Micromechanical characterization and modeling of cement pastes containing waste marble powder

A comprehensive study consisting of a microstructure investigation, nanoindentation, and micro mechanical modeling was performed to identify phases and assess their impact on macroscopic properties of cement pastes containing waste marble powder. The proposed model, built on the Mori-Tanaka scheme, was used to estimate the effective Young's modulus and compressive strength at a low computational cost. After model validation, the effects of an interfacial transition zone (ITZ) and increased porosity of marble powder rich-pastes were quantified. The study revealed a fundamental role of the ITZ formed around stiff marble powder inclusions, responsible for performance deterioration. These findings indicate that elimination of the ITZ and reduction of porosity would considerably enhance the strength of cement-based materials containing waste marble powder. As a consequence, larger amounts of waste marble could be incorporated as a cement replacement without sacrificing structural performance. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.