EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF THE PARTIAL REPLACEMENT OF COARSE AGGREGATE WITH PALM KERNEL SHELL ON THE COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF CONCRETE

ABSTRACT

Palm kernel shell can be utilized for applications requiring low to moderate strength and generally has good potential as a coarse aggregate in the construction of lightweight buildings. The results of the study demonstrate a clear trend - as the percentage of PKS replacement increased, the compressive strength of the concrete decreased. The control group, with no PKS content, exhibited the highest compressive strength, while the mixture with the highest PKS content (20%) exhibited the lowest. The reduction in compressive strength with increased PKS content can be attributed to the lightweight and porous nature of PKS. This characteristic leads to a decrease in the overall density of the concrete and increased porosity, which negatively impacts the load-bearing capacity of the material.