Mechanical properties and microstructure of roller compacted concrete incorporating brick powder, glass powder, and steel slag

Abstract

The objective of this study is to explore the feasibility of developing environmentally friendly green roller-compacted concrete (RCC) by utilizing locally available materials. The research investigates the behavior of RCC properties when different amounts of solid waste materials (brick powder, glass powder, and steel slag) are added as substitutes for cement content. To accomplish this, four laboratory tests were conducted: compressive strength, flexural strength, X-ray diffraction analysis, and scanning electron microscope imaging. These tests aimed to identify the changes in concrete properties resulting from the inclusion of waste construction materials as cement replacements. The study employed an approach that involved adding waste materials to the concrete mixture, with replacement percentages ranging from 10.0 to 40.0% in increments of 10.0%. Consequently, 12 concrete mixtures were prepared to examine the effects of adding waste materials (10.0–40.0%) as substitutes for cement content. In addition, one reference mixture was designed without any inclusion of waste materials for comparison purposes. In general, the results indicate that as the percentage of waste construction materials increases in the mixtures, there is a corresponding decrease in compressive strength. However, it is noteworthy that the strength activity index (SAI) exceeded 75% according to ASTM C618 standards. This indicates that the waste construction materials possess pozzolanic properties, making them suitable for use as cement replacements in RCC mixtures.

Keywords

• roller compacted concrete
• waste construction materials
• brick powder
• glass powder
• steel slag
• strength activity index