Influence of calcium carbonate on green self-compacting concrete incorporating porcelain tile waste as coarse aggregate replacement

Abstract

The disposal of ceramic tile waste poses a significant environmental challenge in the construction industry. This study aims to explore the influence of calcium carbonate (CC) on the properties of self-compacting concrete (SCC) incorporating porcelain tile waste as a coarse aggregate replacement. The objective is to enhance the performance of SCC while addressing the limitations of recycled ceramic aggregates and achieving the desired strength class. SCC specimens were cast by partially and completely substituting natural crushed rock with varying percentages of porcelain tile aggregates (PTA-0, 25 %, 50 %, 75 %, and 100 %) and cement with calcium carbonate (CC-10 %, 20 %, and 30 %). Workability assessments, mechanical properties, and durability were evaluated and compared against those of reference concrete. The experimental findings revealed that the incorporation of CC and PTA positively influenced the workability, mechanical properties and durability of SCC. Notably, the SCC mixture incorporating 10 %CC and 25 %PTA demonstrated exceptional performance, achieving the highest compressive strength of 64.9 MPa at 28 days. Moreover, even with complete substitution, the compressive strength reduction remained below 5 %. These results highlight the potential of PTA and CC-based SCC mixtures as an efficient and sustainable approach for utilizing porcelain tile waste in high performance concrete production. The findings contribute to addressing environmental concerns, promoting waste management practices, and reducing the reliance on natural resources in the construction industry.