Performance evaluation of concrete developed using various types of wastewater: A step towards sustainability

This study has strived to explore the mechanical and durability performance of concrete developed using various types of wastewater. Five different types of wastewater including textile factory wastewater, fertilizer factory wastewater, domestic sewerage wastewater, service station wastewater, and sugar factory wastewater were used in the mixing of concrete and the testing results were compared with that of the concrete developed using portable water. Two mechanical properties (compressive strength and split tensile strength) and three durability properties of concrete (water absorption, sulfuric acid attack, and chloride penetration) at different ages were studied for each type of wastewater. The testing results indicated that the use of textile factory wastewater in the development of concrete presented the highest compressive strength (42.9 MPa) and split tensile strength (4.05 MPa) that were 119.49% and 116.29% of that of the concrete developed using portable water. The highest water absorption capacity was observed for the concrete mix developed using domestic sewerage wastewater that was about 120.65% compared with that of water absorption of concrete developed using portable water at 90 days. Similarly, the use of fertilizer factory wastewater in the development of concrete presented the highest percentage of mass loss due to attack of 4% H2SO4 solution (18.69% at the age of 120 days) and the highest chloride penetration (15.71 mm at the age of 28 days) that were 124.93% and 122.78% of that of the concrete developed using portable water. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test at the 5% significance level portrayed a significant difference between the compressive strengths of concrete mixes while no significant difference for the split tensile strengths, water absorption, acid attack, and chloride penetration was observed for the concrete mixes developed using various types of wastewater. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.