Feasible use of Recycled Foam Concrete in Cement Mortar

Abstract

Lightweight foam concrete blocks have gained popularity over the last decade, particularly in the construction of interior infill walls. Consequently, the construction and demolition waste generated by such foam concrete blocks are increasing regularly. Recycling of these wastes and using them in cement mortar or concrete as partial replacement of conventional material can be an essential step towards the management of construction and demolition waste as well as conservation of natural resources leading to sustainability. The present study aims to assess the feasibility of recycled Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) and Cellular Lightweight Concrete (CLC) blocks as a possible replacement of sand and cement in the manufacturing of mortar. This study investigates various physical and mechanical properties of mortar in which sand and cement are partially replaced with material from recycled AAC and CLC block. Chemical analysis of demolished AAC and CLC block samples determined using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis to find out the differences in composition between the conventional materials and replaced material. This study concludes that materials from recycled AAC and CLC block can be used in cement mortar as partial replacement of either cement or sand up to 15-20% without significant reduction of strength.