Comparative study on net-zero masonry walls made of clay and fly ash bricks and grouts/mortars/stuccos with the effect of super fine fly ash blended cement—low carbon cement

Abstract

In the construction sector, cement plays a vital role in all the members and components in which it acts as a binder and strength-dependent material. The production of cement material emits a large quantity of CO2 gas, which has been the main cause of global warming and other environmental and health issues. To overcome this issue, low carbon or net-zero cement production and utilization is a necessity, which equally satisfies the binder ability of conventional ordinary Portland cement (OPC). The fly ash from thermal power stations that is deposited in the yard is the most frequently used replacement material for cement. Due to its excellent pozzolanic properties, this fly ash can be utilized in place of binding materials in the building industry to achieve carbon neutrality. In this investigation, fly ash is used to prepare net-zero mortars in place of a significant amount of cement. Fly ash is utilized both in its natural form and after being ground into tiny particles for increased reactivity and effectiveness. The test for compressive strength allows for a detailed examination of the mechanical properties by altering the ratio of water to cement with and without the use of super plasticizer (SP). The best mortar is fine F fly ash (FFFA), which is made using a water-to-cement ratio of 0.4 + 1% SP. To validate the outcomes of this investigation, a characterization study of the improved mortars was examined.