Effect of Limestone Filler and Waste Ceramic Tile Aggregates on the Workability of Self-Compacting Concrete

Abstract

Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC) is an innovative concrete which has been adopted rapidly in the construction industry nowadays due to the evolution of the architectural and modern structures. Recently, there has been ongoing research on the formulation of SCC and determination of its properties in the fresh and hardened states. SCC meets the three constraints in the implementation of a project: cost reduction, reduction of construction time and attainment of quality and durability of the concrete. Compared to Traditional Concrete, the specifications of Self-Compacting Concrete require high proportions of cement and this is neither economical nor environmentally friendly. Furthermore, the demand for coarse aggregate increases with increasing demand for new structures. This is a significant environmental challenge to overcome. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of the limestone filler (LF) and waste ceramic tile aggregates (WCTA) in Eco-Self-Compacting Concrete (Eco-SCC) in terms of workability, compressive strength, cost saving and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Limestone filler was used to substitute the cement at rates of 0 %, 10 %, 15 %, 20 % and 25 % whereas the waste ceramic tile aggregates was used to replace the natural coarse aggregate at the rates of 0 %, 25 %, 50 %, 75 % and 100 %. The mix design adopted for this study was the Formulation and Rheology of Eco-Self-Compacting Concrete developed at the University of Tlemcen, Algeria. The physical and chemical characteristics of the materials, the saturation dosage of the superplasticizer (Sika Viscocrete 3088), the compactness of the dry mixtures of aggregates, the filling ability, the V-funnel flow time, the passing ability, the resistance to segregation, the compressive strength, cost-effective analysis and impact in the environment were evaluated. The results show that the substitution of the limestone filler (Category B as per EN 206/CN) does not have effect on the saturation dosage of the superplasticizer. Moreover, the limestone filler improved the workability in the fresh state of Eco-SCC with an optimum of 20 % whereas the waste ceramic tile aggregate improved the compressive strength in the hardened state of Eco-SCC with an optimum of 25 % replacement. Furthermore, this Green Concrete using 20 % limestone filler and 0 % coarse aggregate is suitable for the production of sustainable medium strength structures, with 25.24 % carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions reduction and 17.66 % decrease in initial cost of the concrete.