Eco-friendly innovations in flexural performance of LC3 concrete: Utilizing sugarcane bagasse ash and rubber latex for enhanced sustainability in carbonated industrial environments

Abstract

The impact of global warming on the construction sector is a critical concern in today’s world, largely attributed to the emission of greenhouse gases during the production of Portland cement. Cement plays a vital role in civil infrastructure due to its numerous advantages; however, its production significantly contributes to global warming and poses the risk of raw material depletion. To mitigate the over exploitation of natural resources, Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3) has emerged as a sustainable alternative that helps preserve the ecosystem. On the other hand, CO 2 emissions from industries adversely affect surrounding structural buildings, primarily through carbonation. In this study, LC3 concrete was developed by limiting cement content to 33 % of the total binding content of concrete. Calcined clay was partially replaced with sugarcane bagasse ash at levels of up to 40 %, while water was partially replaced with rubber latex at up to 5 %. Twenty LC3 concrete beams were modeled using a binary combination of bagasse ash and rubber latex in ABAQUS under carbonation conditions with CO 2 concentrations of 5 % and 10 %. The flexural behavior of these carbonated concrete beams was simulated, and key structural parameters, including flexural strength, deflection, flexural rigidity, crack propagation, and stress block distribution were analyzed. The results revealed that replacing 30 % of calcined clay with bagasse ash and 5 % of water with rubber latex provided the best combination for sustainable construction in industrial environments, offering improved performance and reduced environmental impact. LC3 concrete improved with sugarcane bagasse ash and rubber latex under carbonation. Promotes waste recycling into concrete, aligning with circular economy and sustainability goals. Rubber latex enhances ductility, transforming shear cracks into minor flexural cracks. Optimum results were achieved with 30 % bagasse ash and 5 % rubber latex replacements.