Utilization of Waste Marble Powder as A Partial Replacement of Cement in HCB Production
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Date
2018-04
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Publisher
AAU
Abstract
Hollow concrete blocks are one of the most extensively used wall construction material in
major cities of our country, Ethiopia. Aggregates, cement, and water are the main materials
required for the production of this building material. To achieve the required physical
strength and dimensions of requirements and standards, they are manufactured from
concrete and processed into molds. While comparing with others, HCB masonry is
believed to be cost and time efficient and economical solution in construction.
The production of cement is one of the environmentally unfriendly processes due to the
release of CO
2
gas to the atmosphere. In addition to its negative environmental impact
cement is also one of the most expensive materials when compared to the other
constituents of the HCB. On the other hand, marble processing factories have a problem
of disposing of the waste marble powder. Using marble waste powder in HCB production,
the effects of partial replacement of cement with marble waste powder on the performance
of HCB was investigated. The physical properties and compressive strength of 288 HCBs
were determined.
The laboratory-based investigation for the partial replacement of cement with marble
powder in HCB production was conducted. Tests on the suitability of materials used and
their performance in terms of known engineering properties were carried out. The focus
was the partial replacement of cement with marble powder in the order of, 0%(Control),
10%, 20%, and 30% of cement by weight for Class A, B and C HCBs of size 20x20x40cm.
Replacement at 10%, 20%, and 30% ranges result in compressive strength reduction than
that of 100% cement. However, the compressive strength of blended cement with 10% to
30% replacement ranges satisfy the minimum compressive strength set by Ethiopian
standard of HCB for class A, B and C. Other properties of marble waste blended cement
of HCBs such as density and water absorption remain within the acceptable limits of
Ethiopian standard. Therefore, further investigation should be made for more percentage
of marble waste replacement.
Description
Keywords
Compressive strength, Hollow concrete block, Load bearing, Marble waste, Non- load bearing