Utilization of palm oil and its by-products in bio-asphalt and bio-concrete mixtures: A review

This research aims to discuss the utilization of crude palm oil (CPO) and by-products obtained from palm oil waste materials as biomaterials for green construction material applications. The CPO is the primary product in the palm oil industry and has a variety of uses in the production of food and non-food items such as cooking oil, biodiesel, and cosmetics. The oil palm frond, empty fruit bunches, mesocarp fibre, palm kernel shell, and oil palm trunk, as well as CPO, are all products of the palm oil tree and have been used in several asphalt pavements and building construction applications after further processing to produce highly efficient bio-products. The manufacturing process, characteristics, motivations, and challenges associated with using palm oil and other palm tree waste products as a substitute material in asphalt pavement and concrete materials are explored in this paper to better understand and promote palm-based green bio-materials for sustainable construction. It was discovered that CPO and its by-products could be used to make sustainable and cost-effective asphalt and concrete as they are more renewable, environmentally friendly, and safer to handle than petroleum-based binders. Furthermore, they can be used to produce concrete effectively, together with palm oil fuel ash (POFA) and palm oil clinker (POC). However, using CPO in pavement construction has challenges, such as securing palm oil as a feedstock for non-food items and collecting sufficient palm oil for edible oil to maintain food and energy security, particularly in countries where CPO is not produced.