Enhancing mechanical and thermal properties of sustainable cement mortar through incorporation of olive solid waste aggregates

Abstract

This research paper presents a comprehensive investigation into the characterization of cement mortar incorporating olive solid waste aggregates (OSW) as a partial replacement for natural sand. Different levels of OSW content (0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%) were used to create samples, enabling a comparison of their mechanical and thermal properties against the reference mortar. The primary objective of this study is to analyze the mechanical and thermal performance of lightweight cement mortar, with a secondary focus on establishing correlations between distinct testing methods, including compressive strength, sclerometer, and thermal tests. Mechanical properties were assessed through compressive strength testing. After a 28-day curing period, the mortar containing 5% OSW exhibited a compressive strength of 33 MPa. Notably, it demonstrated a 15.6% reduction in density compared to the reference mortar. An examination of the relationship between destructive compressive strength tests and non-destructive sclerometer tests (NDST) revealed a linear correlation, suggesting the effectiveness of the sclerometer test in estimating cement mortar compressive strength. Furthermore, we investigated the thermal characteristics of OSW-incorporated cement mortar. The mixture containing 5% OSW exhibited a thermal conductivity of 0.87 W/m·K, representing a 21% reduction compared to the reference mortar. These findings underscore the potential of OSW to enhance the thermal properties of the resulting cement mortar. Additionally, the observed correlation between compressive strength and thermal conductivity highlights a significant connection between these properties. This study primarily addresses the mechanical and thermal attributes of cement mortar incorporating OSW while also exploring correlations between testing methods. The resulting cement mortar meets the minimum strength requirements for structural applications as a construction material.