Effective utilization of molasses for improvement of workability of concrete

Civil Engineering

Molasses is a by-product recovered from the sugar refining process, due to molasses increases the fluidity of fresh concrete and also delays the hardening time of cement paste. In this study the molasses were determined from sugar production factories. Setting times of concrete prepared with molasses at three different dosage (0.40, 0.60, and 0.80 wt. % of cement content) were determined and it was found that molasses addition causes a considerable increase in both initial and final setting time. Also treated waste water used in concrete with different dosages of molasses (0.40, .60, and 0.80 wt. % of cement content) were determined and it was found that no harmful effect on the strength although the strength near about same slight increase. High performance concrete is prepared with molasses of different dosage (0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 wt. % of cement content) in this case also found that molasses of addition cause a considerable increase in both initial and final setting times. Workability test was carried out on fresh concrete prepared with three molasses. Compressive strength test are carried on (7, 14, and 28 days) prepared block and on hardening concrete (28 days) flexural, split test carried out. The strength of concrete with molasses showed slight increase at all ages, except early age, with respect to the control mix.

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