Using waste materials and by-products to produce concrete paving blocks

Using by-product and waste materials, such as ground granulated blast furnace (GGBS), cement by-pass dust (BPD), run-of-station ash (ROSA), basic oxygen slag (BOS), plasterboard gypsum (PG), incinerator bottom ash aggregate (IBAA), recycle crushed glass (RCG), recycled concrete aggregate (RCA), recycled bricks (RB), steel fibre (SF) and PVA-Fibre for the production of environmentally friendly paving blocks is explored. The combinations of binary and ternary cementitious blends in different mixes are considered. Paving blocks were tested for split tensile strength at 14 and 28 days, slip/skid resistance (BPN), weathering resistance and density were also measured on some selected mixes. The tests results confirmed that a concrete paving mix containing 6.3% GGBS, 0.7%, BPD and 7.0% OPC by weight can decrease Portland cement content by 30% in comparison to the percentage currently being used in most factories, without having a substantial impact on the strength or durability of the paving blocks produced in accordance with BS EN 1338:2003.