Performance Evaluation of Engineering Properties, Radiation Shielding, and Sustainability of Hollow Masonry Blocks Produced Using a High Volume of Industrial By-Products

Masonry blocks are extremely popular for a wide range of masonry structures around the world. However, the ever-increasing cost of materials and overexploitation of natural resources in the production of blocks pose grave environmental concerns. Three waste materials and industrial by-products from the palm oil and steel industries, namely, palm oil clinker powder (POCP), palm oil clinker (POC), and steel slag sand (SSS), have been utilized to replace cement, coarse aggregate, and fine aggregate in the development of hollow masonry blocks (HMBs). Further, the hardened properties on HMBs such as density, water absorption, and compressive and flexural strengths were investigated. The results indicate that the use of 30% POCP, 50% POC, and 75% SSS, respectively, as the replacement materials for cement, coarse aggregate, and fine aggregate in HMBs produced acceptable engineering and radiation shielding performance. A reduction in CO2 and cost could be envisaged based on the environmental and economic indexes. (C) 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.

Automated summary

Masonry blocks are widely used globally, but the increasing cost of production materials and overexploitation of natural resources raise environmental concerns. By utilizing waste materials and industrial by-products, acceptable engineering performance can be achieved in the development of masonry blocks.