Effect of Clay Brick Waste Powder on the Fresh and Hardened Properties of Self-Compacting Concrete: State-of-the-Art and Life Cycle Assessment

Abstract

Sustainability and reducing environmental damage caused by CO2 emissions have become issues of interest to researchers in the construction sector around the world. Reducing the cement content in concrete by partially substituting it with by-products or waste falls within this field as the cement industry is responsible for 7% of global CO2 emissions. On the other hand, self-compacting concrete (SCC) is one of the special types of concrete that contains a large amount of powder (most of which is cement) to ensure its flow under the influence of its weight without separating its components. Therefore, to produce eco-friendly SCC, many researchers have replaced part of the cement with clay brick waste powder (CBWP) since brick units are among the most widely used building materials after concrete. Accordingly, this study aims to review previous research that included using CBWP in SCC. The effect of these wastes on the fresh, mechanical, durability and microstructural properties of cement was reviewed. Additionally, a comparison between the environmental impacts of SCCs with different CBWP contents has been conducted using the life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. It was found that the highest value of CBWP that can be used without negatively affecting the different properties of concrete is 10% by weight of cement. Moreover, regarding environmental impact, using CBWP as a substitute for cement reduces environmental damage, and the lowest environmental impact that can be achieved per strength unit (MPa) is 37.5%.

Impact of Recycled Concrete and Brick Aggregates on the Flexural and Bond Performance of Reinforced Concrete

“…However, replacement of 100% fine NAs with fine RBAs [F(RBA) + C(NA)] in this mix resulted in a drop in compressive strength of 6.1%, while the drop in compressive strength was 8.9% when 100% fine NAs were replaced with fine RCAs [F(RCA) + C(NA)]. Since brick waste generally consists of aluminates and silicates, its pozzolanic characteristics [68] result in a significant drop in the compressive strength of concrete mix. Concrete mixes containing 100% fine and coarse RBAs attained 21.9% lower compressive strength compared to the control mix; however, the replacement of 100% coarse RBAs in this mix with coarse RCAs and coarse NAs increased the compressive strength by 2.6% and 20.3%, respectively.…”

Utilization of Recycled Brick Powder as Supplementary Cementitious Materials—A Comprehensive Review

“…Nasr et al [ 112 ] have conducted a comprehensive review of the LCA of the use of WBP in concrete. They found that by substituting waste brick powder into cement at different rates (0%, 12.5%, 25%, 37.5%, and 50%), there was a 10.8% to 43.2% reduction in global warming potential.…”

“…They found that by substituting waste brick powder into cement at different rates (0%, 12.5%, 25%, 37.5%, and 50%), there was a 10.8% to 43.2% reduction in global warming potential. According to a study, the manufacturing of clay brick waste reduced CO 2 equivalent emissions by 49% to 89% at rates ranging from 18.2% to 71.8% [ 112 ]. Fort et al [ 70 ] found that the best mixture made from waste brick dust could save up to 72% in greenhouse gases emitted compared to Portland cement paste, evaluated via a combined assessment of functional and environmental characteristics using the carbon dioxide emission efficiency index.…”

Modeling the Properties of Sustainable Self-Compacting Concrete Containing Marble and Glass Powder Wastes Using Response Surface Methodology

“…Self-compacting concrete (SCC) is a type of concrete that can be compacted without the need for external energy [19], offering numerous economic and technical advantages [20]. It is produced using the same fundamental ingredients as traditional concrete but incorporates significant amounts of superplasticizer additives, and, occasionally, viscosity-modifying additives, to achieve excellent workability [21]. It has recently emerged as one of the most important developments in the construction industry [22].…”