Replacement of silica fume with thermally treated rice husk ash in Reactive Powder Concrete

Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC) is a type of Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) having advanced mechanical and durability properties. Silica Fume (SF) is a chief constituent in RPC for pozzolanic reaction and for improving the packing density of granular materials. However, the high cost and limited availability of SF constrain the RPC application in modern construction industry, especially in developing countries like India. Therefore in this research work, Rice Husk Ash (RHA) an agricultural waste has been used as a partial substitute for SF with 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% to determine its effect on the mechanical and durability properties of RPC under normal curing and steam curing. Test results showed that RPC containing RHA has satisfactory mechanical and durability performance under both normal curing and steam curing. Hence RHA can be used as an alternative material for SF to produce RPC without compromising the required qualities.