Enhancing thermal performance and energy Efficiency: Optimal selection of steel slag crumb rubber blocks through Multi-Criteria decision Making

Abstract

In today's world, where sustainable building practices are crucial, addressing energy consumption in buildings is vital. Insulation materials are a key to energy efficiency, but their effectiveness depends on properties like thermal conductivity, strength, and sustainability parameters. This research repurposes waste materials to create sustainable building materials. India's tire disposal problem poses environmental risks. To effectively manage those issues, this study targeted towards optimum utilization of wastes; steel slag, fly ash, and crumb rubber to make building blocks. This research focuses on developing blocks from Steel Slag (SS), Fly Ash (FA), Crusher Dust (CD), Lime, and Crumb rubber (CR). Extensive evaluations, including physico-mechanical, thermal assessments, and sustainability analyses, were conducted on these innovative blocks, while optimum selection is done based on heat transfer, Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) and Energy analysis using eQuest. The study employs numerical conjugate heat transfer analysis via OpenFOAM software, revealing Grade A crumb rubber averages 11.03 MPa compressive strength, whereas Grade B averages 12.31 MPa compressive strength, and a strength of 22.8 MPa was achieved at crumb rubber incorporation level of 10 %. However, construction material selection entails multifaceted considerations based on physical, mechanical, thermal and sustainability parameters. Consequently, MCDM approach was adopted to identify the optimal alternative. MCDM techniques, including TOPSIS, EDAS, and WPM, consistently endorse Mix M − 6, featuring 10 % crumb rubber as an aggregate replacement, as the paramount choice. These findings underscore the commercial potential of steel slag-lime blocks infused with crumb rubber, offering superior insulation and sustainability performance compared to conventional blocks. This research not only tackles a pressing environmental concern tied to waste materials like crumb rubber and steel slag but also plays a pivotal role in advancing the development of eco-friendly building materials poised to make a significant impact on the construction industry.