Evaluation of Mechanical and Durability Properties of Eco-Friendly Concrete Containing Silica Fume, Waste Glass Powder, and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag

Abstract

By considering the adverse environmental impacts of the cement manufacturing process, there have been many efforts for cement replacement by supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), which can enhance the produced concrete performance while reducing cement consumption. This study evaluated the effects of various proportions of silica fume (SF), waste glass powder (WGP), and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) on the mechanical and durability properties of concrete. The properties evaluated in this study include compressive, tensile, and flexural strength, magnesium sulfate and sulfuric acid attack, surface resistivity, rapid chloride penetrability test (RCPT), water absorption, depth of penetration of water, and microstructure analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results of compressive, tensile, and flexural strength, chloride ion penetrability, and water absorption tests showed that adding 5% of SF to mixtures containing 10% WGP or 10% GGBFS improved concrete performance significantly due to packing density and synergistic effect; however, adding 5% of SF to concrete mixtures decreased the resistance against the magnesium sulfate and sulfuric acid attack. The binary mixture of 15% of WGP showed appropriate performance against the magnesium sulfate and sulfuric acid attack, which may be due to the sacrificial nature of WGP. In addition, the binary mixtures of 15% of WGP and 15% of GGBFS reduced the depth of penetration of water by 45%. Microstructure analysis by SEM showed that the presence of SF, along with WGP and GGBFS, improves the packing density. Finally, adding 5% of SF is suggested to improve the properties of concrete mixtures containing WGP and GGBFS.

Study on compressive strength and sulfate corrosion resistance of limestone powder and waste glass powder mixed concrete

“…According to an analysis, on the one hand, waste glass powder has pozzolanic activity, which can consume CH (Calcium hydroxide) and reduce the sulfate corrosion degree; on the other hand, with the pozzolanic activity of waste glass powder, C-S-H gels can be continuously generated, making the concrete maintain a high compressive strength growth rate after curing for 28d, which is conducive to resisting the invasion of sulfate ions [38,39]. Therefore, limestone powder and waste glass powder showed synergistic action in L10-W5-C, L10-W10-C and L10-W15-C, whose sulfate corrosion resistance was improved compared to L10-C. Mahdi et al also found that the concrete mixture containing 15% waste glass powder showed excellent performance against sulfuric acid attack [40]. However, when the dosage of waste glass powder exceeded 15%, limestone powder and waste glass powder replaced more than 25% of the cement.…”