Modular Concrete Blocks Incorporating Charcoal Powder Derived from Leucaena Wood

Abstract

This research focuses on the development of non-load-bearing modular concrete blocks incorporating charcoal powder derived from the combustion of Leucaena wood for the adsorption of contaminants from surface water polluted by wastewater. Due to the lack of specific standards for the block dimensions used, the study applies the properties testing of non-load-bearing concrete blocks based on the Thai Industrial Standard TIS 58-2560 as a reference guideline. The reference mix ratio of the concrete blocks is cement: sand: water at 1:0.5:1 by weight. The sieved charcoal was added as an additional component in varying proportions of 0.10, 0.125, 0.15, 0.20, and 0.25 by weight of cement. Samples were molded into cubes of 5 x 5 x 5 cm to test for compressive strength, density, and water absorption. The test results showed that the compressive strength for all five proportions ranged between 5.19 and 8.57 MPa. Subsequently, the concrete was formed into modular concrete blocks with dimensions of 15 x 25 x 10 cm, which were immersed in water for 7 days to adsorb impurities from wastewater. The pH, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) were analyzed. The results showed that the pH values ranged from 7.54 to 8.10, meeting the surface water quality standards, while the COD and TDS values decreased with increasing proportions of Leucaena charcoal powder. Therefore, it can be concluded that the modular concrete blocks incorporating Leucaena charcoal powder are lightweight and effective for adsorbing contaminants from water, providing a promising direction for further development of concrete blocks.