Investigation of Ceramic Tile Waste as Partial Replacement of Cement in concrete

Abstract

The construction industry's rapid growth coupled with increasing environmental concerns and necessitates sustainable practices. The study investigates grinded ceramic tile wastes as a partial replacement for cement for C-30 concrete grade having an aim to feel material scarcity and enhance sustainability in the construction industry. After the concrete ingredients test, mix design of C-30 concrete grade was prepared and concrete cube specimen with 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30% of ceramic tile wastes in place of cement were casted, cured and tested for compressive and flexural strength. The experimental test results have revealed, an increase in the proportion of grinded ceramic tile waste in concrete production decreases workability. In terms of strength, both compressive and flexural strengths initially increased with ceramic tile waste, peaking at 10% replacement with a compressive strength of 40.26 MPa and a flexural strength of 4.31 MPa at 28 days. Beyond 10%, both strengths declined indicating that while moderate ceramic waste enhances concrete strength but excessive replacement negatively impacts performance. And the cost analysis revealed that incorporating ceramic waste significantly reduces the cement cost. It can therefore be concluded that in areas where cement scarcity or high costs are prevalent, the partial replacement of cement with grinded ceramic tile waste in concrete is a viable and sustainable alternative. The use of ceramic waste at optimal levels can improve strength properties and offers significant cost advantages while contributing to waste management and reducing the environmental impact of construction activities.