Banana leaves ashes as pozzolan for concrete and mortar of Portland cement

•Banana leaf ash was assessed as pozzolanic materials in concrete and mortar products.•Banana leaf ash demonstrated pozzolanic activity index with a strength of 7.900MPa.•Worldwide productions of banana may generate up to 10million tons of ashes from their leaves. The worldwide productions of banana were bigger than 95million tons, which resemble to, approximately, 10.22million tons of ashes. Additions of these residues or banana leaf ash (BLA) in mortars were investigated by ratios of 0–10% in replacement to weight of the Portland cement as pozzolanic materials. The products were characterized by chemical compositions, SEM, rheology and pozzolanic activity index. Hardened materials were characterized by tearing it in walls. The mechanical and chemical resistance performances of 10% and 20% BLA concrete samples were also evaluated by artificial ageing chambers. The BLA was considered a pozzolan material.