Mechanical and fresh properties of concrete incorporating crushed animal bone and sugarcane bagasse ash as dual waste-based replacements

The construction sector is known to produce substantial environmental effects due to high cement consumption and the disposal of industrial by-products. In this study, the use of crushed animal bone (CAB) as a partial replacement for natural coarse aggregate and sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) as a 5% partial replacement for cement in concrete is explored. CAB was replaced at levels of 10%, 20%, and 30% by weight of coarse aggregate, while SCBA was maintained at a constant 5% by weight of cement. Concrete cubes and beams were prepared and tested for fresh properties (slump, Vee-Bee time, compaction factor, and flow) and mechanical properties (compressive and flexural strength) at 7, 14, and 28 days. The results indicated that CAB increased workability for all test methods, and the mix containing 10% CAB and 5% SCBA had the highest compressive and flexural strength, with 28-day compressive strength 10.86% higher than the control. The strength was reduced with higher CAB content, thus indicating an optimum replacement level of 10% CAB with 5% SCBA. These results indicate that the dual use of CAB and SCBA can enhance concrete properties without increasing the consumption of natural aggregates and cement.