Compressive strength and resistance to chloride penetration of mortars using ceramic waste as fine aggregate

This paper presents the results of experimental investigation on compressive strength and resistance to chloride ion penetration of mortars made of ceramic waste as fine aggregate. The ceramic waste of electrical insulators provided from an electric power company in Japan has been crushed and ground to produce fine aggregates for mortars in this study. In the process of crushing and grounding, ceramic powder is discharged as a by-product. The effects of mixing with the ceramic powder in mortars have been also investigated. Compression tests of mortars are conducted at 7, 28 and 91 days curing. Moreover, the resistance to chloride ion penetration of mortars has been determined by two methods: the spraying of a 0.1 N silver nitrate solution and the X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The compressive strength of mortar made of the ceramic waste aggregate increases and the resistance to chloride ion penetration is significantly higher in comparison with mortar made of the river sand. It is also confirmed that a partial replacement of cement by the ceramic powder up to 20% by weight is effective with respect to the compressive strength and the resistance to chloride ion penetration.

► No harmful influence with respect to the compressive strength of mortar using the ceramic waste was found.
► The pore size distribution of ceramic waste mortar decreased than that of river sand mortar.
► The ceramic waste mortar significantly resists to the chloride ingress in comparison with the river sand mortar.