Abstract:
The cement industry is one of the main sources of environmental pollution due to the high emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) during the production of Portland cement, contributing to climate change. Furthermore, agribusiness in Brazil generates a large amount of waste, such as rice husks, which are normally discarded incorrectly. In this context, the present work aims to evaluate technological parameters of concrete with partial replacement of Portland cement by carbonized rice husk (CAC), seeking to reduce pollution and promote sustainability in construction, while seeking to save costs. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to investigate the performance of concrete with different levels of cement replacement by CAC (5%, 7% and 10%). To achieve this, a practical experiment was carried out, crushing the CAC to ensure a homogeneous mixture and using a plasticizing additive to improve the workability of the concrete. Eight specimens were molded for each trait, totaling 32 samples. Several tests were carried out, including the slump test to evaluate consistency, axial compression strength to verify the ability to withstand vertical loads, diametral compression strength to analyze tensile strength and capillarity tests to evaluate durability and absorption. of water. The results obtained show that replacing cement with CAC has little effect on the technological parameters of concrete, with workability and water absorption within the expected standard for use in various concrete applications in civil construction. Despite the loss of resistance in the traits with CAC, acceptable levels were maintained with the trait with 7% replacement, showing better results among the traits with CAC. Therefore, this study seeks to contribute to reducing carbon emissions from the construction industry, promoting the use of agricultural waste as a sustainable and economical alternative in concrete production. The results obtained may have important implications for the adoption of more sustainable practices in the construction sector, benefiting both the environment and the economy.
