ABSTRACT
The red-clay waste (RCW) derives from blocks and bricks in their production process and also in the construction industry, when these materials are used in vertical walls. When originated in the production process, the RCW presents a lower degree of impurities, while when originated from construction sites, it contains a greater degree of impurities due to being stored with other residues before its disposal. According to the Brazilian Environmental Council (CONAMA) in its Resolution 307, RCW requires a proper disposal to avoid environmental impacts. The reactive capability of RCW and lime qualifies it to be used as a mineral admixture in Portland cement composition thus avoiding its disposal in landfills for construction waste. The viability of RCW incorporation in Portland cement requires analyses, such as studies of its compressive strength, and moreover of its performance when the hydrated paste is under physical and chemical deleterious interactions. This paper aims to evaluate the influence of milled RCW in Portland cement's composition, emphasizing two properties related to concrete's durability: its resistance to alkali-silica reaction (ASR) and its resistance to sodium sulfate attack. Therefore, CP V - ARI cement mortars (to be used as reference) and compositions of 10% replacement in cement mass by limestone filler or RCW, in three different fineness, were evaluated for ASR, according to NBR 15.577-5/2008, and for their expansion due to the sodium sulfate attack, according to NBR 13.583/2014. Although, the exposure time was extended aiming a more careful assessment of their degradation. Results showed that RCW increased the expansion caused by ASR, and, in most cases, also increased the expansion due to sodium sulfate attack. On the other hand, a higher comminution of RCW tends to improve the performance of the cementitious matrix when submitted to deleterious action, that is, a greater fineness of RCW has a positive impact on the material behavior under degradation. The limestone filler did not influence the result of expansion by ASR, but caused a reduction of the expansion induced by sodium sulfate attack. The analysis of the extended exposure time (66 days for ASR tests and 210 days for sulfate attack tests) showed that RCW milled for 1.5 hours might potentially be used as a mineral admixture in the binder material's composition, tending to show a similar performance to Portland cement matrix under sodium sulfate attack. Regarding the RAS, and increase in the comminution of RCW milled for 1.5 hours is required to make its particle size distribution similar to the cement's, which tends to enhance the mitigation capacity of this mineral admixture
Keywords:
Sulfate attack; alkali-silica reactivity; pozzolanic activity; Portland cement; concrete
