Development of Low-Carbon Concrete Paver Blocks Incorporating Rice Husk Ash and Sisal Fiber for Infrastructure Applications

Conventional concrete pavers depend largely on cement, resulting in high carbon emissions. Although there has been an extensive study on individual pozzolanic materials and natural fibres, there exists a gap regarding their combined effect on the performance of paver blocks. This study investigates the mechanical and durability properties of the low-carbon concrete paver block made up of Rice Husk Ash (RHA) and sisal fiber for sustainable infrastructure applications. The RHA was used as replacement level of 5%-20% by weight of cement with the inclusion of sisal fiber at 0.25%-1%. It was observed showed that 10% RHA combination with 0.75% fiber demonstrated enhanced mechanical properties. The developed paver blocks reached an average compressive strength of 35.83 MPa, meeting the IS 15658:2006 standards for light-traffic applications with average water absorption was 4.88%, which is under the limiting value 15658:2006 standards, signifying strong durability. The findings concluded that the synergistic use of RHA and sisal fiber improves strength, durability, and sustainability, offering a practical sustainable option for infrastructure pavement applications.