Design and properties of cement coating with mussel shell fine aggregate

The production of farmed mussels amounts to millions of tonnes across over 40 countries. Shell waste resulting from this production has a very significant environmental impact. In Galicia, mussel shell waste is transformed, using low impact heat treatment, into a by-product that can be used as an aggregate. This research investigates cement-coating mortars where conventional aggregate is partially replaced with mussel shell aggregate. Reference mortars and mortars with mussel shell sand replacing conventional sand at different rates: 25%, 50% and 75% have been tested. Results show the feasibility of mussel shell in cement coatings at an optimal replacement rate of 25% of the conventional aggregate. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.