Experimental Analysis of Spent Wash as a Waste Material in Mortar
摘要
The continuous rise in industrial pollution presents significant risks to the quality of soil, water, and air. Preserving environmental aesthetics necessitates the effective management of industrial waste through reduction, utilization, and proper disposal. As industrialization expands, it not only occupies large areas but also generates considerable amounts of difficult-to-manage wastewater. This chapter explored the application of waste materials, specifically spent wash, in mortar production. Spent wash, a brown colored effluent with high levels of decomposable organic matter and dissolved salts, is a byproduct of the rectified spirit distillation process in molasses-based industries. When promptly used in mortar samples after collection from sugar industries, spent wash enhances the strength of cement mortar. This study examined spent wash in cylindrical samples to assess its compressive and splitting tensile strengths. Experiments were conducted using 2%, 4%, and 6% spent wash concentrations. Results indicated that using 2% spent wash concentration yielded higher strength in concrete and mortar compared to conventional mixtures, suggesting that spent wash can be effectively incorporated into concrete production.