Optimization and potential utilization of agro-industrial by-products as binders in quaternary blended pastes – A sustainable approach

The improper disposal of industrial waste has escalated to a point where it poses a substantial threat to public health. This work includes an intensive experimental examination into the influence of fresh and mechanical properties on quaternary blended binder systems using various cementitious materials such as Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), Ground Granulated Blast Furnace slag (GGBFS), Sugarcane Bagasse Ash (SCBA), and Metakaolin (MK). The optimum quaternary blended mix proportion was identified as 40 % GGBFS, 12.5 % SCBA, and 2.5 % MK at a w/b ratio of 0.32 by using the Taguchi L 9 (3 4 ) Orthogonal Array (OA). The workability of optimized paste samples was observed to be increased with the addition of GGBFS. Samples were examined for compressive strength, water absorption, and porosity up to 90 days of curing. This study investigated the microstructural properties of paste samples by using a Scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and Thermo gravimetric analysis to validate the enhanced properties of the optimized mixture. At 90 days, the highest compressive strength of 69.24 MPa was attained for optimized samples. In the optimized samples, porosity and water absorption were reduced to 23 % and 30 %, respectively, at 90 days of curing compared to control samples. • Industrial and agro by-products were processed to use as cementitious binders. • The optimum mix proportion was determined by using the Taguchi method. • Fresh and mechanical properties of quaternary blended paste samples were examined. • The microstructural examination of produced samples supports the obtained results. • Economic and environmental analyses were carried out for environmental sustainability.