Abstract
Large quantities of agricultural waste are generated annually, most of them unutilized or disposed to landfills causing severe environmental degradation. The usage of agricultural waste ashes as a partial replacement for cement helps to reduce the use of cement in concrete production, the emission of greenhouse gases from cement plants and environmental degradation. This study is aimed at assessing the influence of sesame straw ash as a partial replacement of Portland limestone cement (PLC) on the splitting tensile strength and durability of SSA concrete. Effects of SSA on concrete were investigated for the addition of 0,5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 % by weight of cement and 3, 7, 28, 56 and 90 days were considered for curing age. However, after 28 days of curing in water, a total of fifty-four (54) cubes were cured in a 5 % concentration of H2SO4 solution for 3, 7, 28 days. Moreover, slump, water absorption and splitting tensile strength tests were carried out on the concrete, while the compressive strength test was carried out on SSA-concrete cured in H2SO4 solution. The results show that the workability and splitting tensile strength decreased as the SSA content increased. On the other hand, the splitting tensile strength increased as the curing age increased. Additionally, the compressive strength of SSA-concrete cured in a 5 % concentration of H2SO4 solution decreases as the portion of SSA content and curing age. The densities of SSA-concrete samples fall within the limits of 2200 kg/m3 to 2600 kg/m3. Finally, it was concluded that the SSA can be used as a partial replacement of cement in concrete

Key words: Cement; Durability; Sesame Straw Ash; Splitting Tensile Strength; Workability