Fresh and Hardened Properties of Self-Leveling Mortars with Porcelain and Red Ceramic Wastes

Abstract

Self-leveling mortar (SLM) has several advantages when compared to the conventional mortar used in subfloors, especially when productivity is desired. In Brazil, the use of SLM is not still widespread related to conventional mortar. Few builders are using it in constructions. In the same way, the sustainable reuse of wastes in building materials is not so great, but it has grown, becoming increasingly important. In Brazil, a great amount of waste is generated by the manufacture of electrical porcelain insulators and red ceramic. These materials are formed mainly by amorphous silicates and aluminosilicates, which when added as cement replacement can generate pozzolanic reactions. The present study evaluated the feasibility of using such wastes to replace cement to make SLM. Mortars were studied in the fresh state (fluidity, segregation and/or bleeding, outflow rate, outflow time, and kinetics of temperature) and in the hardened state (compressive strength, flexural tensile strength, capillary water absorption, water penetration height, and air permeability). According to the results, the cement replacement by porcelain or ceramic in SLM diminishes the flow and increases the setting time. The compressive strength is higher than the minimum related to literature, and the low values of water absorption and permeability were reached with porcelain waste.