Use of zeolite and industrial waste materials in high strength concrete – A review

Abstract

Concrete is widely used in construction material by the construction industry. It is considered as a vital material because of its properties. Different grades of concrete (M10, M20, M30, M40, M50, M60 and M70) are used in construction and are chosen based on the requirements. Higher grade concrete requires cement of different properties. The manufacturing process of cement, releases a huge amount of Carbon footprints. To reduce the emission of CO2, usage of virgin cement can be minimized by partially replacing with pozzolanic materials or industrial wastes like zeolite, metakaolin, silica fume and fly ash. These materials improve the durability and strength of concrete by filling the pores and reduce the porosity and permeability of the concrete without compromising on the desired properties. For sustainable development and protecting the environment, enormous research has been done on concrete by using various industrial waste materials. This article is a state-of-the-art review of research on the use of industrial waste materials to produce High Strength Concrete (HSC). Different materials were studied to prepare HSC by using distinct methods. Different experimental tests were conducted on concrete when cement is partially replaced with industrial waste materials and are compared with conventional concrete. It is observed that the partial replacement of cement with zeolite, metakaolin, fly ash, and silica fume, the properties of concrete increases up to certain age and mixing proportions when compared to conventional concrete. It is observed that there is limited research was done on zeolite with the combination of industrial waste materials for health analysis of the structures at different w/c ratios for large production. So, further investigation is needed on the technical, environmental, economic aspects and educating the public through the use of industrial waste materials as a sustainable approach.