Evaluation of thermal power plant ash in tragacanth binder combinations as a new construction material

As a result of coal being burned in high temperature, small pores occur in the structure of ash. By using this feature of thermal power station ash was thought that low density construction element can be produced, and it was aimed that this construction element can be evaluated as isolation material. In this study, thermal power station ashes as fly ash and bottom ash without the process of sieving was subjected and cement as well as adhesive tragacanth was used as a binder. For this purpose, the composite construction material with the feature of isolation and strength were produced by using fly ash-tragacanth , bottom ash-tragacanth and fly ash-tragacanth-cement , bottom ash-tragacanth-cement.The fly and bottom ash used in the experiments was supplied from Afşin-Elbistan Thermal Power Station. Tragacanth and a mixture of tragacanth and portland cement (KPÇ 325) was used as binding and 48 specimens were prepared depending on the kind and percentage of cement. The new productions were subjected to some tests to find out their detailed properties such as thermal conductivitiy coefficient, strain, tension, sucking capability of water, rate of drying, mass and density.For calculate the thermal conductivity coefficients of the samples, an algebraic equation was developed. And it was found that the results of equation had a good agreement with the experimental results.Depending on the amount of tragacanth increased the thermal conductivity coefficient had been decreased until 0.142 W/mK. On the other hand the compression and shrinking resistance increased until rate of tragacanth % 1, but when the amount of tragacanth was increased to the rate of % 1.5, it had been found partial reduction.The rate of water absorption of samples produced is over the rate % 30 which is given by T.S.E (Turkish Standarts Institution). So stucco type building material can not be used for the outer stucco, and in areas which are exposed to water, but can be used for the inner stucco that doesn?t have direct contact with water, and can be used in subroof covering, or in sandwich walls as a stuffing material.It has been seen that samples -the air passage capasity with inner liquids which will made from fly ash- can be cut with saws, can be screwed, are suitable for opening channels in installation works, and can be drilled. Moreover, samples were subjected to different kind of colours, and as a result it has been confirmed that colour holding characteristic of the samples are extremely good.Keywords: Ash, Gum-Tragacanth, Cement, Composite Material, Thermal Conductivity Coefficient