Cork waste in cement based materials

•The great amount of fines required in SCC can partially be met by cork powder waste.•Cork powder use leads to adequate self compactability properties.•Use of cork powder in SCC leads to good strength level and suitable durability.•This work opens the possibility of using this waste as fines in lightweight SCC.

Cork is a natural material that has always been associated to mankind having huge potential and many uses. The cork industry worldwide consumes more than 280,000 t of cork a year. However, about 20% to 30% of the raw cork received at the processing units is rejected, mainly as cork dust. Finding useful applications for the rejected cork may have important economic and environmental implications. Trying to combine the advanced technology of self-compacting concrete and use of this waste from the cork industry, this study concerns the possibility of using cork powder as a substitute for fines in mixtures of self-compacting concrete. An experimental program was carried out to assess the behavior of this material in the mixture and define properties in terms of strength and durability of self-compacting concrete containing cork powder. It was found that it is possible to use an abundant waste material from the cork industry, cork powder, as fines in Self Compacting Concrete resulting in a good strength level (C 30/37) and suitable durability for common applications.

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