REPLACEMENT OF CERAMICTILE WASTE AS COARSE AGGREGATE AND GGBS AS CEMENT IN THE PREPARATION OF SELF COMPACTING CONCRETE

Abstract

Concrete remains the backbone of modern infrastructure development, but its extensive use has raised significant concerns regarding the depletion of natural resources, environmental degradation, and the rising carbon footprint associated with cement production. To address these issues, researchers are increasingly focused on incorporating industrial and construction wastes into concrete, thereby creating environmentally sustainable alternatives without compromising performance. The present study investigates the development of sustainable self-compacting concrete (SCC) through the combined use of ceramic tile waste, ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), and waste rubber particles. Ceramic tile waste, which is abundantly available from construction and demolition activities, is utilized as a replacement for natural coarse aggregates. This not only mitigates the issue of landfill accumulation but also reduces quarrying of natural stone aggregates, thereby preserving finite geological resources. GGBS, a by-product of the steel industry, is employed as a cement replacement material to improve durability, enhance workability, and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to Portland cement production. Additionally, rubber particles derived from waste tires are incorporated to enhance toughness, ductility, crack resistance, and impact absorption in the resulting concrete. The combination of these three sustainable materials provides a novel approach to addressing pressing challenges in the construction industry, including waste disposal, reduction of embodied energy, and environmental sustainability. Experimental observations indicate that SCC with ceramic aggregates, GGBS, and rubber not only maintains self-compacting properties such as filling ability, passing ability, and segregation resistance, but also improves long-term strength and durability. Moreover, the resulting concrete is more resilient to sulphate and chloride attacks, offers superior toughness, and demonstrates reduced shrinkage cracking compared to conventional SCC. The study ultimately highlights the potential of this composite system to serve as a green construction material that meets both structural requirements and global sustainability objectives.