Ceramic waste influence on dune sand mortar performance

Abstract

The present paper studies the properties of mortar made with dune sand from Djelfa, an Algerian desert region. It aims at evaluating the effect of the incorporation of recycled fine aggregates obtained from crushed earthenware (floor and wall tiles) and sanitary ware.The effect of these recycled materials was studied in an experimental programme through several tests taking into consideration the durability of these modified mortars to the chemical attack of sulphuric and hydrochloric acid, and evaluated with respect to workability and mechanical properties in different curing environments as compressive and flexural strength, and modulus of elasticity.The results obtained mention the ability to evaluate the influence of the two types of ceramic waste in dune sand mortar. These modified mortars present the best mechanical performance under different curing environments. In addition, the compressive and flexural strength of ceramic waste mortar increases with ceramic waste content to be optimum at 50% for the control mortar, as well as the modified mortar based on dune sand with 50% addition of ceramic sanitary is the one with the best performance of all the modified mortars particularly in terms of higher strength and lower water absorption. Moreover, the results show that the durability of the modified mortars is more resistant to the sulphuric and hydrochloric acid solution attack.