Sustainability and mechanical property assessment of concrete incorporating eggshell powder and silica fume as binary and ternary cementitious materials

Abstract

Cement production emits a significant carbon dioxide (CO₂) gas, dramatically influencing the environment. Furthermore, a large amount of energy is consumed during the cement manufacturing process; since Pakistan is already facing an energy crisis, this high energy consumption by the cement industry puts further stress on Pakistan's energy sector. Hence, the price of cement is rising day by day. Furthermore, waste disposals and concrete ingredients' restoration after demolition have adversative effects on the environment. Therefore, using these wastes decreases cement manufacturing, thereby reducing energy consumption, but it also aids in safeguarding the environment. The study aimed to determine the concrete properties by partially replacing cement with only eggshell powder (ESP) and combining ESP and silica fume (SF) in a ternary binder system in the mixture. However, workability, water absorption, compressive strength, split tensile strength, and flexural strength were all investigated in this study. In this experimental study, cement was replaced as 5, 8, 11, 15, and 20% of ESP, along with 5, 10, and 15% of silica by weight of cement in concrete. Approximately 21 mixes were prepared, from which 01 control mix, 05 mixes of ESP alone, and 15 mixes designed with a blend of ESP and SF with a 1:1.25:3 mix ratio and 0.5 water-cement ratios. Study parameters advocate the substitution of 11% ESP and 10% SF as the optimal option for maximum strength. Furthermore, combining ESP and SF diminishes the composite concrete mixture's workability and dry density greatly.

Keywords: Binary and ternary cementitious materials; Eco-strength efficiency; Eggshell powder; Embodied carbon; Environmental pollution; Silica fume; Sustainability; Ternary binders.