Utilisation of Power Plant Coal Bottom Ash as Coarse and Fine Aggregate to Produce Eco-Friendly Lightweight-Self Compacting Concrete

Sustainable solid waste management and recycling are progressively significant challenges in all industries. Coal bottom ash (CBA) is a by-product generated from the coal fired thermal power plants. Reusing such solid wastes as a construction material in civil engineering has the potential to improve environmental benefits and partially solves the problems associated with waste disposal of coal bottom ash. In light of this, the objective of this study investigates the possibility of using coal bottom ash (by-product from abounded Algerian thermal power plant) as coarse and fine aggregates to produce lightweight-self compacting concrete (LWSCC). the fresh and mechanical properties of LWSCC incorporating CBA in full replacement of fine and coarse aggregate were evaluated and compared it with that manufactured with natural aggregates. The test results revealed that the flowability, passing ability, and segregation resistance of mixtures made with (CBA)as coarse aggregates increase with the full replacement (100%) of natural coarse aggregates (NCA) by (CCBA), and decrease with the full replacement (100%) of natural fine aggregates (NFA) by (FCBA) The results satisfied the self-compacting concrete’s criteria. However, compressive strength was slightly decreased when the CBA was used as coarse and fine aggregates. Also, the results shows that the density of mixtures made by (CCBA) and (FCBA) reduced noticeably (<2000 Kg/m³), In addition, the results showed that the porous nature of CBA aggregates contribute to increase the water absorption of LWSCC.