MOSCOW, September 5–. DSTU scientists created a new concrete composition using coconut shells. According to them, the development is 15% cheaper than traditional analogues, and the designs made from it are characterized by increased lightness. The results were published in the journal Materials.
Today in the world, according to experts, the search for new compositions of building mixtures containing plant waste is relevant. One type of such waste, common in many regions of the world, is coconut products.
Scientists at the Don State Technical University (DSTU) have developed a new concrete composition containing up to 10% coconut shells by weight. According to the creators, the strength and other performance characteristics of the development are not inferior to conventional concrete or slightly exceed them, and its cost is 15% lower.
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“Our approach allows us to solve the problem of recycling this type of waste, which is relevant for a number of regions, and bring to the market a new building material that is lighter and cheaper than traditional concrete,” explained the head of the Department of “Construction of Unique Buildings and Structures” DSTU Sergey Stelmakh.
Reducing the weight of concrete, according to experts, is a great advantage for construction. The applicability of such structures will be higher, for example, in dense urban areas or in difficult engineering and geological conditions, scientists emphasized.
According to them, the shell is functionally similar to natural crushed stone, since it has a rough and angular structure, and its surface has even greater relief. Due to this, the quality of adhesion between the aggregate and the cement-sand matrix increases, which ensures high performance of concrete.
«An important aspect of our research is a complete description of new dependencies and relationships that arise in the structure of concrete containing shell coconut,” said Stelmakh.
In the future, the research team intends to continue the search for plant components to replace cement, crushed stone and sand in concrete, as well as the design of environmentally friendly and economical structures from new building mixtures.
DSTU is a participant in the state support program for universities of the Russian Federation «Priority-2030».