The use of energy from wood biomass plants results in the production of large quantities of wood biomass ash (WBA). Most of the WBA is disposed of and some are used as a soil supplement in agriculture. In the concrete industry, there is a high potential for substitution of certain components with suitable alternative materials. Depending on its physical and chemical properties, WBA can be used in concrete production as a partial replacement for cement or as a substitute for fine aggregates. The suitability of locally available WBA should be evaluated in terms of microtexture, chemical, and mineralogical composition. This paper presents the types of WBA produced by different combustion technology, the influence of WBA as a cement replacement on the properties of cement composites in the fresh and hardened state, an overview of the environmental impact of WBA cement composites, and the market opportunities and readiness for reuse of WBA as a new potential supplementary cementitious material.
Part of the book: Biomass, Biorefineries and Bioeconomy