Informatics Publishing Limited

Vaishali G. Ghorpade ¹, H. Sudarsana Rao ¹, V. Ravindra ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Civil Engineering, JNTU College of Engineering, Anantapur-515 002, A.P., IN
2 Department of Civil Engineering, JNTU College of Engineering, Kakinada, A.P, IN

Abstract

Fly ash is one of the residues generated in combustion of coal. Fly ash is generally captured from the chimneys of power generation facilities. Fly ash includes substantial amounts of silica (SiO₂), both amorphous and crystalline, and lime (CaO). Fly ash is commonly used to supplement Portland cement in concrete production, where it can bring both technological and economic benefits. Increased awareness of environmental hazards, steep rising prices of building materials, non-availability of space to stock the fly ash and other such factors have generated interest among the researchers to work on the gainful utilization of fly ash as an alternate building material with potential for replacing cement partially in constructions. Fly ash utilization in concrete not only reduces the cost due to cement savings but also contribute to reduced carbon-dioxide emissions contributing to environmental protection. It is well established by now that the concrete structures exposed to acidic environments deteriorated much faster when compared to their counterparts in non-aggressive environments. High-Performance-Concrete (HPC) is a new generation concrete which has the potential to perform well in aggressive environments. This paper presents the details of an experimental investigation planned to utilize fly ash in production of HPC. Acid attack tests have been conducted to measure the durability of HPC. This investigation is undertaken to study and define a better HPC mix containing locally available fly ash which can sustain in chloride and sulphate environments. The investigation examines the progressive deterioration of concrete mixtures containing various combinations of fly ash based HPC mixes exposed to sulphate and chloride solutions.

Keywords

Fly Ash, High Performance Concrete (HPC), Portland Cement, Acidic Environment.

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A. N. Ganeshamurthy ¹, V. Ravindra ¹, T. R. Rupa ¹, R. M. Bhatt ¹

Affiliations
1 ICAR- Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru 560 089, IN

Abstract

Cultivated grafted mangoes are not the same as polyembryonic seedling-based wild mangoes in terms of biomass production and carbon sequestration. We estimated the carbon sequestration potential of mangoes in Konkan region, which is a prime mango belt of India producing the popular Alphonso mangoes. Allometric equation developed for grafted mangoes was used to estimate tree biomass. Konkan mango belt spread over 106,210 ha sequesters 9.913 mt of carbon. However, the carbon sequestration potential of these cultivated grafted mangoes is very low compared to polyembryonic seedling-grown mangoes in the wild. Since mangoes in the Konkan region have mostly occupied degraded lands of lateritic origin, such regions have been brought under productive mango orchards. As a consequence where forests have disappeared and mangoes have occupied the region, the carbon sequestered by them is a bonus apart from the production of mangoes. The administrators in these regions must use this information for claiming carbon credits for the benefit of farmers and the local population.

Keywords

Carbon Sequestration, Mango Orchards, Soil Carbon Stocks, Tree Biomass.

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A. N. Ganeshamurthy ¹, V. Ravindra ¹, T. R. Rupa ¹

Affiliations
1 Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru 560 089, IN

Abstract

Estimates of carbon stocks and stock changes in fruit orchards are necessary under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol. In this direction we estimated the carbon stocks in cultivated mango orchards in India using an exclusive allometric equation developed for estimation of tree biomass of grafted mangoes. Extensive tree, litter, weed and soil samples were collected for estimation of carbon pools by grouping mango areas based on similarity of tree canopy, climate, and dominance of mango varieties grown in these regions. The carbon held in these pools was then compiled and national-level carbon storage in cultivated mango orchards was computed by multiplying with the area occupied by mango in these regions. The country as a whole has sequestered 285.005 mt of carbon in its mango orchards. This is, however, very low compared to polyembrionic mango trees grown from seeds in the wild.

Keywords

Allometric Equation, Carbon Sequestration, Mango Orchards, Tree Biomass.

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