The Influence of Fly Ash Incorporation on the Compressive Strength of Foamed Concrete

Munawir Munawir; Sriyani Sriyani; Manovri Yeni; Haris Saputra

doi:10.70028/mssi.v1i1.98

Authors

Munawir Munawir Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Muhammadiyah Aceh, Banda Aceh, 23123, Indonesia Author
Sriyani Sriyani Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Muhammadiyah Aceh, Banda Aceh, 23123, Indonesia Author
Manovri Yeni Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Muhammadiyah Aceh, Banda Aceh, 23123, Indonesia Author
Haris Saputra Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Muhammadiyah Aceh, Banda Aceh, 23123, Indonesia Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.70028/mssi.v1i1.98

Keywords:

Foamed Concrete, Fly Ash, Compressive Strength, Flowability, Sustainable Materials

Abstract

Foamed concrete is a lightweight cement-based material with considerable potential for embankment construction on soft soils because its low density can reduce vertical stress on weak subgrades and minimize settlement problems. The use of fly ash as a partial cement replacement also supports material efficiency and the development of more sustainable cementitious composites. However, the incorporation of fly ash in low-density foamed concrete must be carefully evaluated because it may affect both fresh-state performance and early-age strength development. This study investigates the influence of fly ash replacement on the flowability and compressive strength of foamed concrete and identifies the most suitable mixture for lightweight embankment applications. Foamed concrete mixtures were designed using a trial mix approach with a target density of 800 kg/m³. Fly ash was used to replace cement at 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% by weight. Flowability was measured to assess workability, while compressive strength tests were conducted at 7 and 14 days to evaluate mechanical performance. The results show that increasing fly ash content consistently reduced flowability and compressive strength due to cement dilution and lower early-age binding capacity. The control mixture achieved the highest 14-day compressive strength of 2.70 MPa, while the 10% fly ash mixture reached 2.25 MPa and still met the performance requirements for lightweight embankment materials. Mixtures with 20% and 30% fly ash showed a substantial reduction in strength and workability. Therefore, 10% fly ash replacement provides the most balanced performance and is recommended as a technically feasible and material-efficient alternative for lightweight embankment construction on soft soils.

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