Development and Production of Solid Nonloadbearing Concrete Masonry Units Using Corn Stalks-Based Materials

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the feasibility of utilizing agricultural waste, specifically the inner core of corn stalks, as a partial replacement of conventional aggregates in concrete block production. The research focuses on analyzing the effects of replacing natural aggregates with corn core at proportions of 15%, 20%, and 25% by volume on the physical and mechanical properties of concrete blocks. Experimental evaluations included density and compressive strength tests to assess the suitability of the developed material for non-load-bearing wall applications. The results indicate that increasing the corn core content in the mixture leads to a continuous reduction in density, decreasing from 2,453.4 kg/m³ at 15% replacement to 2,243.8 kg/m³ at 25% replacement. Similarly, compressive strength declined from 24.274 MPa at 15% replacement to 15.848 MPa at 25% replacement. This trend suggests that a higher proportion of corn core increases the internal porosity of the concrete matrix, resulting in reduced unit weight and compressive capacity. Nevertheless, the compressive strength values at all replacement levels remained within an acceptable range for non-load-bearing wall applications. Considering the balance between weight reduction and mechanical performance, a replacement ratio not exceeding 20% was found to provide the most suitable outcome. At this proportion, the concrete blocks maintained adequate structural integrity while achieving a meaningful reduction in density. The findings demonstrate the potential of corn core as an alternative aggregate component in concrete block manufacturing and highlight its applicability as a locally available agricultural resource for producing lightweight construction materials suitable for practical implementation.