Ternary Blended Sustainable Concrete Incorporating Rice Husk Ash, Wild Vine Ash and Polycarboxylate Ether Superplasticizer

Abstract

This study examines the synergistic influence of rice husk ash (RHA) and wild vine ash (WVA) as supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), combined with a polycarboxylate ether superplasticizer (PCE-SP), on the fresh, mechanical, and durability performance of Grade 25 concrete. Binary systems (RHA+SP, WVA+SP) and a ternary system (RHA+WVA+SP) were evaluated through slump, compressive strength,  splitting tensile strengths, and water absorption tests.. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis confirmed RHA’s high silica content (73.8%) and WVA’s significant calcium (16.2%) and magnesium (9.3%) contents, indicating their complementary pozzolanic–hydraulic potential. The Ternary blend consistently outperformed the control, achieving ≈34–35 MPa compressive strength, ≈3.5–3.6 MPa splitting tensile strength, and ≈2.6–3.9% water absorption at 28 days, representing 10–25% improvements over the control. Durability performance followed an inverse relationship with strength, confirming enhanced matrix densification in blended systems. Overall, the results demonstrate that RHA–WVA–PCE-SP ternary blends offer a viable, low-carbon alternative to conventional concrete, delivering improved performance while contributing to cement reduction and sustainability objectives