Effect of Pharmaceutical Wastes Usage as Partial Replacement of Cement on the Durability of High-Performance Concrete

Abstract

This paper reports an experimental study of the influence of ash produced from incinerated hospital wastes used as partial substitute for Portland cement (PC) on the mechanical properties and durability of high performance concretes. The analysis of the experimental results on concrete at 10% content of ash resulting from incineration of pharmaceutical wastes with a fineness modulus of 8000 cm2/g, in a chloride environment, showed that it contributes positively to the perfection of its mechanical characteristics, its durability with respect to migration of chloride ions and oxygen permeability. On the basis of the experiments performed, it can be concluded that the ash is suitable for formulation of high performance concretes (HPC) and their properties are significantly better compared to the reference concrete (RC). This paper points out the directions for the proper uses of ash of pharmaceutical wastes in concrete.