The Use of Waste Glass for Cement Production

Abstract

The vast body of research conducted so far has focused on the use of waste glass as a partial replacement for cement or aggregate in the production of materials with cement matrix. This paper presents an alternative method of using glass waste for cement production. Grinding of previously burnt Portland clinker with glass cullet in green and white colours was used. The glass cullet was ground with Portland clinker in proportions of: 92.5% clinker and 7.5% green and white glass, 85% clinker and 15% green and white glass. Furthermore, pure cement was mixed with green and white glass fragmented in the disintegrator with the same proportions. This allowed for obtaining 8 series of cements (4 series with green glass and 4 series with white glass) and pure cement without waste glass. The compressive strength tests conducted after 2, 7 and 28 days made it possible to analyse the effect of the quantity and colour of waste glass and the method of its application (grinding with Portland clinker, mixing glass with pure cement) on the mechanical parameters of standard mortars. The highest mean compressive strength values after 2, 7 and 28 days were obtained for mortars made of cement coming from grinding of Portland clinker with 15% white glass. Furthermore, the following examinations were conducted: the beginning of the setting time and the degree of grinding of cements.