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Influence of Rice Husk Ash (RHA) on the drying shrinkage of mortar at high
replacement ratio

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Influence of Rice Husk Ash (RHA) on the drying shrinkage of mortar at
high replacement ratio

Binyamien Rasoul1, Friederike Gunzel 2

1 and 2
Faculty of Civil Engineering, School of Environment and Technology, University of
Brighton, Brighton, East Sussex, UK.
Corresponding author email: br86@brighton.ac.uk, F.K.Gunzel@brighton.ac.uk,

Abstract
The possibility of using of rice husk ash (RHA) in the mortar was studied by performing shrinkage
experiments. The impact of RHA physical properties and chemical composition on drying shrinkage
of mortar is a potential problem, especially in the context of the increased use of new generation
solutions and the development of new materials to ensure sustainability. In this study, the effects of
RHA content, RHA particle size (fineness) and silica structure are evaluated. Comparisons are made
at ages ranging from 3 days to 180 days. Incorporation of RHA resulted in lower drying shrinkage,
where the drying shrinkage decreased with increasing crystalline silica content and coarse particles
size when compared to the control Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) mixture. Fine RHA exhibited
the highest shrinkage value due to the effect of micro fine particles which increases its shrinkage
values considerably.

Keywords: physical properties, chemical composition; fineness; drying shrinkage, crystalline silica

1.Introduction
Cracking in the concrete bridge decks is a well-documented problem. The problem is particularly
severe for a large structure, such as a large concrete floor. Cracking contributes to the deterioration
of the structures and allows the ingress of water to the reinforcement, which may lead to corrosion.
Cracking increases the maintenance costs, reduces the service life and may result in disruptive and
costly repairs. Experience shows that a combination of shrinkage and thermal stresses causes most
structure cracking (Altoubat and Lange, 2001). Efforts have been made to reduce the cracking by
designing concrete mixes for minimal shrinkage and improving methods of construction, placement,
and finishing. Various admixtures such as silica fume (Xu and Chung, 2000), carbon fibres (Park
and Lee, 1993) have been used to reduce the drying shrinkage. Moreover, recycled raw materials
involved in the production process, eliminate wastes that impact the environment, and improve the
technical properties of concrete, previous studies have demonstrated the feasibility of replacing
cement with agro-industrial by-products. One such example is the ash obtained from burning rice
husks, as rice is one of the most cultivated grains in the world. Research has shown that rice husk
ash can improve concrete’s mechanical properties (De Sensale, 2006) and durability (Cezar, 2011).
However, few studies have focused on the influence of the rice husk ash content on drying mortar
shrinkage.

2.Test procedures
The drying shrinkage of RHA mortar mixtures were measured according to the
recommendations made by ASTM standards ASTM C 490 standard (ASTM Standard
2000). For each mix under investigation, four specimens with dimensions of
450mm×100mm×100mm as shown in Figure 1.a were determined for each mix
composition. After preparing and mixing, each mixture was carefully filled into prism
molds. The molds kept for 24h until de-molded, and then the first reading, which is the
initial reading was recorded by used the apparatus measurement of drying shrinkage shown
in Figure 1.b. The values of drying shrinkage represent the average of two specimens for
each batch. The samples were stored in a room at 23 ± 2°C at a relative humidity of 50 ±
10% for air drying. Shrinkage readings were performed at 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 56, 91, and 180
days. These readings were performed in an expandable comparator with a digital marker
accurate to 0.001 mm.

Figure1: Drying shrinkage test of OPC and RHA mortars mixtures; (a) Prism used to cast specimens, (b)
Manual device used to determine the drying shrinkage change length.

3. Specimens length change measurement

To calculate the length, change in OPC and RHA mortars, the ASTM C 490 formula was used;
(𝐿𝑥−𝐿𝑖)
L= 𝐺
x100 (1)

Where:
L = Change in length at x age, %,
Lx = Comparator reading of specimen at x age minus comparator reading of reference bar at x age;
in millimeters.
Li = Initial comparator reading of specimen minus comparator reading of reference bar at that same
time; in millimeters
G = Nominal gauge length 250mm

4.Experimental Programme
4.1Materials
Three types of RHA (A, B and C) used in the experimental research were brought from India, RHA-
D was obtained by re-burning RHA-C at relatively high temperatures (550ºC) for 6h. Properties of
rice husk ash, the typical chemical composition and physical properties are given in Table 1.

Table 1: Physical properties and chemical composition of RHA samples.

Physical properties RHA
A B C D
Specific surface area (m2/g) 0.537 0.587 0.692 0.808
Mean particle size (µm) 23.397 20.948 15.804 12.64
RHA sample Chemical composition (% wt. of ash)
SiO2 Al2O3 Fe2O3 CaO K2O P2O5 SO3 MnO
RHA-A 92.10 1.066 0.241 0.719 1.366 0.403 0.076 0.109
RHA-B 89.31 1.389 0.391 0.987 1.813 0.747 1.104 0.166
RHA-C 84.30 1.066 0.175 0.729 1.522 0.675 0.083 0.144
RHA-D 93.49 1.186 0.202 0.971 1.587 0.663 0.084 0.115
4.2 Mix Proportion and Curing
The mix proportions of the batches are given in Table 2. Where the water to binder ratio (w/b) was
constant at 0.50, and the fine aggregate (silica sand) used was 1320 kg/m3.

Table 2: The mix proportion of RHA mortar drying - shrinkage test.

Batch No Cement RHA Water SP* SP
(kg/m3) (kg/m3) (kg/m3) (kg/m3) (% wt. of binder)
OPC 587 0 292 1.47 0.25%
5 558 29 292 1.47 0.25%
10 528 59 292 1.47 0.25%
15 499 88 292 1.47 0.25%
20 470 117 292 1.47 0.25%
30 411 176 290.56 2.94 0.50%
40 352 235 287.63 5.87 1.00%
50 293.5 293.5 281.76 11.74 2.00%
60 235 352 270.02 23.48 4.00%
SP*: Superplasticizer, by total weight of binder.

5. Results and discussion

The drying shrinkage results for the RHA mortars up to 60 replacement ratio are presented in Table
3 and plotted in Figure 2. These results correspond to the average micro deformations (mm/mm) of
two specimens tested for each replacement ratio. In general, the drying shrinkage of all the mixes
ranged from 32 to 1016 *10-4 mm/mm (RHA-A), 18 to 1052*10-4 mm/mm (RHA-B), 8 to 1242*10-
4
mm/mm (RHA-C), 134 to 1391*10-4 mm/mm (RHA-D), compared to 424 to 1143*10-4 mm/mm
(OPC mortar), over 180 days. The mixes containing RHA-A and RHA-B had values ranging from
18 to 1052 *10-4 mm/mm, which is considered low for OPC mortar even at 60% replacement ratio.
The RHA-D displayed the highest values of drying shrinkage among all RHA mixes and even the
OPC mortar reference at all replacement ratio and cured time.

Table 3: Drying shrinkage strain (mm/mm) of RHA mortars at different replacement ratios compared to OPC
mortar at different ages.

Time (day) 5%RHA mortar OPC

mortar
RHA-A RHA-B RHA-C RHA-D
3 0.0118 0.004 0.0388 0.0462 0.0424
7 0.0246 0.0224 0.0476 0.0644 0.0500
14 0.0386 0.0482 0.0580 0.0770 0.0590
28 0.0554 0.0714 0.0766 0.0990 0.0794
56 0.0758 0.0912 0.0996 0.1154 0.1004
91 0.0776 0.0980 0.1054 0.1264 0.1120
180 0.0796 0.0995 0.1068 0.1298 0.1143
10%RHA
Time (day)
RHA-A RHA-B RHA-C RHA-D
3 0.0112 0.0034 0.0172 0.0254
7 0.0328 0.0214 0.0370 0.0408
14 0.0414 0.0458 0.0502 0.0532
28 0.0576 0.0612 0.0636 0.0742
56 0.0646 0.0776 0.0832 0.0890
91 0.0678 0.0816 0.0882 0.0882
180 0.0689 0.0823 0.0891 0.1024
15%RHA
Time (day) RHA-A RHA-B RHA-C RHA-D
3 0.0056 0.0018 0.0158 0.0300
7 0.0270 0.0158 0.0336 0.0396
14 0.0396 0.0390 0.0438 0.0530
28 0.0502 0.0550 0.0598 0.0680
56 0.0568 0.0662 0.0694 0.0794
91 0.0646 0.0762 0.0806 0.0862
180 0.0659 0.0785 0.0819 0.0881
20%RHA
Time (day)
RHA-A RHA-B RHA-C RHA-D
3 0.0148 0.0046 0.0138 0.0178
7 0.0216 0.0232 0.0298 0.0358
14 0.0290 0.0362 0.0390 0.0506
28 0.0484 0.0536 0.0564 0.0660
56 0.0596 0.0646 0.0670 0.0780
91 0.0672 0.0700 0.0744 0.0840
180 0.0685 0.0711 0.0768 0.0852
30%RHA
Time (day)
RHA-A RHA-B RHA-C RHA-D
3 0.0034 0.0032 0.0100 0.0152
7 0.0284 0.0246 0.0306 0.0400
14 0.0304 0.0334 0.0362 0.0512
28 0.0444 0.0484 0.0538 0.0648
56 0.0624 0.0670 0.0754 0.0788
91 0.0664 0.0706 0.0808 0.0890
180 0.0670 0.0723 0.0827 0.0910
40%RHA
Time (day)
RHA-A RHA-B RHA-C RHA-D
3 0.0092 0.0110 0.0008 0.0134
7 0.0330 0.0282 0.0084 0.0406
14 0.0490 0.0464 0.0228 0.0529
28 0.0604 0.0664 0.0462 0.0730
56 0.0794 0.0848 0.0826 0.0966
91 0.0818 0.0868 0.0928 0.1016
180 0.0829 0.0881 0.0937 0.1043
50%RHA
Time (day)
RHA-A RHA-B RHA-C RHA-D
3 0.0122 0.014 0.0076 0.0176
7 0.0388 0.035 0.018 0.0406
14 0.0590 0.056 0.0322 0.0656
28 0.0770 0.0786 0.0626 0.0856
56 0.0874 0.0892 0.0826 0.1076
91 0.0926 0.0994 0.1018 0.1164
180 0.0939 0.1002 0.1065 0.1198
60%RHA
Time (day)
RHA-A RHA-B RHA-C RHA-D
3 0.0176 0.0144 0.0116 0.0234
7 0.055 0.0436 0.0312 0.0582
 14 0.0644 0.0712 0.053 0.0768
28 0.0832 0.0872 0.0732 0.0944
56 0.0934 0.0972 0.108 0.1176
91 0.0994 0.1014 0.1242 0.1326
180 0.1016 0.1052 0.1267 0.1391

Figure 2: Effect of RHA properties to the replacement ratio on the drying shrinkage of RHA mortars
compared to OPC at; (i) 5%, (ii) 10%, (iii) 15%, (iv) 20%, (v) 30%, (vi) 40%, (vii) 50%, and (viii)
60% replacement ratio.
 6. Effect of RHA properties on the drying shrinkage of mortar
In consideration of Figure 3, there is a general trend on drying shrinkage decreasing with increasing
replacement ratio up to 20%. This can be justified by the pozzolanic reaction and filler effects
(Habeeb et al., 2009). This fact has been reported by other researchers (Zhang and Malhotra, 1996
and Chatveera and Lertwattanaruk, 2011). The results correspond to the average drying shrinkages
(10-4 mm/mm) of the two specimens tested for each mix. Generally, it can be take in consideration
that RHA-D at 5% replacement ratio exhibited higher drying shrinkage than that of reference mortar
about 12.25% at all ages. The increases in drying shrinkage strain of RHA-D at 5%, can be justified
by the pozzolanic reaction and filler effects (Habeeb et al., 2009). However, RHA-C (silica 100%
amorphous) exhibited lower drying shrinkage compared to OPC mortar at 5% replacement ratio.
This behavior of RHA-C specimens can be attributed to the high residual carbon content (loss on
ignition). On the other hand, the drying shrinkage of RHA mortar specimens was noticeably reduced
by the addition of RHA-A and B. Specimens at 180 days showed a reduction in drying shrinkage
strain by 30.11% and 12.64% compared to OPC. Implementation of RHA partially crystalline silica
with coarse particles size provides a positive effect on the drying shrinkage of mortar, which is
attributed to the filler effect.

Figure 3: Correlation between drying shrinkage of OPC and RHA mortar to RHA replacement
ratio.

7. Effect the fineness of RHA particles

Based on the experimental results the RHA mean particle size, amorphous silica percentage are
particularly effective on the drying shrinkage of RHA mortars performance. Generally, there is a
linear correlation between the mean particle size distributions to the development of drying
shrinkage of RHA mortars which is presented in Figure 4. This correlation was determined for 20%
RHA; however, it’s same for other RHA replacement ratios. Mortar specimens containing RHA-C
and D with a particles size of 15.804μm and 12.64µm, exhibited higher drying shrinkage compared
to RHA-A and B with 23.397μm and 20. 948μm, respectively. According to Habeeb and Fayyadh
(2009) RHA with fine particles significantly affected on the drying shrinkage of concrete mixtures
containing 20% RHA, Thus, it can be concluded that the addition of RHA content higher amount of
micro fine particles to mortar would increase the drying shrinkage.

Figure 4: The relationship between particles size distribution to the silica structure of RHA
particles on the drying shrinkage performance of RHA mortars.

8. Conclusion
i. The drying shrinkage was significantly affected by RHA silica structure and fineness of
particles. RHA-D (finer particles) recorded the higher shrinkage value, while RHA-A
exhibited lower values than the control, this could be due to the effect of the micro fine
particles.
ii. Strains due to drying shrinkage are ranged from 1016 to 1391 ×10-4 (mm/mm) at 180 days.
iii. The parameters affecting the drying shrinkage strain are RHA silica structure, size of RHA
grain particles and replacement ratio.
iv. The effective mean particle size of RHA on mitigating drying shrinkage of RHA mixtures
was suggested based on the experimental results to be over 20.0µm. Where with coarser
particles size less drying shrinkage reported.
v. Maximum drying shrinkage development registered was in between 3 to 7 days for all RHA
mortars mixtures.
vi. As the proportion of replacement ratio increases from 5% to 15% RHA-A, and 20% RHA-
B, C and D, the drying shrinkage of the mortar decreased, beyond this limitation the
shrinkage increased again.
 Table 4: Effect of RHA properties on the drying -shrinkage of mortar at different ages.
RHA% Strain (mm/mm)
RHA-A RHA-B
3 7 14 28 56 91 180 3 7 14 28 56 91 180
5 -0.0118 -0.0246 -0.0386 -0.0554 -0.0758 -0.0776 -0.0796 -0.004 -0.0224 -0.0482 -0.0714 -0.0912 -0.098 -0.0995
10 -0.0112 -0.0334 -0.0414 -0.0576 -0.0646 -0.0678 -0.0689 -0.0034 -0.0214 -0.0458 -0.0612 -0.0776 -0.0816 -0.0823
15 -0.0056 -0.0270 -0.0396 -0.0502 -0.0568 -0.0646 -0.0659 -0.0018 -0.0158 -0.0390 -0.0550 -0.0662 -0.0762 -0.0785
20 -0.0148 -0.0216 -0.0290 -0.0484 -0.0596 -0.0652 -0.0685 -0.0046 -0.0232 -0.0362 -0.0536 -0.0646 -0.0700 -0.0711
30 -0.0034 -0.0284 -0.0304 -0.0444 -0.0624 -0.0664 -0.0670 -0.0032 -0.0246 -0.0334 -0.0484 -0.0670 -0.0706 -0.0723
40 -0.0092 -0.0330 -0.0490 -0.0604 -0.0794 -0.0818 -0.0829 -0.0110 -0.0282 -0.0464 -0.0664 -0.0848 -0.0868 -0.0881
50 -0.0122 -0.0388 -0.059 -0.0770 -0.0874 -0.0926 -0.0939 -0.0140 -0.0350 -0.0560 -0.0786 -0.0892 -0.0994 -0.1002
60 -0.0176 -0.0550 -0.0644 -0.0832 -0.0934 -0.0954 -0.1016 -0.0144 -0.0436 -0.0712 -0.0872 -0.0972 -0.1004 -0.1052

RHA% Strain (mm/mm)

RHA-C RHA-D
3 7 14 28 56 91 180 3 7 14 28 56 91 180
5 -0.0388 -0.0476 -0.0580 -0.0766 -0.0996 -0.1054 -0.1068 -0.0462 -0.0644 -0.0770 -0.0990 -0.1154 -0.1264 -0.1298
10 -0.0172 -0.0370 -0.0502 -0.0636 -0.0832 -0.0882 -0.0891 -0.0254 -0.0408 -0.0532 -0.0742 -0.0890 -0.0996 -0.1024
15 -0.0158 -0.0336 -0.0438 -0.0598 -0.0694 -0.0806 -0.0819 -0.0300 -0.0396 -0.0530 -0.0680 -0.0794 -0.0862 -0.0881
20 -0.0138 -0.0298 -0.0390 -0.0564 -0.0670 -0.0744 -0.0768 -0.0178 -0.0358 -0.0506 -0.0660 -0.0780 -0.0840 -0.0852
30 -0.0100 -0.0306 -0.0362 -0.0538 -0.0754 -0.0806 -0.0827 -0.0152 -0.0400 -0.0512 -0.0648 -0.0788 -0.0890 -0.0910
40 -0.0008 -0.0086 -0.0228 -0.0462 -0.0806 -0.0928 -0.0937 -0.0134 -0.0406 -0.0592 -0.0730 -0.0966 -0.1016 -0.1043
50 -0.0076 -0.0180 -0.0322 -0.0626 -0.1064 -0.1018 -0.1065 -0.0176 -0.0424 -0.0656 -0.0856 -0.1076 -0.1164 -0.1198
60 -0.0116 -0.0312 -0.0530 -0.0732 -0.1120 -0.1242 -0.1267 -0.0184 -0.0532 -0.0768 -0.0944 -0.1176 -0.1296 -0.1421
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