Enhancing the performance of spent mushroom substrate cement bricks: A comparative analysis of pretreatment methods and additive effects
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-1-2025
Abstract
The rapid growth of the mushroom industry has led to the substantial production of spent mushroom substrate (SMS), a by-product rich in organic content but challenging to dispose of due to environmental concerns. Previous studies have shown that recycling SMS in construction materials provides a sustainable solution while reducing the need for natural resources like sand. Although SMS enhances cement-based structures' lightweight and thermal insulation properties, it negatively affects mechanical and durability due to its high-water absorption and organic inhibitors that interfere with cement hydration. Therefore, this study aims to assess effective methods for enhancing the performance of SMS-cement bricks through various pretreatment techniques (water-conditioned, hot water, NaOH, cement coating, and silica fume coating) and additives (5 % calcium chloride (CaCl2)), 10% silica fume, and 1.5% superplasticizer). Results show that cement coating significantly increased compressive strength and modulus of rupture (MOR) by 260.1 % and 520.0%, respectively. NaOH treatment also improved mechanical strength. Furthermore, adding 5 % CaCl2 boosted compressive strength by 340.9% and MOR by 628.0%. The combination of cement coating and CaCl2 resulted in the highest strength (45.6 MPa), with reduced water absorption and porosity, making it suitable for load-bearing structures. These findings demonstrate that SMS pretreatment and additives can significantly improve the performance of SMScement bricks, encouraging the use of SMS in sustainable construction practices.
Keywords
Agricultural wastes, Pretreatments, Additives, Cement brick, Mechanical property, Durability property
Divisions
sch_civ,InstituteofBiologicalSciences
Publication Title
Construction and Building Materials
Volume
469
Publisher
Elsevier
Publisher Location
125 London Wall, London, ENGLAND