Effect of ceramic waste powder as a binder replacement on the properties of cement- and lime-based mortars

Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) is responsible for 8% of worldwide carbon emissions and the construction industry is in need of alternatives to minimise its impact. Waste products from foundries and furnaces are prime candidates as they can be high in reactive properties. This paper reports on the results of an experimental investigation into the effect of ceramic waste powder (CWP) as a binder substitute in cement and lime-based masonry mortars. As part of a comprehensive experimental investigation, standard cement and lime specimens were made with replacement rates of 0-60% and 0-80%, respectively, and moist cured for up to 90 days. The examined properties include compressive strength, tensile strength, dry bulk density and permeable voids, drying shrinkage, and pH. Based on the obtained results, the compressive and tensile strengths of cement mortars containing CWP not only experienced no significant adverse effect up to 50% replacement, but also increased at the substitution percentages of 10-20%. For the hydrated lime mortars, the compressive and tensile strengths were continuously enhanced up to 70% replacement of lime with CWP. These results were supported by the outcomes of the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. These findings can introduce a useful application of CWP as a sustainable binder replacement in construction leading to reducing the carbon footprint of construction materials and the adverse environmental impact of CWP disposal in landfills.