Variability of Coal Fly Ash for use in the Cement Industry

Abstract

Fly ash is widely used in the construction industry, and its quality and quantity varies greatly about the thermal power plant from which it is obtained. This paper reviews the test results for six fly ash samples generated by lignite combustion in different thermal power plants. The aim of this paper is to compare the properties of different samples using laser diffraction, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) methods, to determine which fly ash would be the best choice as a mineral additive, for concrete composition design as part of a project entitled “Concrete development for sustainable construction in the marine environment’’. The use of fly ash improves the durability properties because it reduces permeability while improving the microstructure of concrete. Due to the variability of fly ash properties, and with the high demands that come with construction in the marine environment, it is very important to conduct tests for the purpose of their characterization.