Evaluation of Concretes Made with Marble Waste Using Destructive and Non-Destructive Testing

Abstract

The present study aims primarily to investigate the possibility of assessing the physico-mechanical behavior of concrete incorporating marble waste or marble powder as a partial replacement for cement using destructive and non-destructive testing methods. Indeed, in this work, cement was partially replaced with marble powder at six different substitution levels, i.e. 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30% by weight, with 1.5% adjuvant (super plasticizer) for each mixture. The samples prepared were then analyzed. In addition, the physico-mechanical properties, in the fresh and hardened states, water-to-cement ratio, absorption and compressive strengths of the concrete samples were examined as well. Moreover, the compressive strength of concrete was assessed through non-destructive testing methods such as the ultrasonic pulse velocity and rebound hammer. Likewise, the relationship between the ultrasound velocity and compressive strength of concrete were also estimated after 3, 7, 28 and 90 days of curing. The findings of the study indicated that, at early age of curing, the values of the compressive strength and ultrasonic pulse velocity were quite small for all replacement levels, of cement with marble powder, between 15 and 30%. Nevertheless, when the curing period was increased, the compressive strength and ultrasonic pulse velocity of all the samples went up as well. In the end, a linear relationship was observed between the ultrasonic pulse velocity and compressive strength for all substitution levels of cement with marble powder.