Influence of Varied Waste Ceramic Fillers on the Resistance of Concrete to Freeze–Thaw Cycles

Abstract

Our research focused on the influence of fillers obtained from crushed waste materials on the selected properties of concrete composites. The used waste materials were sourced from the production of ceramic tiles, ceramic pots, and sanitary ceramics. We evaluated concretes modified with the addition of 10% (by mass of cement) of different fillers. The properties, including the air content in the fresh concrete mix, consistency, compressive strength, and freeze-thaw resistance were examined. The evaluation of the freeze-thaw resistance was carried out by testing the concrete with the direct method for 150 cycles of freezing and thawing. The characteristics of the concrete porosity structure were assessed using automated digital image analysis. Concretes modified by coarse and fine fillers were characterized by different improvements in the mechanical properties and resistance to cycles of freezing and thawing. Composites with the addition of coarse fillers did not show any significant changes in comparison to the control concrete. An automated digital image analysis of the pore distribution in concrete proved to be an effective tool for the assessment of the freeze–thaw resistance of the concretes in question.

Comparative Analysis of Waste Materials for Their Potential Utilization in Green Concrete Applications

“…Hooton's initial findings [30] suggested that silica fume may be used to control the alkali-silica reaction (ASR), prompting a rise in the use of silica fume in a range of applications. However, investigations have shown that the existence of agglomerates in condensed silica fumes, which do not dissolve or scatter uniformly during concrete mixing, can impair the previously claimed ASR-related advantages [31][32][33][34][35][36]. Numerous researchers reported that the production of silica fume is increasing day by day.…”

Preface to the Special Issue on Nano-Enabled Approaches for Sustainable Development of the Construction Industry

“…Different strategies for repairing cracks, including surface coating [4] and the application of fillers [5], have been utilized to reduce the repair and rehabilitation costs of large-scale civil infrastructure. More recently, the introduction of applied biotechnology in the field of concrete has resulted in the development of a new domain called "microbial concrete" or "bio-concrete".…”