Abstract
Marble is currently a commonly used material in the building industry, and environmental degradation is an inevitable consequence of its use. Marble waste occurs during the exploitation of deposits using shooting technologies. The obtained elements most mainly often have an irregular geometry and small dimensions, which excludes their use in the stone industry. There is no systematic way of disposing of these massive mounds of waste, which results in the occurrence of landfills and environmental pollution. To mitigate this problem, an effort was made to incorporate waste marble powder into clay bricks. Different percentage proportions of marble powder were considered as a partial substitute for clay, i.e., 5–30%. A total of 105 samples were prepared in order to assess the performance of the prepared marble clay bricks, i.e., their water absorption, bulk density, apparent porosity, salt resistance, and compressive strength. The obtained bricks were 1.3–19.9% lighter than conventional bricks. The bricks with the addition of 5–20% of marble powder had an adequate compressive strength with regards to the values required by international standards. Their compressive strength and bulk density decreased, while their water absorption capacity and porosity improved with an increased content of marble powder. The obtained empirical equations showed good agreement with the experimental results. The use of waste marble powder in the construction industry not only lowers project costs, but also reduces the likelihood of soil erosion and water contamination. This can be seen to be a crucial factor for economic growth in agricultural production.
Highlights
Marble is a crystalline metamorphic rock that can be formed into different shapes and sizes for flooring, monumental and decorative purposes
The materials used in this research were marble powder, which was collected from a local company in Peshawar, Pakistan, and clay from a kiln in the district of Peshawar, where the bricks were prepared
It was noted that an increased content of marble powder raised the water absorption capacity of the bricks
Summary
Marble is a crystalline metamorphic rock that can be formed into different shapes and sizes for flooring, monumental and decorative purposes. In 2019, the global demand for marble was estimated at USD 55,420 million, and it is projected to hit USD 68,790 million by the end of 2026. This is an annual increase of 3.1% [1]. Pakistan has a range of marble processing plants, where marble waste is generated on a regular basis. This marble waste, in the form of slurry and mud, is discarded in open spaces (without adequate disposal) and has harmful environmental consequences [2,3]. The use of marble wastes as an alternate material in the manufacturing of bricks may be both inexpensive and beneficial for the atmosphere
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