Performance of granite cutting waste concrete under adverse exposure conditions

• Durability characteristics of GCW concrete were studied in terms of resistance to carbonation, acid attack, sulphate attack, chloride ion penetration and TGA.
• The tests were carried out for w/c ratios of 0.3 and 0.4 for the specimens with GCW percentage replacement of 0%, 10%, 25%, 40%, 55% and 70% respectively.
• The study revealed the optimum GCW percentage replacement as 25%.

Granite cutting waste is becoming a serious concern as the amount of waste produced is reaching monstrous proportions, thus making it virtually impossible to ensure proper disposal. The large volume of waste generated is dumped on to the dumping grounds nearby factory location. This unattended waste poses serious environmental and health threats and is an alarming call to seek out methods of production which may utilize this waste and thus lead to a cleaner environment. The research study aims at assessing the durability characteristics of the concrete incorporating this waste as a partial replacement for fine aggregate. The aim of the paper is to present a comprehensive, detailed and systematic picture of performance of the concrete thus obtained under adverse exposure conditions in terms of response to carbonation attack, sulphate attack, chloride ion penetration, acid attack and elevated temperature with variable w/c ratios. The test results clearly showed that modified granite cutting waste substituted concrete exhibits enhanced resistance to carbonation, chloride ion penetration, acid attack and exposure to elevated temperature at optimum granite cutting waste replacement of 25%. No loss in weight was observed at all durations of exposure to MgSO4 solution. The specimen with 25% granite cutting waste replacement exhibited greater intensity and peak area for hydration products namely C–S–H and ettringite as compared to the control specimen.