Optimizing Cement Performance: Evaluating Chemical and Mechanical Properties through Blending OPC with Mustard Husk Ash, Silica Fume, and Gypsum

Optimizing Cement Performance: Evaluating Chemical and Mechanical Properties through Blending OPC with Mustard Husk Ash, Silica Fume, and Gypsum | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Optimizing Cement Performance: Evaluating Chemical and Mechanical Properties through Blending OPC with Mustard Husk Ash, Silica Fume, and Gypsum Raushan Kumar, Kanhaya Lal, Sachin Varma, Shivani Pandey, Sunanda Das, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7269833/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 11 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract A model proposed in this paper in which OPC is blended with agro-waste MHA, industrial waste SF, and GS. We proposed various experiments to study its chemical as well as mechanical properties. Gypsum (GS), which acts as a retarder for setting time, the optimal amount of gypsum used is 3%. In comparison, MHA-blended OPC has a shorter initial setting time than OPC, but when GS and SF are added in a fixed proportion, the setting time increases. However, beyond a mix ratio, the setting time starts to decrease. The concentration of calcium ions is higher in MHA-blended OPC and lower in MHA-SF and GS-blended OPC due to the pozzolanic reaction between MHA and SF. The formation of C-S-H (calcium silicate hydrate) is greater in MHA, SF, and GS blended OPC, which enhances the strength of the cement. SEM images confirm that there is more C-S-H form in OPC12MHA10SF3GS after 28 days of hydration, resulting in 30% more strength compared to control OPC. OPC12MHA10SF3GS is a better cement than control OPC in physical and mechanical aspects. The use of MHA utilises huge amounts of agro-waste and decreases the production of OPC. This is very beneficial for environmental conservation and also helps to reduce the cost of cement. ordinary Portland cement (OPC) mustard husk ash (MHA) silica fume (SF) gypsum (GS) Scanning electron microscope (SEM) X-ray fluorescence (XRF) Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 1. INTRODUCTION One of the most commonly used building materials is concrete. Its widespread use is attributed to its versatility, strength, and durability. Concrete is a composite material made from cement, water, and aggregates such as sand and gravel. It is utilized in various construction applications, including foundations, roads, bridges, and buildings. The material's ability to be moulded into various shapes and its excellent load-bearing capacity make it ideal for both structural and decorative purposes. However, the production of Portland cement, a crucial ingredient in concrete, is highly energy-intensive and contributes significantly to environmental pollution. The process involves heating limestone and other raw materials to high temperatures in a kiln, which requires substantial amounts of energy. This energy consumption, predominantly from fossil fuels, leads to the release of large quantities of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). As a result, the cement industry is responsible for approximately 5–8% of global CO 2 emissions [ 1 ]. This release of CO 2 contributes significantly to the greenhouse effect. CO 2 , along with other greenhouse gases, traps heat in the Earth's atmosphere, preventing it from escaping into space. This trapped heat leads to global warming, which results in rising temperatures, melting ice caps, and more frequent and severe weather events. The greenhouse effect exacerbates climate change, posing serious risks to ecosystems, sea levels, and human societies [ 2 – 3 ]. The production of building materials consumes a huge amount of energy. Using waste materials can decrease the use of energy. Admixtures like fly ash (FA), rice husk ash (RHA), silica fume (SF), ground blast furnace slag (GBFS), brick-kiln ash (BKA), etc., not only decrease energy consumption but also reduce the emission of CO 2 . The physical properties of OPC changed when we added these admixtures [ 4 – 5 ]. Silica fume (SF) is a by-product of the silicon and ferrosilicon alloy industries and is known for its high pozzolanic activity [ 6 ]. When we add to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), SF significantly enhances its performance, due to its extremely fine particles and high silica content [ 7 – 8 ]. SF is very rich in SiO 2, with approximately 90% SiO 2 found in SF [ 9 ], which increases its pozzolanic activity. Silica fume is used as a cement replacement, and it is also utilised as an addition to improve the quality of concrete [ 10 – 11 ]. Their global production levels, particularly in industrialised nations, have increased to extreme levels. Silica Fume Market size is forecast to reach $ 701.6 million by 2025, after growing at a CAGR of 4.5% during 2020–2025. In 1952, a Norwegian researcher reported the first use of SF in concrete. Utilisation of SF and mustard husk ash together is a very good alternative. Recent years have seen a lot of research projects that combine the two by-products [ 12 ]. The burning of wood, coal, agricultural waste, sludge, and garbage has produced significant volumes of ashes. Ashes can be used for a variety of purposes, including soil remediation, agricultural fertilizer, building materials, and as a substitute for concrete aggregates and a supplement for cement materials. Ashes can be used as a substitute for regular Portland cement (OPC), which frequently considerably enhances the characteristics of concrete because they have pozzolanic properties. Natural gypsum has calcium sulphate (CaSO 4 + 2H 2 O) as the primary ingredient. Gypsum is the most widely used cement setting retardant in industry [ 13 – 14 ]. The amount of C 3 A and alkalies in the clinker, as well as the cement's fineness, all enhance the demand for gypsum in cement [ 15 ]. Additionally, gypsum encourages cement strength at the ideal concentration level [ 16 – 17 ]. Another study examined the effects of adding gypsum on the development of compressive strength. It found that the addition of gypsum led to the production of fine ettringite crystals and the removal of large pores, which significantly improved pore-size refinement and strength development. Nevertheless, the addition of too much gypsum (more than 5%) caused the strength to decrease because of expansion [ 18 ]. In this Chapter, we use 3% GS as an OPC replacement in some mixtures. India is a nation that prioritises agriculture. Because of this, nearly all grains, fruits, and vegetables are cultivated in this region. Mustard is one of them. An essential component in Indian cookery, mustard is mostly used as a spice and in cooking oil. Indians enjoy spicy food; thus, mustard is in high demand. Economic Times figures show that India generated an astounding 11.5 million tonnes of mustard between 2022 and 2023. From the residue left behind after making the oil from the mustard, we produce mustard husk ash. People burn this rubbish to dispose of it, which releases a lot of hazardous fumes. When these gases are ingested by people, they cause a variety of respiratory diseases. Blending OPC with MHA, SF, and GS increases its physical properties like compressive strength and setting time. Setting time is measured for different proportions of SF and MHA-blended OPC. We also determine the calcium ion concentration for both blended and control OPC. This shows how calcium ions get consumed in a reaction to form C-S-H. The formation of C-S-H is also shown in SEM images. 2. EXPERIMENTAL 2.1 Sample Preparation In the preparation of the cement samples, OPC is combined with MHA, SF, and GS in various proportions to study their interaction on setting time. The mix design was developed through experimental work, with additional guidance and support drawn from previous literature [ 19 ]. A series of mixes is prepared in varying ratios, such as Table 1 Different composition mixtures of OPC with MHA and SF S.no. COMPOSITION OPC (gm) MHA (gm) SF (gm) GS (gm) WATER W/S 1 OPC 300 - - - 150 0.5 2 OPC10MHA 270 30 - - 135 0.5 3 OPC7MHA5SF3GS 255 21 15 9 128 0.5 4 OPC15 MHA 255 45 - - 128 0.5 5 OPC12MHA5SF3GS 240 36 15 9 120 0.5 6 OPC12MHA10SF3GS 225 36 30 9 113 0.5 7 OPC17MHA10SF3GS 210 51 30 9 105 0.5 Here, OPC10MHA (10%MHA blended OPC), OPC7MHA5SF3S (7%MHA 5%SF and 3%GS blended OPC), OPC15MHA (15%MHA blended OPC), OPC12MHA5SF3GS (12%MHA 5%SF and 3%GS blended OPC), OPC12MHA10SF3GS (12%MHA 10%SF and 3%GS blended OPC), OPC17MHA10SF3GS (17%MHA 10%SF and 3%GS blended OPC) 2.2 XRF Analysis XRF analysis is one of the major ways through which the elemental composition of cementitious materials such as OPC, MHA, SF, and GS is determined. A short breakdown of what XRF analysis typically reveals about each of the different materials is given below. Table 2 XRF analysis of OPC, MHA, and SF SiO 2 CaO SO 3 K 2 O MgO P 2 O 5 Al 2 O 3 Fe 2 O 3 MnO OPC 21.40 68.85 2.95 0.24 0.33 - 2.74 0.19 2.3 MHA 45.34 20.50 6.80 12.10 4.12 5.34 6.5 0.15 0.03 SF 96.50 0.3 0.4 0.9 o.30 1.3 0.70 0.4 - GS 0.95 33.01 44.43 - 0.86 - 0.25 0.08 - Table 3 Physical properties of MHA Specific gravity Fineness LOI Pozzolanic activity index Particle size distribution Moisture content Density 1.9–2.3 300–600 m²/kg < 5% 65–85% for 7 days 75–95% for 28 days D50 = 10–20 µm 0.5- 2% 0.3–0.6 g/cm ³ Table 4 OPC mineralogical composition Phase C 3 S C 2 S C 3 A C 4 AF Composition (%) 47.7 25.2 12.0 8.5 2.3 Water Consistency Consistency of water is one of the key parameters in estimating the total quantity of water needed for preparing a workable paste of cement. It is measured with the Vicat apparatus which helps in the evaluation of water demand for different cements having their composition. Table 1 depicts water consumption for different cement mixtures containing different proportions of OPC, MHA, SF, and GS. The obtained results indicate that by reducing the OPC percentage in the composition and replacing it with supplementary materials like MHA, SF, and GS, water demand is reduced. The refinement of particle size and increase in the surface area of MHA, SF, and GS compared to OPC could account for the reduced water consumption. Generally, such materials require less water for hydration and workability. The W/S ratio was maintained constant at 0.5 for all mixtures to maintain consistency in the hydration process. Reduced water demand is beneficial, as besides improving the workability of the cement paste, it generally exerts a positive effect on mechanical properties and durability. 2.4 Setting Time The setting times for both the initial and final stages of the cement mixers are usually measured by using the Vicat apparatus. These settings are important in getting a view of the workability or performance of the cement. In the case of the determination of which sample has a longer setting time, measuring should be done for both initial and final setting times for each sample. Initial setting time signifies the time at which the cement paste commences to lose its plasticity, while the final setting time represents the complete hardening of the paste. Such measures provide insight into the setting rate of a specific concrete mixture, which is crucial in any construction domain. This ensures that the timing for handling and applying the concrete is optimal, neither excessively slow nor too rapid. Measuring setting time and comparing it with mixtures like MHA, SF, and GS could give an idea of which mixture provides the longest working time. Indeed, in some applications, a longer setting is preferred for handling and to reduce wastage. 2.5 Calcium Ions Concentration The concentrations of Ca 2+ ions in OPC, MHA blended OPC, and MHA, SF, and GS blended OPC are determined by the titration method. For this technique, during titration, we use a solution consisting of 0.1N EDTA. This is achieved by adding the EDTA solution gradually to the sample of the cement mixture, with bromophenol blue as the indicator. It will exhibit an initial wine-red colour due to the interaction between the calcium ions and the indicator. At the endpoint of the titration, the colour changes from wine red to purple. From this experiment, we compared the concentrations of Ca 2+ ions between OPC and Blended OPC. 2.6 Compressive Strength Compressive strength is one of the vital parameters in the performance evaluation of cement. Therefore, it is measured at different intervals of time, such as 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 15 days, and 28 days to obtain the development of strength concerning with time. For this purpose, compressive strength tests shall be conducted using a Compression Testing Machine (CTM). The cubic mould (50mm³) of cement is prepared. The moulds are then water cured for hydration. After every interval of time, the samples are subjected to the operation of a CTM machine that goes on increasing the load on it till the sample breaks. The maximum load sustained by the sample before failure is recorded. The results give valuable insights into the performance of different cement mixtures, including the influence of additives like MHA, SF, and GS on the strength properties of blended OPC. 2.7 Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) The scanning electron microscope SEM image of blended OPC has been received from the National Centre of Experimental Mineralogy and Petrology, using the Zeol EPMA-JXA8100 model. This SEM can give a more detailed surface morphology and microstructural analysis, allowing closer observation of particle distribution of the cement and its porosity and hydration products, such as the C-S-H gel. High-resolution imagery reveals critical features of how the additives MHA, SF, and GS influence the structural integrity and durability of blended OPC, which contributes to the better performance compared with control OPC. 3 RESULT AND DISCUSSION 3.1 Setting Time Figure 1 shows the initial and final setting times of control OPC and blended OPC. The OPC for the initial and final setting times should be between 100 ± 10 minutes and 170 ± 10 minutes, respectively, by the EAS 148-3:2000 standard [ 20 – 21 ]. Control OPC exhibits a shortened initial and final setting time, but OPC blended with MHA shows an even more significant reduction in the initial setting time. The initial setting time of OPC10MHA is only 15 minutes, and for OPC15MHA, it decreases further to just 10 minutes. This drastic reduction is likely due to the high pozzolanic activity of MHA, which accelerates the reaction with water, causing the cement to set much faster compared to control OPC. Therefore, we use 3% gypsum (GS) as a retarder in MHA and SF blended OPC to increase its setting time. Gypsum helps delay the rapid setting caused by the high reactivity of material like MHA. By incorporating 3% GS, the hydration process slows down, allowing more time for proper workability and handling [ 22 ]. Gypsum has an impact on cement's setting time since it contains C 3 A (tricalcium alumina). Calcium aluminate hydrate, or CAH, is produced in cement by C 3 A, which reacts the quickest and forms a stiff gel. Thankfully, when gypsum is added to cement, it reacts with CAH to form a mineral called ettringite [ 23 ]. Ettringite forms a protective layer on the surface of both CAH and C 3 A. This coating prevents C 3 A from reacting too quickly. By slowing down this reaction, gypsum helps control the setting process of the cement, allowing more time to work with it before it hardens [ 24 ]. OPC12MHA10SF3GS has the highest initial and final setting times. Blended OPC gives the highest initial and final setting times. Due to the longer setting time of cement, cement mixture wastage is reduced. 3.2 Calcium Ion Concentration The amount of CaO in MHA and OPC is very high, whereas SF is very rich in silica. Both MHA and OPC are very rich in CaO. So, when we blend OPC with MHA, the amount of CaO increases. Therefore, the concentration of Ca 2+ ions increases, which is shown in Fig. 2 . Whereas when we add SF, which is very rich in silica reacts with CH and forms a hydrated product called calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) [ 25 – 26 ]. Therefore, the concentration of Ca 2+ ions decreases in Fig. 3 . In Fig. 2 , concluded that the concentration of Ca 2+ ions first increases and reaches a maximum of 25 minutes, but after 25 minutes, when the reaction proceeds, the concentration of Ca 2+ ions starts decreasing. This decreasing concentration of Ca 2+ ions shows that Ca 2+ ions are now consumed in the reaction and the formation of calcium-silicate-hydrate gel (C-S-H) when the pozzolanic reaction proceeds [ 27 – 29 ]. Figure 3 shows similar trends to Fig. 2 . The concentration of Ca 2+ ions reaches the maximum at 25 min. similar to that shown in Fig. 2 .Also, in the case of OPC12MHA10SF3GS, after 25 min. the concentration of Ca 2+ ions decreases. The concentration of Ca 2+ ions in OPC12MHA10SF3GS is less than in the control OPC because the concentration of Ca²⁺ ions is consumed in the reaction with silica. This reaction is especially pronounced in the OPC12MHA10SF3GS mixture, where the high silica content provided by SF enhances the pozzolanic activity. Consequently, the reduction in Ca²⁺ ions signify the progression of the pozzolanic reaction, which improves the microstructure and strength of the cement. 3.3 Compressive Strength A comparison of the compressive strength of different mixtures of blended cement on different hydration days is shown in Fig. 4 . We make concrete cubes (5cm 3 ) and put them in water for a hydration reaction. We break these cubes with the CTM machine at different intervals of time. According to Fig. 4 , the compressive strength of the control OPC is higher than the others on day 3. On day 7, only OPC12MHA10SF3GS (29N/mm 2 ) had greater compressive strength than control OPC (27N/ mm 2 ). After day 7, the hydration reaction increases in mixtures, and it is clearly shown on day 15. All mixtures have greater compressive strength than control OPC (32 N/mm 2 ) except OPC10MHA (26 N/mm 2 ) and OPC15MHA (30 N/mm 2 ). Whereas the OPC17MHA10SF3GS mixture and the control OPC have equal compressive strength after 15 days. After 28 days of hydration, all mixtures have greater compressive strength than control OPC (40 N/mm 2 ). Whereas the OPC12MHA10SF3GS mixture has the highest compressive strength (52 N/mm 2 ). From Fig. 4 , we also conclude that mixtures containing silica fume (SF) exhibit higher compressive strength compared to those without SF. This is due to SF being highly rich in silicon dioxide (SiO₂), which plays a crucial role in enhancing the cement's strength. The SiO₂ from SF reacts with calcium hydroxide [CH] during the hydration process, forming calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H). This hydrated product significantly contributes to the cement matrix's overall strength and durability, particularly over extended hydration periods. Thus, the inclusion of SF in blended cement improves its mechanical properties, making it a valuable additive for high-strength applications. [ 30 – 31 ]. The formation of C-S-H strengthens the mixtures [ 32 – 34 ]. The very fine particle size of silica fume (SF) is a key factor in accelerating the pozzolanic reaction, as its increased surface area allows for a more efficient reaction with CH to form calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H). This, in turn, enhances the overall strength and durability of the blended cement. Additionally, the incorporation of gypsum (GS) further boosts compressive strength by acting as a setting retarder and enhancing the formation of ettringite during the early stages of hydration. Ettringite fills the voids within the cement matrix, reducing porosity and contributing to a denser structure. This refined microstructure not only delays the setting process, allowing for better workability, but also increases the long-term compressive strength of the cement. Therefore, blending gypsum with other pozzolanic materials like SF results in improved strength [ 35 ]. OPC blended with 20% fly ash achieves a strength of 45–48 N/mm², while OPC blended with 25% rice husk ash reaches 48–50 N/mm². In comparison, the OPC12MHA10SF3GS outperforms both fly ash and RHA blends in terms of compressive strength [ 36 ]. 3.4 SEM The microstructure of OPC blended with MHA, SF, and GS (OPC12MHA10SF3GS) at 7 days and 28 days of hydration is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 , respectively. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images show the formation of hydrated products, specifically calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H). In Fig. 5 , representing the 7-day hydration period, a moderate amount of C-S-H is visible. However, in Fig. 6 , corresponding to the 28-day hydration, there is a significantly larger presence of the hydrated products. This increase indicates a higher rate of the pozzolanic reaction over time, resulting in more extensive C-S-H formation after 28 days, which contributes to the increased strength and densification of the blended cement. This growth is especially evident when comparing the SEM images of the OPC blended with MHA, SF, and GS at 7 days and 28 days of hydration. As the hydration process progresses, the pozzolanic reaction accelerates, leading to the formation of more C-S-H. This increased presence of C-S-H is a key factor contributing to the improved mechanical properties and overall strength of the blended cement over time [ 37 ]. Figure 6 shows a much denser microstructure compared to Fig. 5 . This is primarily because the filler effect of adding silica fume (SF) continues to contribute to the matrix's densification after 28 days of hydration. The silica fume acts as a fine filler, filling in the voids and pores within the cement paste, which enhances the compactness of the structure. As a result, the blended cement demonstrates a reduced porosity and a stronger, more cohesive microstructure [ 38 – 40 ]. SF particles reacting to generate C-S-H as a result of, leading to an increased strength gain [ 41 – 42 ]. More C-S-H gel is created by the SF's pozzolanic reaction, and it expands into the capillary gaps left by the cement's hydration in mortar mixtures. Thus, it would seem that SF has both chemical and physical effects (as a filler) [ 43 – 45 ]. 4. CONCLUSION In this study, we examined the physical and chemical behaviour of OPC. MHA blended OPC, and MHA, SF, and GS blended OPC with the help of various experiments. Various experiments have been carried out to evaluate the performance of such mixtures. The aim is to determine how these supplementary materials affect the OPC properties, such as setting time, compressive strength, and microstructural characteristics. In this work, OPC was blended with MHA, SF, and GS to improve its performance while reducing its environmental impact associated with Portland cement. Water consistency was measured with the help of the Vicat apparatus. The Vicat apparatus is also used for the determination of setting time. The initial and final setting times of MHA, SF, and GS blended OPC are higher than control OPC. OPC12MHA10SF3GS has the highest initial and final setting times. Both OPC and MHA are very rich in CaO. When OPC is blended with MHA, the concentration of CaO increases. Therefore, after hydration, the free Ca 2+ ion concentration of MHA-blended OPC is higher than that of the control OPC. We know that SF is very rich in SiO 2 . Therefore, this 10% SF in the OPC12MHA10SF3GS binds with the CaO of both OPC and MHA. Therefore, the Ca 2+ ion concentration of OPC12MHA10SF3GS is lower than the control OPC. SiO 2 and CaO form C-S-H on hydration. The formation of C-S-H gives strength to the cement mixtures. The compressive strength of cement mixtures is determined at different intervals of time. As the pozzolanic reaction progresses, the compressive strength of blended cement increases. Therefore, after 28 days of hydration, the compressive strength of all OPC mixtures reaches its peak, but OPC12MHA10SF3GS has the highest compressive strength among all. This result shows that OPC12MHA10SF3GS gives the maximum pozzolanic reaction; thus, the formation of C-S-H is also maximum in the case of OPC12MHA10SF3GS. The formation of C-S-H in the case of OPC12MHA10SF3GS is examined with the help of SEM. The two figures of SEM show the formation of C-S-H of OPC12MHA10SF3GS on 7 days and 28 days of hydration. The production of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) is highly energy-intensive and releases large amounts of CO₂, contributing to environmental degradation. To mitigate these effects, there is a growing need to replace OPC with waste materials from various industries. Mustard Husk Ash (MHA) and Silica Fume (SF) are prime examples of such waste by-products. MHA is derived from agricultural residue, while SF is a by-product of the silicon and ferrosilicon industry. MHA is rich in SiO 2 and CaO whereas SF rich in SiO 2 , making them excellent alternatives to OPC. By using MHA and SF, we can reduce reliance on traditional cement. Using these waste products in OPC in a limited proportion increases the properties of OPC. So, these waste materials not only make OPC a better cement but also protect our environment from greenhouse gases. Using agro-based waste materials like MHA is also very useful to reduce the price of cement. So poor people can afford good-quality cement at a reasonable price. The use of MHA in the production of cement is important because it offers great social, economic, and environmental benefits. One of those is where MHA, being an agricultural by-product, minimizes the requirement for traditional raw materials, thus making cement production much more sustainable in such aspect. It also provides an avenue for the reduction of CO₂ emissions in a positive way, particularly toward environmental conservation. Economically, using materials such as MHA sourced locally for production saves costs, and hence, becomes affordable for construction. MHA also offers employment to rural communities involved in its harvesting and processing, thereby promoting local employment and regional economic development. In this sense, MHA-blended OPC benefits social, economic, and environmental sustainability. Declarations Acknowledgment I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who have supported and contributed to the completion of this research project. First and foremost, I am deeply thankful to Prof. N.B. Singh sir for their invaluable guidance, insightful suggestions, and continuous encouragement throughout the research process. Their expertise and mentorship played a pivotal role in shaping the direction of this study. I would also like to acknowledge the Department of Chemistry, CMP degree college, for providing access to the necessary resources, including library facilities, databases, and research materials. These resources were instrumental in conducting a comprehensive literature review and analyzing the data. My heartfelt thanks go to IIT Kanpur and the National Centre of Experimental Mineralogy, Prayagraj, and petrology for providing me with XRF data and SEM pictures. Finally, I am grateful to all the authors whose works I consulted during the research. Their contributions enriched my understanding of the subject matter and provided a solid foundation for this study. Author Contribution : Sunanda Das, Anil Kumar Shukla: conceptualization, supervision, investigation and review, and editing. Kanhaya Lal, Raushan Kumar: conceptualization, Review and editing, original draft preparation, and visualization. Sachin Varma, Shivani Pandey for helping in experimental work. All the authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version. Funding : Not Available Data availability : The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. Ethical approval and Consent to participate: This experiment does not involve animal or human experiments. This is an observational study. We confirmed that no ethical approval is required consent to participate is not applicable. Consent for publication: Not Applicable. Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Clinical Trial Registration: This study does not involve any clinical trials and therefore does not require clinical trial registration. References Rashad, A. M., & Zeedan, S. R. (2011). The effect of activator concentration on the residual strength of alkali-activated fly ash pastes subjected to thermal load. Construction and Building Materials, 25, 3098–3107 . Park, S.-S., & Kang, H.-Y. (2008). 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Improving concrete properties through the blending of white Portland cement, mustard husk ash, and gypsum to enhance sustainability and performance. Revista Electronica De Veterinaria, 25 (1), 3482–3489. https://doi.org/10.69980/redvet.v25i1.1594 Mwiti, M. J., Karanja, T. J., & Muthengia, W. J. (2018). Properties of activated blended cement containing high content of calcined clay. Heliyon , 4 (8), e00742. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2018.e00742 Marangu, J. M., & Bediako, M. (2019). Physicochemical Properties of Hydrated Portland Cement Blended with Rice Husk Ash. Journal of Chemistry , 2020 (1), 5304745. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/5304745 Papageorgiou, A., Tzouvalas, G., & Tsimas, S. (2005). Use of inorganic setting retarders in the cement industry. Cement and Concrete Composites, 27(2), 183–189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2004.02.005 Singh, V. K. (2022). Hydration and setting of Portland cement. The Science and Technology of Cement and Other Hydraulic Binders , 423-466. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-95080-0.00012-1 Herliati, Sagitha, A., Dyah Puspita, A., Puput Dwi, R., & Salasa, A. (2021). Optimization of Gypsum Composition Against Setting Time and Compressive Strength in Clinker for PCC (Portland Composite Cement). IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 1053(1), 012116. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899x/1053/1/012116 Ngun BK, Mohamad H, Sakai E, Ahmad ZA. (2010) Effect of rice husk ash and silica fume in the ternary system on the properties of blended cement paste and concrete. J Ceram Process Res.;11(3):311-315. Bach, Q. (2019). Quantitative study of hydration of C3S and C2S in the reactive powder concrete together with its strength development. Applied Mechanics and Materials, 889 , 294–303. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.889.294 A.M.Neville, .(1997) Properties of Concrete, fourth and final ed., Longman, Harlow, Essex, reprint Ngun BK, Mohamad H, Sakai E, Ahmad ZA.( 2010) Effect of rice husk ash and silica fume in the ternary system on the properties of blended cement paste and concrete. J Ceram Process Res .11(3):311-315. A.M. Neville, Properties of Concrete, fourth and final ed., Longman, Harlow, Essex, 1997 reprint Sathe S, Zain Kangda M, Dandin S. (2023) An experimental study on rice husk ash concrete.Mater.Today.Proc;77(December):724-728. doi: 10.1016/j.matpr.2022.11.366 Williams FN, Anum I, Isa RB, Aliyu M. (2014) Properties of Sorghum Husk Ash Blended Cement Laterized Concrete. Int J Res Manag Sci Technol .;2(2):73-79. Kumar, R. Lal, K. Das,S. Shukla, A. K. (2023).Developing ultra-high-performance WhitePortland cement with a low environmental effect using silica-rich white sand. BioGecko A Journal for New Zealand Herpetology, 12.2:311-322. http://biogecko.co.nz/admin/uploads/BIOgecko%201.pdf Abdelzaher M, A, (2022) " Performance and hydration characteristic of dark white evolution (DWE) cement compositesblended with clay brick powder “Egyptian Journal of Chemistry, 65(8) ,419-42 Nochaiya, T., Wongkeo, W., & Chaipanich, A. (2010). Utilization of fly ash with silica fume and properties of Portland cement – fly ash – silica fume concrete. Fuel , 89 (3), 768–774. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2009.10.003 Al-Ridha, A. S. D., Abbood, A. A., & Hussein, H. H. (2015). Improvement of gypsum properties using S.F. additive. International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) , 6 (391). ISSN: 2319-7064. Kumar, J., Singh, V., & Pareek, R. K. (2015). A study on the effect of fly ash and rice husk ash on strength parameters of pavement quality concrete. International Journal on Emerging Technologies, 6 (2), 28–34. .Singh, N. B., Das, S. S., Singh, N. P., & Dwivedi, V. N. (2007). Hydration of bamboo leaf ash blended Portland cement. Indian Journal of Engineering and Materials Sciences, 14(1), 69–76. Lal,K. Kumar,R. Shukla A.K ,Das,S. (2023). Hydration studies of Mango Leaf ash blended with Ordinary Portland cement. BioGecko A Journal for New Zealand Herpetology, 12(02),522–533. http://biogecko.co.nz/admin/uploads/BioGecko%20Paper%202.pdf Shi, C., Wang, D., Wu, L., & Wu, Z. (2015). The hydration and microstructure of ultra high-strength concrete with cement–silica fume–slag binder. Cement and Concrete Composites , 61 , 44-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2015.04.013 Lal, K., Kumar, R., Das, S. et al. Applications of waste Tulsa Plant Ash for improved cement properties and environmental conservation. Discov. Concr. Cem. 1 , 10 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44416-025-00010-y Blanco F, Garcia MP, Ayala J, Mayoral G, Garcia MA. (2006) The effect of mechanically and chemically activated fly ashes on mortar properties. Fuel;85: 2018–26. Wang, X., Gong, C., Lei, J., Dai, J., Lu, L., & Cheng, X. (2021). Effect of silica fume and nano-silica on hydration behavior and mechanism of high sulfate resistance Portland cement. Construction and Building Materials , 279 , 122481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.122481 Banar, R., Dashti, P., Zolfagharnasab, A., Ramezanianpour, A. M., & Ramezanianpour, A. A. (2022). A comprehensive comparison between using silica fume in the forms of water slurry or blended cement in mortar/concrete. Journal of Building Engineering , 46 , 103802. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2021.103802 Lal, K., Kumar, R., Yadav, B., Shrivastava, S. K., & Kumar, A. (2023). Incorporating White Silica Sand to Improve Mechanical and Microstructural Properties of Ordinary Portland Cement. Material Science , 22 (12). Lal, K., Kumar, R., Verma, S., Pandey, S., Shukla, A. K., & Das, S. (2023). Concrete For a Greener Future: Examining the Utilization of Silica Fume and Neem Leaf Ash to Improve Environmental Sustainability in Construction. Material Science , 22 (11). Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 11 Sep, 2025 Reviews received at journal 24 Aug, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 19 Aug, 2025 Reviews received at journal 16 Aug, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 16 Aug, 2025 Reviews received at journal 10 Aug, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 10 Aug, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 08 Aug, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 05 Aug, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 05 Aug, 2025 First submitted to journal 01 Aug, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7269833","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":498515500,"identity":"cda5e380-4af5-4390-a978-7d41e8197e1c","order_by":0,"name":"Raushan Kumar","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Allahabad","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Raushan","middleName":"","lastName":"Kumar","suffix":""},{"id":498515505,"identity":"9ee85f01-a0a5-4074-ac28-aeb8897f8b15","order_by":1,"name":"Kanhaya Lal","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA9ElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACCQYGNgaGCgk5NmbGxgdAAR4+4rScsTDmZ2duNgBpYSNKC2NbReLMfvY2CZAIQS2S7WePPfjZJsG44TBjW+XXHDsZNgbmh49u4NEizZOXbthzToLZAKjltuy2ZKDD2IyNc/BokWPIMZPgKZNgA2uR3MYM1MLDJo1XC/8bM8k/bBI8IC3FktvqCWuRlsgxk+Zpk5CQbGZsY/y47TBhLZIz3phJy5yRMOBnZmyWZtx2nIeNmYBfJM7nmEm+qairb+M//vDjz23V9vzszQ8f49OCAph5wCSxykGA8QcpqkfBKBgFo2DEAAC8WD+70LwchAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"University of Allahabad","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Kanhaya","middleName":"","lastName":"Lal","suffix":""},{"id":498515507,"identity":"cf666d3c-e8cc-41ca-9f0b-1c31f03c3449","order_by":2,"name":"Sachin Varma","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Allahabad","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sachin","middleName":"","lastName":"Varma","suffix":""},{"id":498515511,"identity":"64e851ae-8763-44e1-bcf5-bc10bddf08f3","order_by":3,"name":"Shivani Pandey","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Allahabad","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Shivani","middleName":"","lastName":"Pandey","suffix":""},{"id":498515512,"identity":"cb82b4ac-dc76-40fd-9552-c6fbfe511d9a","order_by":4,"name":"Sunanda Das","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Allahabad","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sunanda","middleName":"","lastName":"Das","suffix":""},{"id":498515514,"identity":"52439172-c8e7-49e8-b8f2-50de518b4915","order_by":5,"name":"Anil Kumar Shukla","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Allahabad","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Anil","middleName":"Kumar","lastName":"Shukla","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-08-01 09:38:40","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7269833/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7269833/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":89231161,"identity":"10400dd0-3283-45f3-bdce-51f1781db644","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-17 14:18:10","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":35385,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eInitial and final setting in minutes\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7269833/v1/c04b12b6cfe190f441178191.png"},{"id":89232557,"identity":"df21c8d7-12a2-457a-aaa9-ae14a6e0f31f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-17 14:26:10","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":37296,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eComparison of Ca\u003csup\u003e2+ \u003c/sup\u003eions concentration in OPC and OPC15MHA\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7269833/v1/27eb3af3c0b45a592715d357.png"},{"id":89231167,"identity":"499b81a3-c8a3-4076-ae1a-19aee9949eab","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-17 14:18:10","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":38875,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eComparison of Ca\u003csup\u003e2+ \u003c/sup\u003eion concentration in OPC and OPC12MHA10SF3GS\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7269833/v1/1f7bc480d3a2f419a017e22d.png"},{"id":89231162,"identity":"b4648b7b-bb65-4963-8b10-5f5d0def1110","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-17 14:18:10","extension":"png","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":50341,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eCompressive strength on different hydration days\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7269833/v1/898e4ef5fdba7b12fc391f4e.png"},{"id":89231171,"identity":"a34778f3-993b-4d0f-aeb7-58ae08850d0a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-17 14:18:10","extension":"png","order_by":5,"title":"Figure 5","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":763333,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eSEM of 7 days hydrated OPC12MHA10SF3GS mixture\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"5.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7269833/v1/4be172ca07f7da69ac47eb20.png"},{"id":89231178,"identity":"768f42e2-1129-41f4-b647-c057dd3b7a8a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-17 14:18:10","extension":"png","order_by":6,"title":"Figure 6","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":793895,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eSEM of 28 days hydrated OPC12MHA10SF3GS mixture\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"6.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7269833/v1/3eb0ddd57f427611e0b4189e.png"},{"id":89234005,"identity":"7e58118a-6688-44e6-ab02-b52d6d748c76","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-17 14:50:11","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":2614898,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7269833/v1/80c73418-b268-4a85-ae32-57a42dfc2ddc.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Optimizing Cement Performance: Evaluating Chemical and Mechanical Properties through Blending OPC with Mustard Husk Ash, Silica Fume, and Gypsum","fulltext":[{"header":"1. INTRODUCTION","content":"\u003cp\u003eOne of the most commonly used building materials is concrete. Its widespread use is attributed to its versatility, strength, and durability. Concrete is a composite material made from cement, water, and aggregates such as sand and gravel. It is utilized in various construction applications, including foundations, roads, bridges, and buildings. The material's ability to be moulded into various shapes and its excellent load-bearing capacity make it ideal for both structural and decorative purposes. However, the production of Portland cement, a crucial ingredient in concrete, is highly energy-intensive and contributes significantly to environmental pollution. The process involves heating limestone and other raw materials to high temperatures in a kiln, which requires substantial amounts of energy. This energy consumption, predominantly from fossil fuels, leads to the release of large quantities of carbon dioxide (CO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e). As a result, the cement industry is responsible for approximately 5\u0026ndash;8% of global CO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e emissions [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e]. This release of CO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e contributes significantly to the greenhouse effect. CO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, along with other greenhouse gases, traps heat in the Earth's atmosphere, preventing it from escaping into space. This trapped heat leads to global warming, which results in rising temperatures, melting ice caps, and more frequent and severe weather events. The greenhouse effect exacerbates climate change, posing serious risks to ecosystems, sea levels, and human societies [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e]. The production of building materials consumes a huge amount of energy. Using waste materials can decrease the use of energy.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdmixtures like fly ash (FA), rice husk ash (RHA), silica fume (SF), ground blast furnace slag (GBFS), brick-kiln ash (BKA), etc., not only decrease energy consumption but also reduce the emission of CO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e. The physical properties of OPC changed when we added these admixtures [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSilica fume (SF) is a by-product of the silicon and ferrosilicon alloy industries and is known for its high pozzolanic activity [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e]. When we add to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), SF significantly enhances its performance, due to its extremely fine particles and high silica content [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e]. SF is very rich in SiO\u003csub\u003e2,\u003c/sub\u003e with approximately 90% SiO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e found in SF [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e], which increases its pozzolanic activity. Silica fume is used as a cement replacement, and it is also utilised as an addition to improve the quality of concrete [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e]. Their global production levels, particularly in industrialised nations, have increased to extreme levels. Silica Fume Market size is forecast to reach \u003cspan\u003e$\u003c/span\u003e701.6\u0026nbsp;million by 2025, after growing at a CAGR of 4.5% during 2020\u0026ndash;2025. In 1952, a Norwegian researcher reported the first use of SF in concrete. Utilisation of SF and mustard husk ash together is a very good alternative. Recent years have seen a lot of research projects that combine the two by-products [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e]. The burning of wood, coal, agricultural waste, sludge, and garbage has produced significant volumes of ashes. Ashes can be used for a variety of purposes, including soil remediation, agricultural fertilizer, building materials, and as a substitute for concrete aggregates and a supplement for cement materials. Ashes can be used as a substitute for regular Portland cement (OPC), which frequently considerably enhances the characteristics of concrete because they have pozzolanic properties.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNatural gypsum has calcium sulphate (CaSO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;2H\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO) as the primary ingredient. Gypsum is the most widely used cement setting retardant in industry [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e]. The amount of C\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003eA and alkalies in the clinker, as well as the cement's fineness, all enhance the demand for gypsum in cement [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e]. Additionally, gypsum encourages cement strength at the ideal concentration level [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e]. Another study examined the effects of adding gypsum on the development of compressive strength. It found that the addition of gypsum led to the production of fine ettringite crystals and the removal of large pores, which significantly improved pore-size refinement and strength development. Nevertheless, the addition of too much gypsum (more than 5%) caused the strength to decrease because of expansion [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e]. In this Chapter, we use 3% GS as an OPC replacement in some mixtures.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIndia is a nation that prioritises agriculture. Because of this, nearly all grains, fruits, and vegetables are cultivated in this region. Mustard is one of them. An essential component in Indian cookery, mustard is mostly used as a spice and in cooking oil. Indians enjoy spicy food; thus, mustard is in high demand. Economic Times figures show that India generated an astounding 11.5\u0026nbsp;million tonnes of mustard between 2022 and 2023. From the residue left behind after making the oil from the mustard, we produce mustard husk ash. People burn this rubbish to dispose of it, which releases a lot of hazardous fumes. When these gases are ingested by people, they cause a variety of respiratory diseases.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBlending OPC with MHA, SF, and GS increases its physical properties like compressive strength and setting time. Setting time is measured for different proportions of SF and MHA-blended OPC. We also determine the calcium ion concentration for both blended and control OPC. This shows how calcium ions get consumed in a reaction to form C-S-H. The formation of C-S-H is also shown in SEM images.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. EXPERIMENTAL","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.1 Sample Preparation\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the preparation of the cement samples, OPC is combined with MHA, SF, and GS in various proportions to study their interaction on setting time. The mix design was developed through experimental work, with additional guidance and support drawn from previous literature [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e]. A series of mixes is prepared in varying ratios, such as\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDifferent composition mixtures of OPC with MHA and SF\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"9\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eS.no.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCOMPOSITION\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOPC (gm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMHA (gm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSF (gm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGS (gm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWATER\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eW/S\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOPC\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e300\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e150\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOPC10MHA\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e270\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e30\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e135\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOPC7MHA5SF3GS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e255\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e128\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOPC15 MHA\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e255\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e45\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e128\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOPC12MHA5SF3GS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e240\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e36\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e120\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOPC12MHA10SF3GS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e225\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e36\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e30\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e113\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOPC17MHA10SF3GS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e210\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e51\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e30\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e105\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHere, OPC10MHA (10%MHA blended OPC), OPC7MHA5SF3S (7%MHA 5%SF and 3%GS blended OPC), OPC15MHA (15%MHA blended OPC), OPC12MHA5SF3GS (12%MHA 5%SF and 3%GS blended OPC), OPC12MHA10SF3GS (12%MHA 10%SF and 3%GS blended OPC), OPC17MHA10SF3GS (17%MHA 10%SF and 3%GS blended OPC)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.2 XRF Analysis\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eXRF analysis is one of the major ways through which the elemental composition of cementitious materials such as OPC, MHA, SF, and GS is determined. A short breakdown of what XRF analysis typically reveals about each of the different materials is given below.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eXRF analysis of OPC, MHA, and SF\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"10\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c10\" colnum=\"10\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSiO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCaO\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSO\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eK\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMgO\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eP\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e5\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAl\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFe\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMnO\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOPC\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21.40\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e68.85\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.95\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.24\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.74\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.19\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMHA\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e45.34\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e20.50\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.80\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.10\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.12\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.34\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.15\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.03\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSF\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e96.50\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eo.30\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.70\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.95\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e33.01\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e44.43\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.86\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.25\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.08\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePhysical properties of MHA\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpecific gravity\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFineness\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLOI\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePozzolanic activity index\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eParticle size distribution\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMoisture\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003econtent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDensity\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.9\u0026ndash;2.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e300\u0026ndash;600\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003em\u0026sup2;/kg\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e65\u0026ndash;85% for 7 days\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e75\u0026ndash;95% for 28 days\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eD50\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;10\u0026ndash;20\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026micro;m\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.5- 2%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.3\u0026ndash;0.6 g/cm\u003cb\u003e\u0026sup3;\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOPC mineralogical composition\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePhase\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eC\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003eS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eC\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eC\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003eA\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eC\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003eAF\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eComposition (%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e47.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec5\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.3 Water Consistency\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eConsistency of water is one of the key parameters in estimating the total quantity of water needed for preparing a workable paste of cement. It is measured with the Vicat apparatus which helps in the evaluation of water demand for different cements having their composition. Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e depicts water consumption for different cement mixtures containing different proportions of OPC, MHA, SF, and GS. The obtained results indicate that by reducing the OPC percentage in the composition and replacing it with supplementary materials like MHA, SF, and GS, water demand is reduced. The refinement of particle size and increase in the surface area of MHA, SF, and GS compared to OPC could account for the reduced water consumption. Generally, such materials require less water for hydration and workability. The W/S ratio was maintained constant at 0.5 for all mixtures to maintain consistency in the hydration process. Reduced water demand is beneficial, as besides improving the workability of the cement paste, it generally exerts a positive effect on mechanical properties and durability.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.4 Setting Time\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe setting times for both the initial and final stages of the cement mixers are usually measured by using the Vicat apparatus. These settings are important in getting a view of the workability or performance of the cement. In the case of the determination of which sample has a longer setting time, measuring should be done for both initial and final setting times for each sample. Initial setting time signifies the time at which the cement paste commences to lose its plasticity, while the final setting time represents the complete hardening of the paste. Such measures provide insight into the setting rate of a specific concrete mixture, which is crucial in any construction domain. This ensures that the timing for handling and applying the concrete is optimal, neither excessively slow nor too rapid. Measuring setting time and comparing it with mixtures like MHA, SF, and GS could give an idea of which mixture provides the longest working time. Indeed, in some applications, a longer setting is preferred for handling and to reduce wastage.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.5 Calcium Ions Concentration\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe concentrations of Ca\u003csup\u003e2+\u003c/sup\u003e ions in OPC, MHA blended OPC, and MHA, SF, and GS blended OPC are determined by the titration method. For this technique, during titration, we use a solution consisting of 0.1N EDTA. This is achieved by adding the EDTA solution gradually to the sample of the cement mixture, with bromophenol blue as the indicator. It will exhibit an initial wine-red colour due to the interaction between the calcium ions and the indicator. At the endpoint of the titration, the colour changes from wine red to purple. From this experiment, we compared the concentrations of Ca\u003csup\u003e2+\u003c/sup\u003e ions between OPC and Blended OPC.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.6 Compressive Strength\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eCompressive strength is one of the vital parameters in the performance evaluation of cement. Therefore, it is measured at different intervals of time, such as 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 15 days, and 28 days to obtain the development of strength concerning with time. For this purpose, compressive strength tests shall be conducted using a Compression Testing Machine (CTM). The cubic mould (50mm\u0026sup3;) of cement is prepared. The moulds are then water cured for hydration. After every interval of time, the samples are subjected to the operation of a CTM machine that goes on increasing the load on it till the sample breaks. The maximum load sustained by the sample before failure is recorded. The results give valuable insights into the performance of different cement mixtures, including the influence of additives like MHA, SF, and GS on the strength properties of blended OPC.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec9\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.7 Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe scanning electron microscope SEM image of blended OPC has been received from the National Centre of Experimental Mineralogy and Petrology, using the Zeol EPMA-JXA8100 model. This SEM can give a more detailed surface morphology and microstructural analysis, allowing closer observation of particle distribution of the cement and its porosity and hydration products, such as the C-S-H gel. High-resolution imagery reveals critical features of how the additives MHA, SF, and GS influence the structural integrity and durability of blended OPC, which contributes to the better performance compared with control OPC.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"3 RESULT AND DISCUSSION","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.1 Setting Time\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eFigure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e shows the initial and final setting times of control OPC and blended OPC. The OPC for the initial and final setting times should be between 100\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;10 minutes and 170\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;10 minutes, respectively, by the EAS 148-3:2000 standard [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e]. Control OPC exhibits a shortened initial and final setting time, but OPC blended with MHA shows an even more significant reduction in the initial setting time. The initial setting time of OPC10MHA is only 15 minutes, and for OPC15MHA, it decreases further to just 10 minutes. This drastic reduction is likely due to the high pozzolanic activity of MHA, which accelerates the reaction with water, causing the cement to set much faster compared to control OPC. Therefore, we use 3% gypsum (GS) as a retarder in MHA and SF blended OPC to increase its setting time. Gypsum helps delay the rapid setting caused by the high reactivity of material like MHA. By incorporating 3% GS, the hydration process slows down, allowing more time for proper workability and handling [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e]. Gypsum has an impact on cement's setting time since it contains C\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003eA (tricalcium alumina). Calcium aluminate hydrate, or CAH, is produced in cement by C\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003eA, which reacts the quickest and forms a stiff gel. Thankfully, when gypsum is added to cement, it reacts with CAH to form a mineral called ettringite [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e]. Ettringite forms a protective layer on the surface of both CAH and C\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003eA. This coating prevents C\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003eA from reacting too quickly. By slowing down this reaction, gypsum helps control the setting process of the cement, allowing more time to work with it before it hardens [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e]. OPC12MHA10SF3GS has the highest initial and final setting times. Blended OPC gives the highest initial and final setting times. Due to the longer setting time of cement, cement mixture wastage is reduced.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.2 Calcium Ion Concentration\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe amount of CaO in MHA and OPC is very high, whereas SF is very rich in silica. Both MHA and OPC are very rich in CaO. So, when we blend OPC with MHA, the amount of CaO increases. Therefore, the concentration of Ca\u003csup\u003e2+\u003c/sup\u003e ions increases, which is shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e. Whereas when we add SF, which is very rich in silica reacts with CH and forms a hydrated product called calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, the concentration of Ca\u003csup\u003e2+\u003c/sup\u003e ions decreases in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e. In Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e, concluded that the concentration of Ca\u003csup\u003e2+\u003c/sup\u003e ions first increases and reaches a maximum of 25 minutes, but after 25 minutes, when the reaction proceeds, the concentration of Ca\u003csup\u003e2+\u003c/sup\u003e ions starts decreasing. This decreasing concentration of Ca\u003csup\u003e2+\u003c/sup\u003e ions shows that Ca\u003csup\u003e2+\u003c/sup\u003e ions are now consumed in the reaction and the formation of calcium-silicate-hydrate gel (C-S-H) when the pozzolanic reaction proceeds [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR28\" citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e29\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFigure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e shows similar trends to Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e. The concentration of Ca\u003csup\u003e2+\u003c/sup\u003e ions reaches the maximum at 25 min. similar to that shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e.Also, in the case of OPC12MHA10SF3GS, after 25 min. the concentration of Ca\u003csup\u003e2+\u003c/sup\u003e ions decreases. The concentration of Ca\u003csup\u003e2+\u003c/sup\u003e ions in OPC12MHA10SF3GS is less than in the control OPC because the concentration of Ca\u0026sup2;⁺ ions is consumed in the reaction with silica. This reaction is especially pronounced in the OPC12MHA10SF3GS mixture, where the high silica content provided by SF enhances the pozzolanic activity. Consequently, the reduction in Ca\u0026sup2;⁺ ions signify the progression of the pozzolanic reaction, which improves the microstructure and strength of the cement.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.3 Compressive Strength\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA comparison of the compressive strength of different mixtures of blended cement on different hydration days is shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e. We make concrete cubes (5cm\u003csup\u003e3\u003c/sup\u003e) and put them in water for a hydration reaction. We break these cubes with the CTM machine at different intervals of time. According to Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e, the compressive strength of the control OPC is higher than the others on day 3. On day 7, only OPC12MHA10SF3GS (29N/mm\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e) had greater compressive strength than control OPC (27N/ mm\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e). After day 7, the hydration reaction increases in mixtures, and it is clearly shown on day 15. All mixtures have greater compressive strength than control OPC (32 N/mm\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e) except OPC10MHA (26 N/mm\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e) and OPC15MHA (30 N/mm\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e). Whereas the OPC17MHA10SF3GS mixture and the control OPC have equal compressive strength after 15 days. After 28 days of hydration, all mixtures have greater compressive strength than control OPC (40 N/mm\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e). Whereas the OPC12MHA10SF3GS mixture has the highest compressive strength (52 N/mm\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e). From Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e, we also conclude that mixtures containing silica fume (SF) exhibit higher compressive strength compared to those without SF. This is due to SF being highly rich in silicon dioxide (SiO₂), which plays a crucial role in enhancing the cement's strength. The SiO₂ from SF reacts with calcium hydroxide [CH] during the hydration process, forming calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H). This hydrated product significantly contributes to the cement matrix's overall strength and durability, particularly over extended hydration periods. Thus, the inclusion of SF in blended cement improves its mechanical properties, making it a valuable additive for high-strength applications. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e31\u003c/span\u003e]. The formation of C-S-H strengthens the mixtures [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR33\" citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e]. The very fine particle size of silica fume (SF) is a key factor in accelerating the pozzolanic reaction, as its increased surface area allows for a more efficient reaction with CH to form calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H). This, in turn, enhances the overall strength and durability of the blended cement. Additionally, the incorporation of gypsum (GS) further boosts compressive strength by acting as a setting retarder and enhancing the formation of ettringite during the early stages of hydration. Ettringite fills the voids within the cement matrix, reducing porosity and contributing to a denser structure. This refined microstructure not only delays the setting process, allowing for better workability, but also increases the long-term compressive strength of the cement. Therefore, blending gypsum with other pozzolanic materials like SF results in improved strength [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOPC blended with 20% fly ash achieves a strength of 45\u0026ndash;48 N/mm\u0026sup2;, while OPC blended with 25% rice husk ash reaches 48\u0026ndash;50 N/mm\u0026sup2;. In comparison, the OPC12MHA10SF3GS outperforms both fly ash and RHA blends in terms of compressive strength [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.4 SEM\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe microstructure of OPC blended with MHA, SF, and GS (OPC12MHA10SF3GS) at 7 days and 28 days of hydration is illustrated in Figs.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e and \u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e, respectively. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images show the formation of hydrated products, specifically calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H). In Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e, representing the 7-day hydration period, a moderate amount of C-S-H is visible. However, in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e, corresponding to the 28-day hydration, there is a significantly larger presence of the hydrated products. This increase indicates a higher rate of the pozzolanic reaction over time, resulting in more extensive C-S-H formation after 28 days, which contributes to the increased strength and densification of the blended cement. This growth is especially evident when comparing the SEM images of the OPC blended with MHA, SF, and GS at 7 days and 28 days of hydration. As the hydration process progresses, the pozzolanic reaction accelerates, leading to the formation of more C-S-H. This increased presence of C-S-H is a key factor contributing to the improved mechanical properties and overall strength of the blended cement over time [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e37\u003c/span\u003e]. Figure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e shows a much denser microstructure compared to Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e. This is primarily because the filler effect of adding silica fume (SF) continues to contribute to the matrix's densification after 28 days of hydration. The silica fume acts as a fine filler, filling in the voids and pores within the cement paste, which enhances the compactness of the structure. As a result, the blended cement demonstrates a reduced porosity and a stronger, more cohesive microstructure [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR39\" citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e]. SF particles reacting to generate C-S-H as a result of, leading to an increased strength gain [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e41\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e42\u003c/span\u003e]. More C-S-H gel is created by the SF's pozzolanic reaction, and it expands into the capillary gaps left by the cement's hydration in mortar mixtures. Thus, it would seem that SF has both chemical and physical effects (as a filler) [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR44\" citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e43\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e45\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4. CONCLUSION","content":"\u003cp\u003eIn this study, we examined the physical and chemical behaviour of OPC. MHA blended OPC, and MHA, SF, and GS blended OPC with the help of various experiments. Various experiments have been carried out to evaluate the performance of such mixtures. The aim is to determine how these supplementary materials affect the OPC properties, such as setting time, compressive strength, and microstructural characteristics. In this work, OPC was blended with MHA, SF, and GS to improve its performance while reducing its environmental impact associated with Portland cement. Water consistency was measured with the help of the Vicat apparatus. The Vicat apparatus is also used for the determination of setting time. The initial and final setting times of MHA, SF, and GS blended OPC are higher than control OPC. OPC12MHA10SF3GS has the highest initial and final setting times. Both OPC and MHA are very rich in CaO. When OPC is blended with MHA, the concentration of CaO increases. Therefore, after hydration, the free Ca\u003csup\u003e2+\u003c/sup\u003e ion concentration of MHA-blended OPC is higher than that of the control OPC. We know that SF is very rich in SiO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e. Therefore, this 10% SF in the OPC12MHA10SF3GS binds with the CaO of both OPC and MHA. Therefore, the Ca\u003csup\u003e2+\u003c/sup\u003e ion concentration of OPC12MHA10SF3GS is lower than the control OPC. SiO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e and CaO form C-S-H on hydration. The formation of C-S-H gives strength to the cement mixtures. The compressive strength of cement mixtures is determined at different intervals of time. As the pozzolanic reaction progresses, the compressive strength of blended cement increases. Therefore, after 28 days of hydration, the compressive strength of all OPC mixtures reaches its peak, but OPC12MHA10SF3GS has the highest compressive strength among all. This result shows that OPC12MHA10SF3GS gives the maximum pozzolanic reaction; thus, the formation of C-S-H is also maximum in the case of OPC12MHA10SF3GS. The formation of C-S-H in the case of OPC12MHA10SF3GS is examined with the help of SEM. The two figures of SEM show the formation of C-S-H of OPC12MHA10SF3GS on 7 days and 28 days of hydration. The production of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) is highly energy-intensive and releases large amounts of CO₂, contributing to environmental degradation. To mitigate these effects, there is a growing need to replace OPC with waste materials from various industries. Mustard Husk Ash (MHA) and Silica Fume (SF) are prime examples of such waste by-products. MHA is derived from agricultural residue, while SF is a by-product of the silicon and ferrosilicon industry. MHA is rich in SiO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e and CaO whereas SF rich in SiO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, making them excellent alternatives to OPC. By using MHA and SF, we can reduce reliance on traditional cement. Using these waste products in OPC in a limited proportion increases the properties of OPC. So, these waste materials not only make OPC a better cement but also protect our environment from greenhouse gases. Using agro-based waste materials like MHA is also very useful to reduce the price of cement. So poor people can afford good-quality cement at a reasonable price. The use of MHA in the production of cement is important because it offers great social, economic, and environmental benefits. One of those is where MHA, being an agricultural by-product, minimizes the requirement for traditional raw materials, thus making cement production much more sustainable in such aspect. It also provides an avenue for the reduction of CO₂ emissions in a positive way, particularly toward environmental conservation. Economically, using materials such as MHA sourced locally for production saves costs, and hence, becomes affordable for construction. MHA also offers employment to rural communities involved in its harvesting and processing, thereby promoting local employment and regional economic development. In this sense, MHA-blended OPC benefits social, economic, and environmental sustainability.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgment\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who have supported and contributed to the completion of this research project. First and foremost, I am deeply thankful to Prof. N.B. Singh sir for their invaluable guidance, insightful suggestions, and continuous encouragement throughout the research process. Their expertise and mentorship played a pivotal role in shaping the direction of this study. I would also like to acknowledge the Department of Chemistry, CMP degree college, for providing access to the necessary resources, including library facilities, databases, and research materials. These resources were instrumental in conducting a comprehensive literature review and analyzing the data. My heartfelt thanks go to IIT Kanpur and the National Centre of Experimental Mineralogy, Prayagraj, and petrology for providing me with XRF data and SEM pictures. Finally, I am grateful to all the authors whose works I consulted during the research. Their contributions enriched my understanding of the subject matter and provided a solid foundation for this study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/strong\u003e:\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;Sunanda Das, Anil Kumar Shukla:\u003c/strong\u003e conceptualization, supervision, investigation and review, and editing.\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp; Kanhaya Lal, Raushan Kumar:\u003c/strong\u003e conceptualization, Review and editing, original draft preparation, and visualization. \u003cstrong\u003eSachin Varma, Shivani Pandey\u003csup\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/strong\u003efor helping in experimental work. All the authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding\u003c/strong\u003e: Not Available\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData availability\u003c/strong\u003e: The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthical approval and Consent to participate:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eThis experiment does not involve animal or human experiments. This is an observational study. We confirmed that no ethical approval is required consent to participate is not applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eNot Applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting Interests:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eThe authors declare no competing interests.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClinical Trial Registration:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study does not involve any clinical trials and therefore does not require clinical trial registration.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRashad, A. M., \u0026amp; Zeedan, S. R. (2011). The effect of activator concentration on the residual strength of alkali-activated fly ash pastes subjected to thermal load. Construction and Building Materials, 25, 3098\u0026ndash;3107\u003cstrong\u003e.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePark, S.-S., \u0026amp; Kang, H.-Y. 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Cem.\u003c/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1\u003c/strong\u003e, 10 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44416-025-00010-y\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlanco F, Garcia MP, Ayala J, Mayoral G, Garcia MA. (2006) The effect of mechanically and chemically activated fly ashes on mortar properties. Fuel;85: 2018\u0026ndash;26.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWang, X., Gong, C., Lei, J., Dai, J., Lu, L., \u0026amp; Cheng, X. (2021). Effect of silica fume and nano-silica on hydration behavior and mechanism of high sulfate resistance Portland cement. \u003cem\u003eConstruction and Building Materials\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e279\u003c/em\u003e, 122481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.122481\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBanar, R., Dashti, P., Zolfagharnasab, A., Ramezanianpour, A. M., \u0026amp; Ramezanianpour, A. A. (2022). A comprehensive comparison between using silica fume in the forms of water slurry or blended cement in mortar/concrete. \u003cem\u003eJournal of Building Engineering\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e46\u003c/em\u003e, 103802. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2021.103802\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLal, K., Kumar, R., Yadav, B., Shrivastava, S. K., \u0026amp; Kumar, A. (2023). Incorporating White Silica Sand to Improve Mechanical and Microstructural Properties of Ordinary Portland Cement. \u003cem\u003eMaterial Science\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e22\u003c/em\u003e(12).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLal, K., Kumar, R., Verma, S., Pandey, S., Shukla, A. K., \u0026amp; Das, S. (2023). Concrete For a Greener Future: Examining the Utilization of Silica Fume and Neem Leaf Ash to Improve Environmental Sustainability in Construction. \u003cem\u003eMaterial Science\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e22\u003c/em\u003e(11).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":false,"email":"","identity":"discover-concrete-and-cement","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Discover Concrete and Cement","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":false,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"Unsupported Journal","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"ordinary Portland cement (OPC), mustard husk ash (MHA), silica fume (SF), gypsum (GS), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF)","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7269833/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7269833/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eA model proposed in this paper in which OPC is blended with agro-waste MHA, industrial waste SF, and GS. We proposed various experiments to study its chemical as well as mechanical properties. Gypsum (GS), which acts as a retarder for setting time, the optimal amount of gypsum used is 3%. In comparison, MHA-blended OPC has a shorter initial setting time than OPC, but when GS and SF are added in a fixed proportion, the setting time increases. However, beyond a mix ratio, the setting time starts to decrease. The concentration of calcium ions is higher in MHA-blended OPC and lower in MHA-SF and GS-blended OPC due to the pozzolanic reaction between MHA and SF. The formation of C-S-H (calcium silicate hydrate) is greater in MHA, SF, and GS blended OPC, which enhances the strength of the cement. SEM images confirm that there is more C-S-H form in OPC12MHA10SF3GS after 28 days of hydration, resulting in 30% more strength compared to control OPC. OPC12MHA10SF3GS is a better cement than control OPC in physical and mechanical aspects. The use of MHA utilises huge amounts of agro-waste and decreases the production of OPC. This is very beneficial for environmental conservation and also helps to reduce the cost of cement.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Optimizing Cement Performance: Evaluating Chemical and Mechanical Properties through Blending OPC with Mustard Husk Ash, Silica Fume, and Gypsum","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-08-17 14:18:05","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7269833/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2025-09-11T15:59:14+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-08-24T21:19:07+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"51060411246588771852023890999110820969","date":"2025-08-19T11:59:17+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-08-16T05:11:35+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"254407671623491883239670661826700284489","date":"2025-08-16T04:43:54+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-08-10T07:27:17+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"15038033178725619362098808010322409867","date":"2025-08-10T06:09:47+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-08-08T15:26:32+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-08-05T08:45:03+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-08-05T08:44:41+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Discover Concrete and Cement","date":"2025-08-01T09:31:06+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":false,"email":"","identity":"discover-concrete-and-cement","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Discover Concrete and Cement","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":false,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"Unsupported Journal","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"a11a7721-98e7-4a60-b9eb-da7daf1f2347","owner":[],"postedDate":"August 17th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-01-09T05:54:02+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-08-17 14:18:05","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7269833","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7269833","identity":"rs-7269833","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}