%) while maintaining workability and finishing characteristics
Increases durability and resistance to sulfate attack, alkali silica reaction (ASR), freeze/thaw cycles and chloride permeability
Increases initial strength gain – allowing formwork removal earlier, reducing schedule time
Increases ultimate strength gain – producing stronger structures that will last longer
Fly ash, an industrial waste byproduct, is a fine gray powder that, when mixed with lime, water, and other materials, forms a concrete-like mixture. This mixture can then be cast into blocks, molds or poured in place as foundations and walls.
Fly Ash Concrete Advantages:
Concrete made using fly ash has higher compressive strength than conventional concrete. The higher compressive strength is due to the pozzolanic reaction of the fly ash with the calcium hydroxide released during the hydration of Portland cement.
The lower permeability of fly ash concrete reduces corrosion of reinforcing steel bars in concrete structures compared to the concrete made without fly ash.
In general, fly ash concrete weighs less than 100 percent Portland cement concrete (PCC). Lower density reduces the dead load on structures such as bridges and buildings.
High pH (alkalinity) prevents corrosion of steel reinforcement bars in concrete structures. Fly ash also decreases the volume change associated with subgrade reaction and alkali-aggregate reaction.
Fly ash reduces heat of hydration which means that it can be used for mass concreting purposes like dams and retaining walls where heat build up can cause cracks due to high temperature gradients during setting.
We’ve been talking a lot lately about the many benefits of fly ash concrete and its versatile use in civil construction projects. Fly ash is a coal combustion product, and can be used as an ingredient in cement or concrete.
Fly ash is highly valued by concrete producers because it helps make stronger, more durable, and more environmentally friendly concrete. In this post, we’ll go into more detail about why fly ash is such a popular ingredient in cement and concrete.
Fly ash can be used as an additive to make concrete mixes workable and less harsh with less water. Using fly ash in concrete also allows for the use of lower-cost aggregates that are typically wetter and heavier, which adds labor costs to production. Concrete containing fly ash is easier to place and finish than those without it.
Fly ash improves the durability of concrete by reducing permeability, increasing resistance to chemical attack from sulfates or chlorides, and lowering the heat of hydration (which reduces cracking). Fly ash creates strong, durable concrete at a lower cost per cubic meter than normal Portland Cement (OPC) mixes.
The reason why fly ash works so well as an additive in cement and concrete is because it’s spherical-shaped particles improve workability while reducing the amount of water
Fly ash is the byproduct of burning coal. The fly ash is collected from the chimneys of coal plants and shipped to concrete batch plants or construction sites. Fly ash is a useful additive for concrete, but there are some drawbacks to its use. All fly ash is not created equal.
The most common type of fly ash comes from burning anthracite or bituminous coal. This fly ash can be used for replacing up to 30 percent of the cement in concrete. The lower the percentage of fly ash used, the better it will perform. Fewer problems occur when 10 percent or less of cement replacement is used.
When using higher percentages of fly ash, it becomes difficult to get consistent results because different types of coal produce different quantities of fly ash. Some types have more lime in them than others, which affects its performance in concrete mixes.