Use of waste ceramics to produce sustainable concrete: A review

Abstract

In the present construction industry, the utilization of ceramic materials is growing day by day in the form of ceramic tiles, electrical insulators, sanitary ware fittings, etc. But a huge quantity of ceramic materials goes to waste during manufacturing, transporting, processing, and placing due to its brittle nature. Waste ceramic (WC) is produced majorly by ceramic industry. WC has different types like ceramic tile, waste ceramic powder (WCP), sanitary ware, and ceramic electrical insulator waste. Ceramic tiles are manufactured by firing natural materials such as clay, quartz, feldspar, sand, etc. at high temperatures. The utilization of WC in concrete can decrease the utilization of natural raw materials, which leads to sustainability and economic competence of the construction industry. This review discusses and analyses its fresh properties, hard properties, durability properties, and other properties of concrete. Consequences show that utilizing the pozzolanic nature of ceramic materials and appropriate admixtures can increase slump and increase the workability of concrete. Concrete incorporating WC decrease the fresh density and hardened density, and it reduce linearly with the increase in the ceramic content. The hardened properties of concrete commonly reduce as the ceramic content incorporated is increased. However, the compressive, flexural, split tensile strength (STS) and modulus of elasticity of ceramic concrete, which is slightly above of reference concrete (RC). Ceramic concrete has more water absorption than RC. WC materials exhibit high freeze–thaw resistance, abrasion resistance, electrical resistance, resistance to sulphuric and sulphate attack. The depth of chloride-ion penetration reduces with increase in ceramic content in concrete. Electrical resistivity increases with increasing the quantity of WC in concrete. The durability properties of concrete generally increase with the increase in ceramic content.