Properties and performances of concrete tiles containing waste fired clay materials

Abstract

Industrial waste fired clay materials, which are good pozzolans, can be used in place of cement in the manufacture of precast concrete products. This paper analyzes the use of industrial waste fired clay as pozzolanic materials for the manufacture of concrete roofing tiles, exploring the microstructure and morphology of the resulting concrete and their impact on product properties and performance. All trials and measurements were taken on an industrial ceramic product subsequently used in a second industrial process to manufacture concrete tiles, which were found to meet market standards. Porosity was observed to be greater in the waste fired clay product in only one trial, while the proportion of pores with larger diameters was found to decline. The microstructural studies revealed the existence of pozzolanic reaction products and an incomplete cement reaction, as in the control specimens, due to the processing conditions. This effect caused an increase in flexural strength after 28 days. © 2007 The American Ceramic Society.