Theoretical Framework
Embedded Files
Have you noticed the severity of natural disasters today? As climate change continues to progress, typhoons rapidly grow stronger and occur more often in the Philippines. Moreover, the country also experiences regular earthquakes as it is situated in the Pacific Ring of Fire. With these reasons, the vitality of having houses made from durable materials can be clearly seen. However, construction materials that are of high quality are not accessible to all— especially to those who live from hand to mouth. Thus, the group decided to find an alternative aggregate that could result in a similar compressive strength and water resistance to that of Ordinary Portland Cement’s (OPC). Through thorough research, the researchers came to know that sawdust is a viable aggregate alternative to sand as it contains similar qualities. Sawdust is a waste product generated by the wood industry that may be detrimental in the long run if piled up. This discarded material amounts to approximately two million tons yearly in the Philippines (Arida et al., n.d.), and there are limited ways to repurpose them in today’s time— hence, making it more attainable and therefore, low-cost. However, there are still limited resources regarding sawdust being used in concrete, the reason why the researchers thought that it was necessary to focus on this topic.
Procedural Framework
Our research is a Descriptive research infused with experimental research or the relationship and interaction between the two variables. Our goal is to figure out unaltered properties found in industrial cement that are constant to our experimental set-up of Volcanic ash-sawdust cement in order for us to observe their differences in terms of water permeability, and flexural strength while at the same time ensuring the validity of the results and authenticity.
In the making of the prototype, we followed the desired depth for the moulds, which is 5 inches, and the original ratio for making industrial cement, which is 1:2:4, sand, that corresponds to gravel, and cement, respectively. In order to utilise the performance of sawdust we decided to double its concentration per set-up to determine which ratio will best fit the standards and so as perform better than the Industrial cement. In the prototype making, it was performed by an experienced construction worker, and they performed the process by first mixing the dry materials which are the Portland cement, sand, and sawdust for Alternative cement. They then mixed the gravel followed by water, and mixed them all together. After curing, both the Industrial and Alternative cement for ten days due we tested them in terms of their flexural strength.
Procedural Framework
The experimental design of the research focuses on the testing of concrete slabs. The researchers decided on the creation of four sample concrete slabs. With limited resources and time allotment, the researchers determined four samples as ideal to test three sawdust concentrations in comparison to standard concrete and analyze the data gathered from the tests to be conducted within the research. Using the standard requirements for residential concrete slabs, the slabs measure 100 mm in thickness, 215 mm in height, and 440 mm in width.
The data collected are gathered from the tests conducted in the University of the Philippines Diliman Institute of Civil Engineering. All data are presented with a graphical and numerical representation showing the relationship between variables involved in the tests. The tests to be conducted are the Compressive Strength Test, Flexural Strength Test, Water Absorption Test, Water Permeability of Concrete (WP) Test and the Rapid Chloride Penetration Test (RCPT).
Procedural Framework
In the making of the prototype, we encountered multiple challenges. Two of these are geographical and time constraints. Time constraints took a toll on the set-ups’ curing time, which was reduced from 28 to 10 days. We also could not perform the Water Permeability test due to conflicting schedules. While in geographical constraints, there were no schools near our area that provided tests for compressive strength. One of the schools, UP Diliman, is an available option; however, they required that the prototype should be shaped in a cylindrical mould, so our research group chose a different test called the Flexural Test. In choosing the Flexural test or the ASTM C78 bending test, the research group considered its similarities to the Compressive Strength test. Similarly, the two of them use the Concrete's Tensile strength or the Maximum stress that a block of concrete can hold under pressure, and the only difference is that the Flexural Test is catered more towards roads and pavements. In comparison, Compressive strength focuses on walls, infrastructures, and buildings.
During the testing, they performed the Three-Point bending test under a machine that is connected to a graphs, and spreadsheets containing the details of the concrete's Maximum load or the force applied at its midpoint before breaking Flexural strength and Flexure strain that measures its difference from the before and after the test. These key components are essential as they help measure the compliance of the prototype under the desired criteria, performance, and standards the concrete has to uphold before being considered viable as a substitute for Industrial cement.
Procedural Framework
The nature of this research is centered around conceptualizing concrete slab samples that are modified with the implementation of sawdust into the concrete mix; requesting the participation and consent of data subjects is not required for this study. With this in mind, the group requested assistance from local construction workers. Members of the group have additionally brought the slabs of sawdust-infused cement mixtures for testing to the Construction Materials and Structures Laboratory of the UP Institute of Civil Engineering in Diliman with the assistance of Engr. John Carlo G. Aquino. In making this arrangement, an email was sent requesting the UP Institute of Civil Engineering for an appointment to test the slabs’ flexural strength, which was answered and approved.
During the process of mixing the sawdust into the cement mix and pouring them into slab molds, the construction workers for this task followed construction safety protocols and prioritized their own safety while completing the procedure of mixing, molding, and drying the cement mixes. In consideration that the components of the concrete slab samples were tested at the University of the Philippines, which is known for its proficiency and contributions in the area of research, the data extracted from the results is guaranteed to be credible and qualified to ensure accuracy within the experiment. Additionally, this accuracy will be important in serving as a reference for future research and modifications.
Results for the ASTM C78 or the Standard Test Method for Flexural Strength of Concrete are presented below with the data gathered from the test conducted. The test was made to add pressure with three contact points in the slab continuously until the slab reaches its breaking point. In the graph presented below it is seen that the first two samples have identical results this can conclude that the breaking point of the industrial slab and the first sample slab with sawdust has nearly a similar breaking point of the flexure strain.
In this study, the null hypothesis tested (Ho) was that there would be no significant differences between the industrial and alternative concrete mixes, and the sawdust ratios would yield the same slab quality.
The alternative (Ha) was that there would be a significant difference between either or both the industrial and alternative concretes, and the alternative concretes with varied sawdust ratios. Initially, the Pearson Correlation Test was deemed appropriate for the study. However, the software application tool reported the number of trials as insufficient in number to create a reliable analysis. Nonetheless, it was evident in the results (see table above) that less amounts of sawdust in the mixture lead to a higher rate of flexural strength and a lower rate of flexural strain (bend from the original shape).
In this research, Specimen 1 (Industrial Concrete) withstood the most amount of flexural stress and exhibited the highest level of flexural strength at 2.87923 MPa. Specimen 4 (Alternative Cement with 3-Parts Sawdust), contrastingly, was the most brittle and had the lowest flexural strength at 0.27580 MPa. The values are statistically significant, thus the null hypothesis is rejected, and the alternative is accepted.
As the researchers test for the ideal sawdust concentration conforming to the standard requirements for cement, the study provides a limited perspective on the most suitable cement-sand-stone proportions concluded to be at the ratio of 3:2:1:1. The findings of the study provides a descriptive and graphical comparison of flexural strength between industrial concrete and the experimental concrete containing sawdust as innovation. As the study aims to provide a possible alternative low-cost cement that is durable for the frequently flooded residential areas of the Gawad Kalinga communities, the study provides an additional information source and the conducted flexural strength test could support the previous results of past studies regarding the resiliency of the cement slabs. As observed with the results of the flexural strain in the study, the sawdust cement slabs do not collapse nor break apart instantly. Instead, it has the capability to hold together a collapsing structure. In previous studies, it had been inferred that concrete mixed with sawdust had lower flexural strength and compressive strength than a standard concrete slab.
However, it exhibited the characteristic of fibrous material wherein the material had a tendency to hold the material together thus the conclusive evidence may provide insight to utilize sawdust in concrete slabs for application of safety precautions in architectural construction. During the testing of the samples in this study, the organization where they were taken could only measure their mass, compressive strength, and flexural strength. Limitations in the time that was given as well as limited resources did not allow for water absorption and water permeability to be tested in these samples. These factors did not give the research group the adequate data and results that were expected to be extracted from the experimentation due to the qualities of the sample such as the water absorption and water water permeability which were important in sufficiently answering the investigative questions of the research paper.
Based on the findings in this study, future research could emphasize on converting or modifying sawdust-volcanic ash concrete mixtures in its water absorption and permeability, density, as well as compressive and flexural strength. While the main objective of this study is to produce an affordable and strong construction material that would be available to citizens from lower income, the sawdust material is subject to broader studies that experiment on the extent of uses that sawdust can achieve in different fields or areas, such as agriculture and the recycling or reuse of sawdust into different products and services for daily use and recreation. There are a number of conclusions that have been drawn from this research, such as the feasibility and effectiveness of sawdust-volcanic ash concrete mix as an affordable and cost-effective construction material due to the availability and large portions of sawdust as a byproduct of lumber or woodworks, as well as volcanic ash that has always been implemented in concrete mixes.
Despite these findings, the sawdust-volcanic ash concrete samples as a strong construction material need more improvement due to their light-weightedness. This could be a problem since the intention for this mix is to create an alternative concrete that could provide similar strength and foundation that industrial concrete can offer especially in times of natural disaster such as large-scale typhoons and strong floods. The samples have only been tested for weight as well as compressive and flexural strength due to time constraints so the members of the research group were not able to test the samples in areas of water absorption and permeability.
STEM A GROUP 7's Collected Documentations
Bai
"Namamaalam"
Aleeana
"Ice Princess"
Julliene
"Margareth"
Annika
"The girl in the birdcage"
Sophia
"Isabelle"
Sofia
"Komikero"
Lorier
"Joy"
References
References
(2018). Sawdust. Agricultural Marketing Resource Center. https://www.agmrc.org/commodities-products/biomass/sawdust.
Abdulazeez, A. S., Hamza, B., Idi, M. A., & Justin, T. (2020). Strength Performance of Concrete Produced with Volcanic Ash as Partial Replacement for Cement. International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology, (9)3. https://www.ijert.org/strength-performance-of-concrete-produced-with-volcanic-ash-as-partial-replacement-of-cement.
Ahmad, M., Morin, V., & Warnitchai, P. (2016). Vulnerability to typhoon hazards in the coastal informal settlements of Metro Manila, the Philippines. National Library of Medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26749416/.
Aguilar, R. J. F., Batisting, R. M., Lemos, L. B., & Fuentes, E. C. M. (n.d.). Sawdust as an Alternative Material for Sand in Concrete Mixture. Philippine E-Journals. https://ejournals.ph/article.php?id=7258.
Alisibramulisi, A., Suliman, N. H., Razak, A. A. A., Mansor, H., & Amin, N. M. (2019). Concrete using sawdust as partial replacement of sand: Is it strong and does not endanger health? In MATEC web of conferences (Vol. 258, p. 01015). EDP Sciences.
Andreas, T., Ashar, S., & Hery, K. (n.d.). Beam-to-Beam Connection of Precast Concrete Structures: State of the Art. https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/20192.
Banggu, I., Darwis, F., & Sultan, M. A. (2018). The Effects Of Volcanic Ash On The Strength And Permeability Mortar. Proceedings of the International Conference on Science and Technology (ICST 2018). https://doi.org/10.2991/icst-18.2018.78.
Batool F., Cakiroglu, C., Islam, K., & Shahriar, A. (2021). Effectiveness of wood waste sawdust to produce medium-to-low-strength concrete materials. Journal of Building Engineering (Vol. 44, Article 103237). Science Direct. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2021.103237.
Bautista, M. A. D., Castañares, J., Diaz, L. G., & Garzon, J. B. (2015). Sawdust and Cement Mixture as Insulation Wall. PULSAR, 4, 11-11.
Brown, Z. (2019). 10 FACTS ABOUT SLUMS IN MANILA. The Borgen Project. https://borgenproject.org/10-facts-about-slums-in-manila/#:~:text=Residents%20in%20Manila%20slums%20lack,to%20open%20pits%20or%20rivers.
Chen, B., Gu, K., Wang, C., Wei, Z. (2023). Comparison of sawdust bio-composites based on magnesium oxysulfate cement and ordinary Portland cement. Journal of Building Engineering, 63, 105514.Dimagiba, L. (2020). Bricks from volcanic ash – a blessing in disguise. Sci Dev Net. https://www.scidev.net/asia-pacific/news/bricks-from-volcanic-ash-a-blessing-in-disguise/.
EPA. (n.d.). Cement Manufacturing Enforcement Initiative | US EPA. EPA. https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/cement-manufacturing-enforcement-initiative.
FIRE PREVENTION - TOP CAUSE OF FIRES IN THE PHILIPPINES - FAULTY ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS - ELECTRICAL SAFETY. (2023). Phelps Dodge Philippines. https://www.phelpsdodge.com.ph/updates/article/top-cause-of-fires-in-the-philippines.
Flake, J., Purwar, D., & Sliuzas, R. (2020). Assessment of cascading effects of typhoons on water and sanitation services: A case study of informal settlements in Malabon, Philippines. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 51(101755). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2020.101755.
GMA News. (2023, May 8). Filipino families who rate themselves as 'poor' steady at 51% —SWS. GMA Network. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/869276/filipino-families-who-rate-themselves-as-poor-steady-at-51-sws/story/.
Go, N. (2022, December 5). How Much Does it Cost to Build a House in the Philippines 2023 (for real) - ARCGO. ARCGO General Engineering. https://www.arcgo-ph.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-build-a-house-in-the-philippines
The Guardian. (2022). . . - YouTube. https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/feb/25/concrete-the-most-destructive-material-on-earth?fbclid=IwAR0bXcMv3I6aNnQP8OzTIg7OeznW_D3HG02U96mNjk53BWkcvOxdBgN3ezE.
Hamakareem, M. I. (2021). Permeability of Concrete and Factors Influencing It. The Constructor. https://theconstructor.org/concrete/permeability-concrete/1769/.
Hilotin, J. (2022). Philippines: Why is it prone to typhoons (on top of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions)? Gulf News Report. https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/philippines/philippines-why-is-it-prone-to-typhoons-on-top-of-earthquakes-and-volcanic-eruptions-1.1659616588644.
Lavars, N. (2018, February 7). Cement made with volcanic ash can make cities stronger and greener. New Atlas. https://newatlas.com/cement-volcanic-ash-mit/53284/.
Mohammud, A. (2014). Effect of Sawdust as Fine Aggregate in Concrete Mixture for Building Construction. International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology, 63, 73–82. https://www.academia.edu/11108881/Effect_of_Sawdust_as_Fine_Aggregate_in_Concrete_Mixture_for_Building_Construction
NASA. (n.d.). What Is Climate Change? | Facts – Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet. NASA Climate Change. https://climate.nasa.gov/what-is-climate-change/.
Raheem, A. A., Olasunkanmi, B. S., & Folorunso, C. S. (2012). Saw dust ash as partial replacement for cement in concrete. Organization, technology & management in construction: an international journal, 4(2), 474-480.
Sawdust | OR&R's Marine Debris Program. (n.d.). NOAA Marine Debris Program. https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/sawdust.
Siddique, R. (2012). Properties of concrete made with volcanic ash. Elsevier. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921344912001085.
Statista. (2023, June 28). Philippines: occupied residential units share by floor area 2022. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1240662/philippines-households-living-in-residential-units-by-floor-area/.
UNDRR. (2021). Philippines Disaster Management Reference Handbook 2021. PreventionWeb. https://www.preventionweb.net/publication/philippines-disaster-management-reference-handbook-2021.
Watts, J. (2019). Concrete: the most destructive material on Earth | Cities. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/feb/25/concrete-the-most-destructive-material-on-earth.
Wood Dust - Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (n.d.). OSHA. https://www.osha.gov/wood-dust.
Zafar, S. (2022, May 25). sawdust. BioEnergy Consult. https://www.bioenergyconsult.com/tag/sawdust/
FOR MORE QUESTIONS ON THE GROUP'S RESEARCH, CLICK THE LINK BELOW.
Page updated
Report abuse