Performance of fresh and hardened sustainable self-compacted concrete incorporating recycled ceramic waste

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Abstract

Global population growth demands larger landfills to handle consumer solid waste. Sustainable waste management can reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources and minimise landfill concerns. Concrete is a vital building material, and various research studies have suggested using solid waste in its production. Since natural fine aggregate (NFA) has been banned in many places, the demand for alternative sustainable materials has increased. The ceramic industry produces recycled ceramic waste (RCW) from hand-shaped cups, plates and tiles. RCW-made concrete is more environmentally friendly than concrete made from natural resources. This study investigates the utilisation of RCW in concrete as a partial replacement of NFA and its effects on the properties of fresh and hardened concrete. In this study, NFA was replaced by RCW by 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 % weight proportions. To evaluate the green properties of fresh self-compacted concrete (SCC), the slump flow, L-box and V-funnel tests were conducted, and for investigating the properties of hardened SCC, the compressive strength, acid attack, chlorine penetration, sulphate attack and accelerated carbonation tests were conducted. The initial results highlight that 20 % RCW in SCC improved the slump flow by 710-730 mm (3 % increase) and compressive strength by up to 20 %. Moreover, the global warming potential showed a reduction in carbon dioxide with increasing concentration of RCW in SCC. Thus, the incorporation of RCW in SCC not only improves the properties of fresh and hardened SCC but also reduces the burden on natural sources.