Utilization of Rice Husk Ash in Sustainable Concrete
Summary
The drive to reduce the carbon footprint of the construction industry has led to widespread interest in supplementing or replacing Portland cement with agricultural by-products. Rice husk ash (RHA), a residue from rice milling, is rich in amorphous silica and exhibits strong pozzolanic reactivity when finely processed under controlled combustion. Incorporation of RHA into concrete mixtures can lower CO₂ emissions, improve mechanical performance and enhance durability against chemical attack. Typical approaches involve partial cement replacement (often 10–20 % by mass), combined use with other supplementary cementitious materials or formulation of alkali‐activated binders. Benefits include reduced embodied carbon, cost savings through utilisation of an abundant waste stream, and optimisation of microstructure resulting in improved compressive strength, reduced permeability and enhanced resistance to chloride ingress and sulphate attack. Practical applications are already emerging in precast elements, pervious pavements and low‐carbon structural components, demonstrating global relevance from rice‐producing regions in Asia to sustainable construction initiatives worldwide.
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Utilization of Rice Husk Ash in Sustainable Concrete publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in utilization of rice husk ash in sustainable concrete across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Pozzolanic reaction: Chemical process whereby amorphous silica in RHA reacts with calcium hydroxide to form calcium silicate hydrate, enhancing strength and durability.
Alkali‐activated materials: Cementitious binders produced by activating aluminosilicate sources with alkaline solutions, offering low‐carbon alternatives to traditional cement.
Embodied carbon: Total greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production, transport and processing of construction materials.
References
- Data-guided for discovering high-strength, cost-effective, and low-carbon rice husk ash concrete. Journal of CO2 Utilization (2024).
- Production, characteristics, and utilization of rice husk ash in alkali activated materials: An overview of fresh and hardened state properties. Construction and Building Materials (2022).
- Rice Husk Ash-Based Concrete Composites: A Critical Review of Their Properties and Applications. Crystals (2021).
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