Assessing the potential of horsetail ash as a sustainable additive in infrastructure materials through ignition testing

Francis Matthew Chuyaco, Warren Cedric O., Florissa Tan, Audrey Kashmir Vasquez, Irene Olivia Ubay-Anongphouth, Joenel Galupino, Erica Elice Uy

Article ID: 5376
Vol 8, Issue 10, 2024

VIEWS - 114 (Abstract) 46 (PDF)

Abstract


This study assesses the application of horsetail ash as a sustainable soil stabilizer additive in infrastructure materials, highlighting the significance of environmentally friendly practices in construction. The horsetail plant (Equisetum Hyemale) which is recognized for its abundant silica content, was incinerated at different temperatures to produce ash for investigation. The study included initial analysis by visually inspecting and weighing samples, then conducting ignition tests to measure carbon content and evaluate pozzolanic properties. Subsequently, Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used to examine the elemental composition and morphology of the ash. Ignition tests showed that higher incineration temperatures are associated with lower carbon content and a rise in crystalline silica forms. Incinerating at 700 ℃ effectively decreased carbon content while maintaining the amorphous silica structure, making it the ideal temperature for bulk incineration. The study shows that horsetail ash, particularly when processed correctly, has great potential as an eco-friendly and economical additive for improving soil characteristics in geotechnical uses.

Keywords


horsetail plant; ignition; infrastructure; additives; geotechnical engineering

Full Text:

PDF


References


Aamir, M., Mahmood, Z., Nisar, A., et al. (2019). Performance Evaluation of Sustainable Soil Stabilization Process Using Waste Materials. Processes, 7(6), 378. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060378

Adajar, J., Ubay, I., Alfaro, M., et al. (2020). Discrete Element Modelling of Undrained Consolidated Triaxial Test on Cohesive Soils. Geo-Congress 2020, 58, 172–182. https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784482803.019

Amakye, S., Abbey, S., Booth, C., et al. (2021). Enhancing the Engineering Properties of Subgrade Materials Using Processed Waste: A Review. Geotechnics, 1(2), 307–329. https://doi.org/10.3390/geotechnics1020015

Behak, L. (2017). Soil Stabilization with Rice Husk Ash. In: Amanullah, A., Fahad, S. (editors). Rice—Technology and Production. IntechOpen.

Bernal, S, Juenger, M., Ke, X., et al. (2017). Characterization of supplementary cementitious materials by thermal analysis. Materials and Structures, 50(1). https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-016-0909-2

Blomsma, F. (2018). Collective ‘action recipes’ in a circular economy – On waste and resource management frameworks and their role in collective change. Journal of Cleaner Production, 199, 969–982. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.07.145

Contreras Miranda, J., & Ramirez Marin, M. (2022). Use of medicinal plants marketed in Guayaquil, Ecuador (Spanish). Manglar, 19(4). https://doi.org/10.57188/manglar.2022.039

Eken, M. (2023). The anti-corrosion performance of reinforcement behaviour of silica from different sources in bio-based paints. Pigment & Resin Technology, 52(4), 532–544. https://doi.org/10.1108/prt-02-2022-0025

Endale, S., Taffese, W., Vo, D., et al. (2023). Rice Husk Ash in Concrete. Sustainability, 15(1), 137. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010137

Fakhari, S., Jamzad, M., Kabiri Fard, H. (2019). Green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles: a comparison. Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews, 12(1), 19–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/17518253.2018.1547925

Galupino, J., Adajar, M., Uy E., et al. (2020). Performance of concrete mixed with fly ash and plastic when exposed to fire. International Journal of GEOMATE, 19(74), 44–51. https://doi.org/10.21660/2020.74.9198

Graettinger, A., Johnson, P., Sunkari, P., et al. (2005). Recycling of plastic bottles for use as a lightweight geotechnical material. Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, 16(6), 658–669. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777830510623727

Gu, Q. (2017). Integrating soft and hard infrastructures for inclusive development. Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development, 1(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v1i1.29

Guerriero, G., Stokes, I., Valle, N., et al. (2020). Visualising Silicon in Plants: Histochemistry, Silica Sculptures and Elemental Imaging. Cells, 9(4), 1066. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells9041066

Guevara-Lora, I., Wronski, N., Bialas, A., et al. (2022). Efficient Adsorption of Chromium Ions from Aqueous Solutions by Plant-Derived Silica. Molecules, 27(13), 4171. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27134171

Guo, P., Meng, W., Nassif, H., et al. (2020). New perspectives on recycling waste glass in manufacturing concrete for sustainable civil infrastructure. Construction and Building Materials, 257, 119579. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.119579

He, Y., Xu, G., Wang, C., et al. (2018). Horsetail-derived Si@N-doped carbon as low-cost and long cycle life anode for Li-ion half/full cells. Electrochimica Acta, 264, 173–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2018.01.088

Hosseini Mohtasham, N., Gholizadeh, M. (2021). Magnetic horsetail plant ash (Fe3O4@HA): a novel, natural and highly efficient heterogeneous nanocatalyst for the green synthesis of 2,4,5-trisubstituted imidazoles. Research on Chemical Intermediates, 47(6), 2507–2525. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11164-021-04420-y

Kamei, T., Ahmed, A., El Naggar, M. (2018). Performance of ground improvement projects incorporating sustainable reuse of geo-composite wastes. Transportation Geotechnics, 14, 22–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trgeo.2017.09.003

Law, C., Exley, C. (2011). New insight into silica deposition in horsetail (Equisetum arvense). BMC Plant Biology, 11(1), 112. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2229-11-112

Maraveas, C. (2020). Production of Sustainable Construction Materials Using Agro-Wastes. Materials, 13(2), 262. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13020262

Masłowski, M., Miedzianowska, J., Czylkowska, A., et al. (2020). Horsetail (Equisetum Arvense) as a Functional Filler for Natural Rubber Biocomposites. Materials, 13(11), 2526. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13112526

Mihajlovski, K., Buntić, A., Milić, M., et al. (2021). From Agricultural Waste to Biofuel: Enzymatic Potential of a Bacterial Isolate Streptomyces fulvissimus CKS7 for Bioethanol Production. Waste and Biomass Valorization, 12(1), 165–174. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-020-00960-3

Moerman, D. (1998). Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press.

Olaiya, B., Lawan, M., Olonade, K. (2023). Utilization of sawdust composites in construction—a review. SN Applied Sciences, 5(5). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-023-05361-4

Onikeku, O., Shitote, S. M., Mwero, J., et al. (2019). Evaluation of Characteristics of Concrete Mixed with Bamboo Leaf Ash. The Open Construction & Building Technology Journal, 13(1), 67–80. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874836801913010067

Regan, M. (2017). Future direction for infrastructure research. Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development, 1(2), 272. https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v1i2.87

Rodrigues-Das-Dores, R., Silva e Souza, C., Xavier, V. F., et al. (2020). Equisetum hyemale L.: phenolic compounds, flavonoids and antioxidant activity. Acta Horticulturae, 1287, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.17660/actahortic.2020.1287.1

Schneider, D., Wassersleben, S., Weiß, M., et al. (2020). A Generalized Procedure for the Production of High-Grade, Porous Biogenic Silica. Waste and Biomass Valorization, 11(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-018-0415-6

Turan, C., Javadi, A., Vinai, R., et al. (2022). Geotechnical Characteristics of Fine-Grained Soils Stabilized with Fly Ash, a Review. Sustainability, 14(24), 16710. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142416710

Ubay, I., Alfaro, Alfaro, M., et al. (2020). Stability assessment of an aging earth fill dam considering anisotropic behaviour of clay. International Journal of GEOMATE, 18(66). https://doi.org/10.21660/2020.66.9462

Ubay-Anongphouth, I. O., & Alfaro, M. (2022). Delayed instabilities of water-retaining earth structures. Frontiers in Built Environment, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbuil.2022.927137

Uy, E., Adajar, M., Galupino, J. (2021). Utilization of philippine gold mine tailings as a material for geopolymerization. International Journal of GEOMATE, 21(83). https://doi.org/10.21660/2021.83.9248

Vieira, C. (2022). Sustainability in Geotechnics through the Use of Environmentally Friendly Materials. Sustainability, 14(3), 1155. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031155

Villar Cociña, E., Savastano, H., Rodier, L., et al. (2018). Pozzolanic Characterization of Cuban Bamboo Leaf Ash: Calcining Temperature and Kinetic Parameters. Waste and Biomass Valorization, 9(4), 691–699. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-016-9741-8

Zaman, A., Lehmann, S. (2011). Challenges and Opportunities in Transforming a City into a “Zero Waste City.” Challenges, 2(4), 73–93. https://doi.org/10.3390/challe2040073

Zamora-Castro, S. A., Salgado-Estrada, R., Sandoval-Herazo, L. C., et al. (2021). Sustainable Development of Concrete through Aggregates and Innovative Materials: A Review. Applied Sciences, 11(2), 629. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11020629




DOI: https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v8i10.5376

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2024 Francis Matthew Chuyaco, Warren Cedric O., Florissa Tan, Audrey Kashmir Vasquez, Irene Olivia Ubay-Anongphouth, Joenel Galupino, Erica Elice Uy

License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.