Effects of marble powder on the properties of the air-cured blended cement paste

The objective of the research is to investigate the effect of the partial replacement of ordinary Portland cement (PC) with waste marble powder (MP) on the physical and mechanical properties of air-cured blended cement paste at the temperature of 22 +/- 2 degrees C and relative humidity about 20%. For this purpose, the MP was added to the cement paste to replace up to 15% of the cement's weight. Waste MP was extracted as the byproduct from the production of marble in an aggregate quarry in Algeria. The most relevant physical and chemical properties of ordinary PC and MP were determined. The standard consistency, setting time, apparent density, compressive strength and porosity were studied using the methanol exchange method at 3, 7, 28 and 65 days. The results of this study indicate that the partial replacement of ordinary PC with MP affects the physical and mechanical properties of air-cured blended cement paste. Finally, detailed microstructural analysis using scanning electron microscopy was performed to confirm the obtained macroscopic properties. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.