Management of sanitary ware wastes as supplementary cementing materials in concretes

Abstract

A large amount of ceramic sanitary ware wastes (SW) results from the production and after demolition processes. This study proposes the use of SW as supplementary cementing materials (SCM) in concrete to contribute with construction and demolition waste management. Experiments were carried out on concretes and pastes using different proportions of SW-replacement. Physical, mechanical, and durable behavior of concrete was evaluated and how concrete was affected by the cement hydration process. The incorporation of SW to Portland cement to make concrete reduces the permeability in the matrix and refines the capillary pores, improving the mechanical properties and the behavior in aggressive environments, such as chlorides. The results show that it is recommended the use of SW as SCM to produce concretes with mechanical properties and durability comparable to those of a conventional concrete, at 28 days.