Change of fatigue and mechanical fracture properties of a cement composite due to partial replacement of aggregate by red ceramic waste

Abstract

Fine-grained cement-based composites used in civil engineering and construction industry are usually made of cement-based matrix and natural aggregate (such as sand, gravel, crushed stone, etc.). Red ceramic waste aggregate is considered as a perspective replacement of a part of natural aggregate in modern environmentally oriented building materials. Fine-grained cement composite with natural aggregate partially replaced by ceramic waste aggregate usually show different mechanical fracture characteristics from ordinary fine-grained concrete. The specimens were tested at six different ages. This was the reason for conducting the research programme. Altogether, 6 fine-grained cement mixtures with various proportions of natural and red ceramic waste aggregate were prepared. The aim of this paper is to present and compare mechanical fracture properties obtained from static and fatigue tests. Bulk density, flexural and compressive cube strength, fracture toughness and fatigue properties (S-N - Wöhler curve) were of special interest. All of these tests are important for a practical application of concrete with ceramic aggregate for structures. All the results were statistically analysed and they showed that the fatigue and mechanical fracture properties were improved or at least kept up with the increasing levels of red ceramic waste aggregate. Environmental impact of application in construction industry of composites in question is discussed.