New construction material from concrete production and demolition wastes and lime production waste

New construction materials were developed and patented in Brazil, based on concrete production and demolition wastes mixed with lime production waste. The main objective of this research is to utilize these two types of industrial wastes on as large a scale as possible as a new raw materials for the production of concrete. The lime waste is characterized by a high content of SiO2, Al2O3, CaCO3 and other elements. After 90 days of aging in open air, the water absorption value of the sample mixtures was 12% and the uniaxial compression strength reached up to 33 MPa, with an average of 29 MPa. XRD and SEM analyses of the compositions reveal various reasons for the material's increased strength, including transformation of the initial mineral mixture (lime and Portlandite) into calcium, magnesium and amorphous ferrous and crystalline carbonates (Calcite, Dolomite and Ancerite), and chemical interactions of the concrete waste with the lime component, which led to the growth of new amorphous and crystalline calcium hydrosilicates such as Tobermorite, Afwillite and the CSH mineral group. Although this research does not include an economic feasibility study, the zero cost of these novel raw materials for concrete is self-explanatory. However, the main advantage expected from these materials is the environmental conservation they afford, represented by the use of concrete production and demolition wastes and lime production waste. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.