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Sci Tech
Palm-shell concrete
UNWANTED SHELLS from palm nuts could be used to make concrete for buildings and roads, solving a major environmental problem for many developing countries.
Palm oil production generates tonnes of waste. This is either incinerated or dumped . However since the shells from oil-palm fruits are so tough researchers at the Malaysian University wondered whether they could be used on concrete.
Conventional concrete is a mixture of cement, flyash — pulverised burnt fuel from power stations — and water. This forms a paste that binds with an aggregate, such as sand or crushed stone. The idea is to use crushed shells as the aggregate.
But getting the proportions right is key. Simply swapping shells for sand will not work, as the resulting material will be too weak, they say.
The Malaysian team has hit upon a mixture that gives a light-weight concrete that is strong enough for low-rise buildings and roads. Importantly the shells do not rot once in concrete, and the properties of the palm-shell concrete match those of ordinary concrete made with crushed stone.
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