Utilization of partial fly ash substitution as sustainable green material on concrete durability to chloride penetration in climate change issue

Chloride penetration in concrete leads to the corrosion of the reinforcing steel, which causes a decrease in the ability of the concrete to support the load. One alternative is to substitute cement with fly ash in the concrete. It helps mitigate the climate change issue associated with cement production. Therefore, identifying the effect of fly ash on concrete durability in terms of chloride penetration is crucial. The performance of concrete with fly ash substitution was determined by compressive strength and chloride penetration tests after immersion in a 3% chloride solution. The variations of fly ash were 0%, 10%, 30%, and 50%. The chloride penetration test was conducted using a 0.2 Molar AgNO 3 solution. The results showed that using 30% fly ash as a cement substitute can maintain concrete strength and improve chloride resistance. However, substituting 50% fly ash decreased the concrete strength and provided no additional benefit in resisting chloride penetration. Thus, the substitution of up to 30% fly ash can improve the durability of concrete in resisting chloride attacks while maintaining strength. This can enhance the performance of concrete on the coast and mitigate the effects of climate change associated with cement production in supporting SDG 13.