INTRODUCTION

FLY ASH
When coal is burnt (e.g. in coal fed power plants), two types of
ash is produced. One that falls in the bottom of the boiler is
called bottom ash. Another is made of fine particles that are
driven out along with the flue gases. These fine particles are
captured using the electrostatic precipitators or some other
filtration equipment when the flue gases reach at Chimney of
the plant. This is called Fly Ash and is made of Silica,
Aluminium oxide, calcium oxide and some potentially toxic
elements such as arsenic, beryllium, cadmium,
barium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, molybdenum,
nickel, radium, selenium, thorium, uranium, vanadium,
and zinc etc.
 CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
• Fly ash material solidifies while suspended in the exhaust gases
and is collected by electrostatic precipitators or filter bags. Since
the particles solidify rapidly while suspended in the exhaust
gases, fly ash particles are generally spherical in shape and range
in size from 0.5 µm to 300 µm.
• Fly ash is a heterogeneous material.
• SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3 and occasionally CaO are the main chemical
components present in fly ashes.
• The mineralogy of fly ashes is very diverse.
Component Bituminous Subbituminous Lignite

SiO2 (%) 20-60 40-60 15-45

Al2O3 (%) 5-35 20-30 20-25

Fe2O3 (%) 10-40 4-10 4-15

CaO (%) 1-12 5-30 15-40
LOI (%) 0-15 0-3 0-5
 TYPES OF FLY ASH
• Two classes of fly ash are defined by ASTM C618: Class F fly
ash and Class C fly ash.

• The chief difference between these classes is the amount of

calcium, silica, alumina, and iron content in the ash.

• The chemical properties of the fly ash are largely influenced by

the chemical content of the coal burned.
 CLASS F FLY ASH
• The burning of harder, older anthracite and bituminous coal
typically produces Class F fly ash.
• This fly ash is pozzolanic in nature, and contains less than 7%
lime (CaO).
• Possessing pozzolanic properties, the glassy silica and alumina of
Class F fly ash requires a cementing agent, such as Portland
cement, quicklime, or hydrated lime—mixed with water to react
and produce cementitious compounds.
• Alternatively, adding a chemical activator such as sodium silicate
(water glass) to a Class F ash can form a geopolymer.
 CLASS C FLY ASH
• Fly ash produced from the burning of younger lignite or sub-
bituminous coal, in addition to having pozzolanic properties, also
has some self-cementing properties.

• In the presence of water, Class C fly ash hardens and gets

stronger over time. Class C fly ash generally contains more than
20% lime (CaO). Unlike Class F, self-cementing Class C fly ash
does not require an activator.

• Alkali and sulfate (SO4) contents are generally higher in Class C

fly ashes.
 EFFECT OF FLY ASH ON FRESH
CONCRETE:
Workability

Fly ash improves the workability of the concrete. Workability

refers to the ease of handling, placing and finishing of fresh
of “plastic” concrete. The fly ash concrete is more workable
than a plain cement concrete at equivalent slump. Less water is
needed for the same slump, the concrete gets more cohesive
and the occurrence of costly segregation decreases.
WATER CONTENT
As mentioned above the fly ash replacing some of the cement
will increase the paste volume. The fly ash concrete is more
workable and less water is needed for the same slump.
Although increased fineness usually increases the water
demand, the spherical particle shape of the fly ash lowers
particle friction and offsets such effects.
The use of fly ash as a partial replacement for Portland
cement will usually reduce water demand.
SETTING TIME
When the fly ash is ground together with the clinker the setting
time of the composite cement is improved and regulated with the
fineness and the gypsum content.

BLEEDING AND SEGREGATION

Using fly ash concrete mixtures usually reduces bleeding by

providing greater fines volume and lower water content for a
given workability. Increased fineness usually increases the
water demand, the spherical particle shape of fly ash lowers
particle friction and offsets such effects. Concrete with
relatively high fly ash content will require less water than non-
fly ash concrete of equal slump.
 EFFECT OF FLY ASH ON
HARDENED CONCRETE
STRENGTH
Usually strength development is very slow due to pozzolanic
reaction of fly ash.
Later age strength is higher.
Exceeds the strength of concrete with
out fly ash.
Enough curing should be available for long time.
COEFFICIENT OF THERMAL EXPANSION
For 40% replacement of fly ash the coefficient of thermal
expansion reduces by 4%
Permeability
Reduced. Fly ash blocks bleed channels reacting with lime and
alkalis filling pore spaces. Increased fines and reduced water
content.

DURABILITY
Sufficiently cured fly ash concrete has a dense structure and hence
more resistance to deleterious substances. This reduces the
corrosion of reinforcement.
13 Class f fly ash reduces alkali -silica reactivity because of the
dense structure and hence expansion is reduced which increases
durability.
 USES OF FLY ASH
 Fly Ash was once discarded as a waste but today, it is
increasingly emerging as a major input material in several
industries including cement, agriculture, construction,
Paints etc.
 Fly Ash is added as a mixture to cement for building
construction, laying of roads and landfills.
 The bricks and blocks made of fly-ash are stronger and
cheaper than conventional bricks
 Fly ash can help transform barren wasteland into lush green
forests
 Pigments extracted from Fly Ash can be very useful in
manufacturing of paints
 FLY ASH BRICKS
In construction industry, Fly ash is used in making of bricks and
concrete. Fly Ash Bricks are well proven building material and can
be used as an alternate to the ordinary burnt clay bricks with
equivalent strength. The Government promotes the use of Fly Ash
Bricks. BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) has issued the code
IS:12894-2002 for ash bricks.

Further, an MOEF notification mandates that every construction

agency engaged in the construction of buildings within a radius of
100 km. from a coal or lignite based thermal power plant shall use
only fly ash based products for construction.
 Construction of Fly Ash
Bricks

The raw material to make Fly Ash bricks includes Fly Ash, Sand
and Lime (or Cement). All of these are mixed with water in a pan
mixer to produce a semi dry mix. It is then placed in moulds of a
machine (a hydraulic or vibratory press) to produce bricks of
uniform size. These bricks are air dried for one/two days in a shed
and then water cured for 14-21 days.
 Advantages of Fly Ash
Bricks
Fly ash bricks are produced with/without frog. Fogged Bricks have
depression in one face as shown below:

These bricks require less plaster thickness and save cement mortar.
They are environment friendly because they are produced by by-
product of thermal power stations. They save agriculture land used
in brick kilns. In comparison to clay bricks, the Fly Ash bricks are
less energy intensive. Further, they can be made at the construction
site itself.
 Fly Ash Concrete
In comparison to cement only, the Fly Ash improves the
performance and quality when used in concrete. Fly ash as a part of
the concrete saves water ; lowers heat of hydration; reduces the
corrosion of steel and makes the concrete becomes strong quickly.
This is because the fly ash reaches its maximum strength more
slowly than concrete made with only Portland cement.