See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/245308922

Recycled Red-Clay Ceramic Construction and Demolition Waste for Mortars

Production

Article  in  Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering · March 2010

DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)0899-1561(2010)22:3(236)

CITATIONS READS

69 442

3 authors:

João Silva Jorge de Brito

National Laboratory for Civil Engineering University of Lisbon
25 PUBLICATIONS   256 CITATIONS    1,445 PUBLICATIONS   16,616 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Maria Do Rosário Veiga

National Laboratory for Civil Engineering
304 PUBLICATIONS   2,519 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

P2I “REuSE - Revestimentos para Reabilitação: Segurança e Sustentabilidade” View project

Use of industrial waste in concrete View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Jorge de Brito on 18 June 2015.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 Manuscript MT/2008/023591

Recycled red-clay ceramic construction and demolition waste for mortars

production

J. Silva1, J. de Brito 2 and R. Veiga 3

2
DECivil-IST, Technical University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001, Lisbon, Portugal

Abstract: Recycled aggregates may make an important contribution towards decreasing the

adverse consequences of the production and dumping of construction and demolition waste

on the environment. The results of experimental research work carried out at Lisbon’s Insti-

tuto Superior Técnico (IST) and Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil (LNEC) are pre-

sented in this article. Normalized laboratory tests to assess the performance of standard mor-

tars were used to demonstrate the technical feasibility of recycling the waste produced by the

ceramics industry and from the demolition of red clay bricks or tiles to produce mortars with

less / no consumption of natural aggregates. Results are very promising up to a replacement

ratio of sand with ceramic waste of at least 20%. The paper presents useful data for the ce-

ramics industry, builders and mortar manufacturing companies in terms of minimizing the

impact of Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) and using eco-efficient materials.

Keywords: Recycled aggregates, Mortars, Ceramic bricks, Sustainable materials.

1
Master in Construction, IST - Technical University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001, Lisbon,
Portugal, e-mail: jonisilva@gmail.com
2
Full Professor, Head of ICIST, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Section of Con-
struction, IST - Technical University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001, Lisbon, Portugal, e-
mail: jb@civil.ist.utl.pt, Phone: (351) 218419709; Fax: (351) 21 8497650), Corresponding author
3
Senior Researcher, Department of Buildings, LNEC - National Laboratory of Civil Engineering, Av.
do Brasil 101, 1700-066, Lisbon, Portugal, e-mail: rveiga@lnec.pt

1
CE Database Subject Headings: Mortars, recycling, waste utilization, bricks, sustainable

development, renewable resources.

2
INTRODUCTION

The technical, environmental and economic advantages of recycling construction and

demolition waste (CDW) as aggregates for the production of mortars are: use of the waste at

the building site (eliminating transportation costs and energy consumption); saving raw mate-

rials by replacing conventional materials with waste; lessening pollution caused by waste

accumulation; preservation of the natural reserves of raw materials (Nehdi & Khan 2004).

The addition of red-clay brick powder may also have some drawbacks, however.

These include its natural porosity, excessive water absorption due to the dehydration it is sub-

jected to during its production (mostly from baking), and the fact that clays abundant in this

material may lead to increased shrinkage of the mortars made with it (Lee 2005). Other prac-

tical problems, such as removing the mortar from old bricks before crushing them may also

arise.

The Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), the main engineering university in Lisbon, Por-

tugal, has been working on a wide range of experimental projects in the field of construction

and demolition waste recycling. One outcome of this work is a Master’s dissertation in con-

struction, entitled “Incorporation of red-clay waste in cementitious mortars” (Silva 2006),

some of whose main experimental results are analyzed in this article.

Recycled aggregates for mortars may be obtained from waste from the ceramics in-

dustry and from pre-selected masonry waste (bricks and tiles), as in the present study, or from

other masonry materials, demolished concrete or mortar elements. The resulting aggregate to

be recycled may be stone, ceramic (the case under study), a mixture of both, or a mix of ce-

ment-based and ceramic elements with debris such as wood, plastics, glass, etc.

The recycled aggregates themselves may correspond only to the coarse portion, the

fine portion (the case under study), or both. Finally, the replacement of natural aggregates by

recycled aggregates can be total or partial.

3
 The performance of the mortar (or concrete) made with recycled aggregates also has

to be ascertained. For this purpose several properties must be analyzed, depending on the

intended use of the mortar.

In this study the objective was to produce plastering mortars, hence the relevant prop-

erties considered were: in the fresh state, workability and water retention; after hardening,

flexural and compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, shrinkage, adhesion to the substrate,

water vapor permeability, water absorption and resistance to climatic actions.

An experimental research project in which some fractions of natural aggregates were

replaced by recycled ceramic aggregates is reported here. This paper presents a procedure for

reusing waste produced by the ceramics industry or by demolishing red-clay brick buildings,

i.e. construction and demolition waste (CDW) such as solid, hollow or vaulted bricks that

have been selected and crushed. A study incorporating red-clay waste in cementitious mortars

intended to be used as plasters is presented, aiming at complete recycling while simultaneous-

ly maintaining an acceptable performance quality of the final product.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Not many studies have been published on the use of fine recycled aggregates from

CDW in the production of mortars, unlike similar research on concrete production.

Miranda & Selmo (1999) state that this incorporation frequently leads to cracking and

slumping problems, possibly due to lack of a rational control of the mortars’ composition,

with a serious fluctuation in parameters such as water absorption, aggregate size distribution

and fines ratio.

Hendricks & Pietersen (1998) conclude that the greater water demand in the mortars

with recycled aggregates (MRA), a trend confirmed by Miranda & Selmo (1999), is due to

greater angularity of the crushed material. However, as various researchers have concluded in

4
connection with concrete with recycled aggregates (CRA), Desmyter et al. (1999) stress the

need to distinguish between the total and effective water/ cement ratio in MRA, in which the

second results from the first by discounting the excess water absorbed by the recycled aggre-

gates due to their higher porosity.

Again like CRA, Knights (1998) concluded that the workability of MRA exhibits a

clear diminishing trend compared with conventional mortars, especially for significant re-

placement ratios of natural with recycled aggregates.

Both Miranda & Selmo (1999) and Levy & Helene (1997) report greater water reten-

tion in MRA with ceramic aggregates than with MRA with aggregates from mortars and con-

crete.

In terms of bulk density, MRA present lower values than conventional mortars due to

the greater porosity of the recycled aggregates. According to Miranda & Selmo (1999), MRA

with ceramic aggregates present values lower than those of MRA with aggregates from con-

crete but higher than those of MRA with aggregates from mortars. Levy & Helene (1997), on

the other hand, position MRA with ceramic values at the top of MRA in terms of bulk densi-

ty.

Kikuchi et al. (1998) explain the increased shrinkage in MRA compared with conventional

mortars by the higher water demand. Mellman et al. (1999) add the following parameters as

being influential in the shrinkage of MRA: aggregate bulk density; porosity of the adhering

mortar, and level of saturation. Kikuchi et al. (1998) further report a 40% increase in the

shrinkage of MRA when natural aggregates are totally replaced by ceramic aggregates, com-

pared with a reference mortar without recycled aggregates, but also a lower shrinkage of

MRA with this type of ceramic aggregates at the initial stages.

Dillman (1998) reports that the compressive strength of MRA is negatively affected

by the quality of the recycled aggregate, the replacement ratio, the cement content, and the

5
water/cement ratio. Amorim et al. (2003) and Levy & Helene (1997), the latter also testing

flexural strength, agree on the higher levels of this parameter achieved by MRA with ceramic

aggregates compared with MRA with recycled aggregates from other CDW materials.

Corinaldesi et al. (2000) corroborate this trend with emphasis on the 28 to 70-day period.

According to Mellman et al. (1999) the modulus of elasticity in MRA is lower than for con-

ventional mortars, especially if the recycled aggregates are ceramic (up to 30% lower).

Studies on the durability of MRA are very rare; Miranda & Selmo (1999) describe a growing

tendency to cracking; O’Farrell et al. (1999) report a positive influence of adding ceramic

aggregates in terms of sulphate performance, and other preliminary studies dwell on the posi-

tive influence of metacaulin and burnt clay and wet curing on durability.

This review shows that studies on MRA’s performance are scarce, especially in terms

of durability. The experimental research presented below aims at clarifying some of the

points on which there is no consensus.

SEQUENCE OF TESTING

The advantages and drawbacks of this application were tested in the laboratory by

analyzing the performance of mortars containing different replacement ratios of natural sand

with red-clay waste. The powder was obtained by crushing defective bricks produced in a

ceramics factory in order to simulate the use of CDW from unknown origin. The performance

of modified mortars relative to a conventional cement and sand mortar was determined. The

experimental analysis was divided into two stages. In stage one the main characteristics of a

wide range of mortars with different ratios of replacement of sand by brick waste were briefly

studied; the second stage used those results to study the mortars and replacement ratios that

showed most promising performances in greater detail.

6
MATERIALS

The characteristics of the materials used are summarized in Tables 1 and 2.

The mortars which incorporated brick waste instead of sand presented the same grad-

ing curve as the conventional mortar (with sand only) and so the influence of this parameter

on the results obtained could be eliminated. This replacement was as follows:

• 0% replacement - volumetric proportion 1:4 (cement: siliceous sand aggregate) -

III(0) - reference mortar;

• 20% replacement - 1:4 (cement: siliceous sand and brick waste aggregate) - III(20);

• 50% replacement - 1:4 - III(50);

• 100% replacement - 1:4 - III(100).

METHODS, RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

First stage

Tests performed at this stage aimed at selecting the mortars that complied with the

requirements for plastering mortars.

Consistency of fresh mortar

This test defined the amount of water needed by each mortar to obtain an adequate

plasticity for application on site.

The test was performed by the flow table method, according to European Norm EN

1015-3 (1999). The norm indicates that the adequate consistency for rendering mortars is 175

mm ± 10 mm (6.89 in ± 0.39 in), which was taken as the target in terms of water quantity for

each mortar. The results are presented in Table 3.

The results obtained confirmed the conclusions of several authors - Hendricks & Pe-

tersen (1998), Desmyter et al. (1999), Fumoto & Yamada (2004), and Miranda & Selmo

7
(1999) - showing that the larger the incorporation of brick waste the more mixing water

needed.

Bulk density of fresh mortar

This test was performed by weighing a known volume of fresh mortar, according to

European Norm EN 1015-6 (1998). The results are presented in Figure 1. Their variability (as

measured by the standard deviation) was always small, even though it was higher for the

mortars with recycled aggregates.

Bulk density substantially decreased, almost linearly, as the primary aggregate (sand)

was replaced with brick waste. This was because the bulk density of the brick waste is gener-

ally lower than that of sand.

The value of the bulk density of the various mortars was divided by the value of the

reference mortar and the results compared with those of Evangelista & de Brito (2005) and of

Rosa (2002). Figure 2 clearly shows a decrease of the bulk density as the conventional aggre-

gates are replaced with recycled, in every instance.

It can be concluded that the addition of ceramic recycled aggregates caused a more

significant decrease of bulk density than the addition of other types of recycled aggregates. In

terms of concrete this trend was more influential on the bulk density than the difference be-

tween coarse and fine aggregates. In every case there is an approximately linear relationship

between the replacement ratio and bulk density of fresh mortar.

These results showed that bulk densities decreased as conventional aggregates were

replaced with recycled ones. Furthermore, the degree of this shift greatly depended on the

type of recycled aggregate used, particularly on its density.

8
Dry bulk density of hardened mortar

This test was performed in accordance with European Norm EN 1015-10 (1999). It

consisted of measuring the mass of mortar prisms 40 mm x 40 mm x 160 mm (1.57 in x 1.57

in x 6.30 in) and dividing it by their volume. A sample of 3 specimens previously subjected

to a curing period of 28 days was used for each mortar. Results are presented in Figure 3.

Even though variability was higher for the mortars with recycled aggregates such variability

was always small.

These results show that the hardened mortars’ dry bulk density decreases as sand was

replaced with brick waste. As for fresh mortar, the reason is the lower density of the brick

recycled aggregates compared with that of sand.

Flexural and compressive strength of hardened mortar

This test was performed according to European Norm EN 1015-11 (1999) by applying

an increasing force in the mid span of a prism of mortar measuring 40 mm x 40 mm x 160

mm (1.57 in x 1.57 in x 6.30 in). Three specimens of each type of mortar that had previously

been subjected to a 28 day curing period were used. Results are presented in Figure 4. Their

variability is normal for mortars and shows no visible trend in terms of the addition of recy-

cled aggregates.

Flexural and compressive strength both increased for replacement ratios of sand with

brick waste up to around 20 to 40%, respectively. For higher replacement ratios, both param-

eters decreased.

This decrease agrees with the available literature, such as Dillman (1998), who reports

that the addition of recycled aggregate can negatively influence compressive strength. The

initial increase, on the other hand, may be due to the combination of some degree of poz-

zolanic effect (Akman 1992; Malolepszy & Pytel 2000) of these ceramic fines with a filler

9
effect (Kasami 2001), even though the amount of ceramic fines added is only slightly higher

than the one in the replaced sand.

In fact, ceramic waste may have some pozzolanic reactivity, almost certainly in the

case of fines, but also possibly for ceramic aggregates over 0.150 mm (5.9 x 10-3 in). It is

well known that Roman mortars, for example, contained rather coarse aggregates with poz-

zolanic reactions (Velosa & Veiga 2003).

It is also possible that other chemical (besides pozzolanicity) and physical (adsorption,

shape, roughness) reactions between the materials may contribute to this increase of strength.

For flexural strength, for example, a nailing effect of the cement paste to the recycled aggre-

gates (due to their greater porosity and angularity) is a plausible explanation.

When they replaced natural sand with fine recycled concrete aggregates to produce

concrete Evangelista & de Brito (2005) obtained similar results, i.e. a positive evolution for

low replacement ratios and afterwards a negative trend. A possible explanation is the hydra-

tion of cement from the recycled concrete fines that had previously been anhydrated (when

the original concrete was produced), which of course does not apply in the present case.

It is finally concluded that mortar III(100) showed poor characteristics, exhibiting lower

strength than the reference mortar III(0).

The value of the strength (flexural and compressive) of the various mortars was divid-

ed by the respective value of the reference mortar and the results obtained were compared

with those of Evangelista & de Brito (2005) and of Rosa (2002).

Figure 5 shows that both Silva (2006) and Rosa (2002) derived a decreasing trend of

the flexural strength for certain replacement ratios (30 and 0%, respectively). But Evangelista

& de Brito obtained strength results very close to each other, both for low and high replace-

ment ratios.

As for compressive strength, the results in Figure 6 were generally similar to those

10
obtained for flexural strength. The slight differences concerned the replacement ratio thresh-

old after which the strength started to decrease (40 to 50% for Silva) and the fact that Rosa’s

results showed a more significant decreasing tendency.

Water absorption due to capillary action of hardened mortar

This test was performed according to European norm EN 1015-18 (2002), by the par-

tial immersion in water of the cut face of prisms originally measuring 40 mm x 40 mm x 160

mm (1.57 in x 1.57 in x 6.30 in), and periodical weighing. Three specimens (semi-prisms) of

each kind of mortar that had previously been subjected to a curing period of 28 days and lat-

erally waterproofed were used. Results are presented in Figure 7. Even though variability was

higher for the mortars with recycled aggregates, it was always small.

From these results it can be concluded that replacement of sand with brick waste

caused a decrease of water absorption by capillary action in the mortars studied up to values

of 20 to 30% replacement ratio. For higher values an approximately linear increasing trend

was observed.

The improved performance for water absorption for low replacement ratios may be

due to the combination of some degree of pozzolanic effect (Toledo 2001) of these ceramic

fines with a filler effect, as seen in the research programs of Nagataki et al. (2000) and Tamu-

ra et al. (2001). A nailing effect of the cement paste to the aggregates (due to their greater

porosity and angularity) is another plausible explanation, since the pores that would other-

wise contain water are occupied by cement paste.

As for the flexural and compressive strength and with the same possible explanation,

Evangelista & de Brito (2005) obtained similar results when they replaced sand with fine

recycled concrete aggregates to produce new concrete, i.e. a positive evolution for low re-

placement ratios and a negative evolution afterwards.

11
 The decay in terms of quality of performance after a certain threshold (20 to 30% re-

placement) seems to be due to an excessive quantity of recycled ceramic aggregates, which

absorb too much water and thus overcompensate the combination of the pozzolanic and filler

effects that prevails until then.

Nonetheless, it can be concluded that up to a 70% replacement ratio a more positive

(less absorption) performance was obtained for modified mortars than for the reference mor-

tar - III(0).

The value of the water absorption coefficient of the various mortars was divided by

the value for the reference mortar and the results compared with those of Evangelista & de

Brito (2005).

Figure 8 shows, for fine recycled concrete aggregates for concrete production, that

from a 30% replacement ratio upwards the increase in the water absorption coefficient due to

capillary action was overly high. However, it can be said that the global trend was similar for

mortar and concrete, i.e. the absorption decreases until around 20% replacement ratio and

then starts increasing.

Susceptibility to cracking

The expedient test performed allowed sufficient qualitative data to be collected to

detect that mortars may be liable to cracking. It consists of applying a 2 cm (0.79 in) mortar

layer to a ceramic brick and observing whether cracking occurs within a pre-determined peri-

od.

None of the mortars under test showed signs of cracking after 5 months observation.

Even though the area of application was small (just the larger face of a brick), if pre-

vious experience (Soeiro & Sá et al. 2004) is taken into account it can be concluded that none

of the modified mortar tested showed serious problems of potential cracking.

12
Dimensional instability (shrinkage)

The test was performed according to European Project-Norm prEN 1015-13 (1993) by

measuring periodically the length variation of prisms measuring 40 mm x 40 mm x 160 mm

(1.57 in x 1.57 in x 6.30 in). Three specimens (prisms) of each type of mortar were tested

immediately after demoulding. Results are presented in Figure 9. Even though variability was

higher for the mortars with recycled aggregates, it was always small, except for mortar

III(20), and there was no obvious reason for this.

It was concluded that the mortars with incorporation of recycled brick waste shrank

substantially more than the reference mortar that contained no recycled aggregates, III(0).

These results agree with various literature references, notably Kikuchi et al. (1998). However,

there was no substantial difference between the 3 mortars with recycled incorporation (20, 50

and 100%), with a relative increase compared with the reference mortar of 33 to 43% at 80

days.

The value of the dimensional variation of the various mortars after a pre-determined

period was divided by the respective value of the reference mortar and the results obtained

compared with those of Evangelista & de Brito (2005).

Figure 10 shows a trend for shrinkage to increase relative to the reference mortar

when recycled aggregates replace conventional ones. Contrary to the mortars, concrete with a

replacement ratio of fine recycled concrete aggregates below 30% does not show a clear ten-

dency for shrinkage to either increase or decrease. For that ratio there is a clear increase - less

pronounced for mortar with recycled ceramics - as the replacement increases.

Selection of mortars for the second stage

Following the analysis of the results obtained for mortars III(29, III(50) and III(100)

13
in the first stage, the mortar that most satisfactorily fulfilled the objectives was selected.

Mortar III(50), even though not maximizing the flexural strength (achieved by

III(20)), still presented a higher value than the reference mortar. As for compressive strength,

III(50) was very near the maximum value for all mortars.

In terms of water absorption due to capillary action, an “optimal” value occurred

around a 25% replacement ratio but the value for 50% was still lower than the reference mor-

tar (implying better performance from this point of view).

The shrinkage of the mortars with replacement of sand with waste did not vary much.

Therefore, and considering that one of the main goals of this experimental analysis is

recycling itself, the mortar chosen to be analyzed in further detail was III(50). Mortar III(20)

was left out since a replacement of 50% of all the sand, more recycling-prone, apparently

does not jeopardize the performance of the mortar as a plaster in comparison with the refer-

ence mortar. Mortar III(100) was also left out since total replacement yielded worse charac-

teristics than the reference mortar in every test, and some of the results were unacceptable for

a plastering mortar.

Second stage

This stage consisted of analyzing other important characteristics of the mortar chosen

after the first stage, III(50), to obtain more specific data about its performance.

Water retentivity of fresh mortar

This test was performed according to European Project-Norm prEN 1015-8 (1998), by

using filter paper to produce suction on the fresh mortar surface and measuring the retained

water. Three (fresh) specimens of each mortar were used. Results are presented in Table 4

(before ageing cycles).

14
 It is concluded that in terms of water retentivity the best performance (greatest value)

was achieved by the modified mortar III(50). This agrees with the results presented by Mi-

randa & Selmo (1999) and Levy & Helene (1997). Water retentivity is a very positive feature

since it avoids excessive loss of water due to suction of the background and improves hydra-

tion of the cement within the mortar since more water is retained.

Adhesive strength of hardened mortar

This test was performed according to European Norm EN 1015-12 (2000) by measur-

ing the force needed to separate the mortar from the background. Three specimens of each

mortar were applied to a brick’s face and cured for 28 days before being subjected to a pull-

off test. Results are presented in Table 5 (after ageing cycles).

The best performance in terms of this characteristic was also obtained for the modi-

fied mortar, probably for the same reasons as for the mechanical characteristics: a combina-

tion of pozzolanic effect of the ceramic fines plus a filler effect. Furthermore, the nailing ef-

fect due to pores being filled with cement paste instead of water may be very efficient in this

case.

Modulus of elasticity of hardened mortar

This test was performed according to French Norm NF B10-511F (1975), based on

the resonance frequency method. Three prismatic specimens of each mortar measuring 40

mm x 40 mm x 160 mm were cured for 28 days. Results are presented in Table 4.

The modulus of elasticity values obtained were substantially lower in the mortar with

partial replacement of sand with brick waste. After both 2 and 5 months mortar III(50)

showed a drop of around 40% in comparison with the reference mortar, III(0). The variability

of these results was negligible.

15
 These results agree with the conclusions drawn by Mellman et al. (1999) and Mansur

et al. (1999) in relation to the modulus of elasticity being lower for recycled aggregates than

for natural aggregates. These two references both report that the difference is more conspicu-

ous if the recycled aggregates derive from masonry, leading to a 10 to 30% decrease in the

corresponding mortar’s modulus of elasticity.

The reduction of the modulus of elasticity, if not excessive, is a favorable characteris-

tic for plastering mortars since it allows a better accommodation of stresses and reduces the

tendency to cracking.

The results of the same mortar type obtained at 2 and 5 months were very similar, show-

ing that this property does not seem to be sensitive to the mortar’s age after a certain period.

The value of the modulus of elasticity of the various mortars was divided by the re-

spective value of the reference mortar and the results obtained compared with those of Evan-

gelista & de Brito (2005).

Figure 11 shows that there was a clear trend in both studies for a proportional de-

crease of the modulus of elasticity when conventional aggregates were replaced with recycled

ones, a trend that is more conspicuous for recycled ceramics than for concrete aggregate, due

to the latter’s higher stiffness.

Water vapor permeability of hardened mortar

This test was performed in accordance with European Norm EN 1015-19 (1998),

based on producing a difference of pressure between the two faces of a specimen and measur-

ing the water vapor flow through it. Three specimens of each mortar were used. They con-

sisted of mortar disks 20 mm thick which had previously been cured for 60 days. Results are

presented in Table 4.

The water vapor permeability of the mortar with incorporation of recycled brick ag-

16
gregates was significantly better than that of the reference mortar, thus improving its perfor-

mance quality from this point of view, since this characteristic provides a more efficient dry-

ing of the water within the plaster, and it favors both the evaporation of the water infiltrated

in the walls and the exit of the water vapor produced inside the buildings.

Compatibility with substrates (ageing)

This test was performed based on European Norm EN 1015-21 (2002). Three speci-

mens of each mortar were used. They were applied to the face of 2 bricks, joined face-to-face

and cured for 3 weeks. The test consisted of subjecting the specimens to climatic cycles,

whose effects on water permeability and adhesive strength were assessed. A second test was

also performed, as seen in Table 4, before the artificial ageing of the specimens. Results are

presented in Table 5.

The (liquid and under pressure) water permeability of mortar III(50) was around 7%

lower than that of reference mortar III(0). Since a mortar should not be very permeable to

liquid water it can be said that mortar III(50) performs better.

The adhesive strength of mortar III(50) was around 18% higher than for the reference

mortar. This surpassed the expectations created by Silva et al. (1999) who reported that the

incorporation of recycled aggregates, which give mortars a more fluid consistency, also re-

duces their adhesive strength.

The adhesive strength increased with ageing (see Tables 4 and 5), which was possibly

related to the evolution of hydration during the moistening / drying cycles and the consequent

growth of etringite crystals or other constituents that form within the pores and improve the

bond.

17
CONCLUSIONS

The tests performed allowed conclusions to be drawn on the feasibility of replacing

fine natural aggregates (sand) with powder obtained from crushed red clay waste from a brick

factory. The comparison of a reference mortar without recycled aggregates and mortars with

replacement ratios of 20%, 50% and 100%, using exactly the same composition and aggre-

gate size distribution, allowed the following conclusions.

Based on the values of the various characteristics tested at the first stage (whose main

purpose was to calculate the maximum replacement ratio that would not jeopardize the mor-

tar’s performance), it was concluded that globally only mortar III(100) (total replacement of

sand with brick waste) performed worse than the reference mortar (without recycled aggre-

gates).

Mortar III(20) (20% replacement of sand with brick waste) generally performed better

than the reference mortar. Emphasis is given to flexural and compressive strength (around

12% higher) and the water permeability coefficient under capillary action (approximately

16% lower).

Mortar III(50) (50% replacement of sand with brick waste) also generally presented

positive characteristics and better performances than the reference mortar. The following

properties stand out: flexural, compressive and adhesive strength (8, 13 and 18% higher, re-

spectively); water permeability coefficient under capillary action (9% lower); water retentivi-

ty (9% higher): modulus of elasticity (40% lower); water vapor permeability coefficient (57%

higher); water permeability under pressure after ageing (6% lower), and adhesive strength

after ageing (18% higher). The only characteristic that presented a negative trend was dimen-

sional instability, for which a shrinkage value around 39% higher was obtained.

18
 The results clearly indicate the advantages of incorporating ceramic waste in render-

ing mortars, with the twin benefits of enabling their recycling and improving the plaster’s

performance.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The experimental work presented in this paper was performed in LNEC, the Portu-

guese National Laboratory of Civil Engineering in Lisbon, as part of a Master’s thesis pre-

pared within the Master’s in Construction course of the Department of Civil Engineering and

Architecture of the Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Lisbon. The authors also gratefully

acknowledge the support of the ICIST Research Institute of IST, Technical University of Lis-

bon and of FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology).

REFERENCES

Akman, M.; Mazlum, F.; Esenli, F (1992) “Comparative study of natural pozzolans used in

blended cement production”, SP-132, ACI (American Concrete Institute), Farmington

Hills, MI (USA), pp. 471-494.

Amorim, L.V.; Lira, H.L.; Ferreira, H.C. (2003) “Use of residential construction waste and

residues from red ceramic industry in alternative mortars”, ASCE (American Society of

Civil Engineers) Journal of Environmental Engineering, V. 129, No. 10, pp. 916-920.

Corinadelsi, V.; Giuggiolini, M.; Moriconi, G. (2000) “Use of rubble from building demoli-

tion in mortars”, Waste Management, V. 22, No. 8, pp. 893-899.

Desmyter, J.; Van Dessel; Blocksmans, S. (1999) “The use of recycled concrete and masonry

aggregates in concrete: improving the quality and purity of the aggregates”, Internation-

al symposium “Exploiting wastes in concrete”, University of Dundee, Scotland, Thom-

as Telford Books, pp. 139-150.

19
Dillman, R. (1998) “Concrete with recycled aggregate”, International symposium: “Use of

recycled concrete aggregate”, Concrete Technology Unit, University of Dundee, Scot-

land, Thomas Telford Books, pp. 239-253.

Evangelista, L.; de Brito, J. (2005) “Concrete with fine concrete recycled aggregates” (in

Portuguese), Report ICIST-DTC nº 5/05, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal.

Fumoto, T.; Yamada, M. (2004) “Influence of quality of powder on rheology of high-fluidity

concrete”, SP-221, ACI (American Concrete Institute), Farmington Hills, MI (USA),

pp. 367-380.

Hendricks, C.; Pietersen, H. (1998) “Concrete: durable, but also sustainable?”, International

symposium: “Use of recycled concrete aggregate”, Concrete Technology Unit, Univer-

sity of Dundee, Scotland, Thomas Telford Books, pp. 419-431.

Kasami, H; Hosino, M.; Arasima, T.; Tateyasiki, H. (2005) “Use of recycled concrete powder

in self-compacting concrete”, SP-200, ACI (American Concrete Institute), Farmington

Hills, MI (USA), pp. 381-398.

Kikuchi, M.; Miura, T.; Dosho, Y.; Narikawa, M. (1998) “Application of recycled aggregate

concrete for structural concrete. Part 1 - experimental study on the quality of recycled

aggregate and recycled aggregate concrete”, International symposium: “Use of recycled

concrete aggregate”, the Concrete Technology Unit, University of Dundee, Scotland,

Thomas Telford Books, pp. 55-68.

Knights, J. (1998) “Relative performance of high quality concretes containing recycled ag-

gregates and their use in construction”, International symposium: “Use of recycled con-

crete aggregate”, the Concrete Technology Unit, University of Dundee, Scotland,

Thomas Telford Books, pp. 275-286.

Lee, S.; Moon, H.; Swamy, R.; Kim, S.; Kim, J. (2005) “Sulphate attack of mortars contain-

ing recycled fine aggregates”, ACI (American Concrete Institute) Materials Journal, V.

20
 102, No. 4, pp. 224-230.

Levy, S.; Helene, P. (1997) “Advantages and disadvantages of mortars produced with con-

struction waste finely grinded” (in Portuguese), Technical Bulletin of Escola Politéc-

nica da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil, pp.43-48.

Malolepszy, J.; Pytel, Z. (2000) “Effect of metakaolinite on strength and chemical resistance

of cement mortars”, SP-192, ACI (American Concrete Institute), Farmington Hills, MI

(USA), pp. 189-204.

Mansur, M.; Wee, T., Lee, S. (1999) “Crushed bricks as coarse aggregate for concrete”, ACI

(American Concrete Institute) Materials Journal, V. 96, No. 4, pp. 478-484.

Mellman, G.; Meinhold, U.; Maultzsch, M. (1999) “Processed concrete rubble for the reuse

as aggregates”, International Symposium “Exploiting wastes in concrete”, University of

Dundee, Scotland, Thomas Telford Books, pp. 171-178.

Miranda, L.; Selmo, S. (1999) “Evaluation of the effect of recycled waste on the properties of

hardened mortars, by rational proportioning procedures” (in Portuguese), III Brazilian

Symposium of Mortars Technology (SBTA), Vitória (Brazil), pp. 583-594.

Nagataki, S.; Gokce, A.; Saeki, T. (2000) “Effects of recycled aggregate characteristics on

performance parameters of recycled aggregate concrete”, SP-192, ACI (American Con-

crete Institute), Farmington Hills, MI (USA), pp 53-72.

Nehdi, M.; Khan, A. (2004) “Protective system for buried infrastructure using recycled tire

rubber-filled cement mortars”, SP-219, ACI (American Concrete Institute), Farmington

Hills, MI (USA), pp. 99-114.

O’Farrell, M.; Wild, S.; Sabir, B.B. (2001) “Pore size distribution and compressive strength

of waste clay brick mortar”, Cement and Concrete Composites, V. 23, No. 1, pp. 81-91.

Rosa, A. (2002) “Use of coarse ceramic recycled aggregates in concrete production” (in Por-

tuguese), Masters in Construction Dissertation, Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical

21
 University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.

Silva, J. (2006) “Incorporation of red-brick waste in cementitious mortars” (in Portuguese),

Masters in Construction Dissertation, Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University

of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.

Silva, V.; Libório, J.; Silva, C. (1999) “Coating mortars using burnt clay pozzolan” (in Por-

tuguese), III Brazilian Symposium of Mortars Technology (SBTA), Vitória (Brazil), pp.

433-442.

Soeiro e Sá, A.; Veiga, R.; Branco, F. (2004) “Incorporation of marble sawing mud in cement

and sand mortars” (in Portuguese), A Pedra, No. 89, Lisbon, Portugal, pp. 52-59.

Tamura, H.; Nishio, A.; Ohashi, J.; lmamoto, K. (2001) “High quality recycled aggregate

concrete (HiRAC) processed by decompression and rapid release”, SP-200, ACI

(American Concrete Institute), Farmington Hills, MI (USA), pp. 491-502.

Toledo Filho, R.; Americano, B.; Fairbairn, E.; Rolim, J.; Filho, J. (2001) “Potential of

crushed waste burnt clay brick as a partial replacement for portland cement”, SP-202,

ACI (American Concrete Institute), Farmington Hills, MI (USA), pp. 147-160.

Velosa, A.; Veiga, R. (2003) “Performance of lime mortars with brick powder; influence of

the baking temperature of the bricks” (in Portuguese), 3rd Encore Meeting on Conserva-

tion and Rehabilitation of Buildings, National Laboratory of Civil Engineering (LNEC),

Lisbon, pp. 539-545.

STANDARDS USED IN THE EXPERIMENTAL WORK

EN 1015-3, European Standard (1999) “Methods of test for mortar for masonry - Part 3: De-

termination of consistence of fresh mortar (by flow table)”, European Committee for

Standardization (CEN), Brussels, February.

EN 1015-6, European Standard (1998) “Methods of test for mortar for masonry - Part 6: De-

22
 termination of bulk density of fresh mortar”, European Committee for Standardization

(CEN), Brussels, October.

prEN 1015-8, draft European Standard (1998) “Methods of test for mortar for masonry - Part

8: Determination of water retentivity of fresh mortar”, European Committee for Stan-

dardization (CEN), Brussels, October.

EN 1015-10, European Standard (1999) “Methods of test for mortar for masonry - Part 10:

Determination of dry bulk density of hardened mortar”, European Committee for Stan-

dardization (CEN), Brussels, August.

EN 1015-11, European Standard (1999) “Methods of test for mortar for masonry - Part 11:

Determination of flexural and compressive strength of hardened mortar”, English Euro-

pean Committee for Standardization (CEN), Brussels, August.

EN 1015-12, European Standard (2000) “Methods of test for mortar for masonry - Part 12:

Determination of adhesive strength of hardened rendering and plastering mortars on

substrates”, European Committee for Standardization (CEN), Brussels, February.

prEN 1015-13, draft European Standard (1993) “Methods of test for mortar for masonry -

Part 13: Determination of dimensional stability of hardened mortars”, European Com-

mittee for Standardization (CEN), Brussels, February.

EN 1015-18, European Standard (2002) “Methods of test for mortar for masonry - Part 18:

Determination of water absorption coefficient due to capillary action of hardened mor-

tar”, European Committee for Standardization (CEN), Brussels, December.

EN 1015-19, European Standard (1998) “Methods of test for mortar for masonry - Part 19:

Determination of water vapour permeability of hardened rendering and plastering mor-

tars”, European Committee for Standardization (CEN), Brussels, September.

EN 1015-21, European Standard (2002) “Methods of test for mortar for masonry - Part 19:

Determination of the compatibility of one-coat rendering mortars with substrates”, Eu-

23
 ropean Committee for Standardization (CEN), Brussels, March.

NF B 10-511, Norme Française Homologué (1975) “Mesure du module d´élasticité dyna-

mique”, Association Française de Normalisation (AFNOR), Paris, Avril.

24
 TABLE CAPTIONS

Table 1 - Particle size distribution of aggregates (average of 3 samples)

Table 2 - Density of mortar constituents (average of 3 samples)

Table 3 - Mixing water needed in order to achieve the target workability and respective results of the

consistency test (average of 3 samples)

Table 4 - Test results performed before and after ageing cycles (average of 3 specimens)

25
Table 1 - Particle size distribution of aggregates (average of 3 samples)

Mesh size (mm) Retained particles (%)

Sand Ceramic particles

0.063 0.17 7.19

0.125 0.16 2.87

0.150 2.46 15.64

0.250 28.45 16.65

0.500 44.72 26.04

1.000 16.88 12.76

2.000 4.38 7.10

4.000 1.15 3.21

5.600 0.89 3.21

8.000 0.62 5.33

26
Table 2 - Density of mortar constituents (average of 3 samples)

Density

Units Cement Sand Ceramic particles

(kg/dm3) 0.994 1.143 1.035

(lb/in3) 0.0359 0.0413 0.0374

27
Table 3 - Mixing water needed in order to achieve the target workability and respective results of the con-

sistency test (average of 3 samples)

III(0) III(20) III(50) III(100)

Mortar

(ml/dm3) 190.0 200.00 233.33 300.00

Mixing
0
water
(fl oz/in3) 0.105 0.111 0.129 0.166

Consis- (mm) 172,5 170.0 172.0 169.0

sis-
(in) 6.79 6.69 6.77 6.65
tence

28
 Table 4 - Test results performed before and after ageing cycles (average of 3 specimens)

Mortar III(0) III(50)

Before ageing cycles

Water retentivity (%) 72.24 78.39

(S.D. = 1.84) (S.D.=2.68)

Adhesive strength (MPa; psi) 0.35; 50.8 0.40; 58.0

(S.D. = 0.068; 9.87) (S.D. = 0.112; 16.26)

Modulus of elasticity (GPa; (after 2 months) 14.560; 2.112 8.731; 1.266

psi)
(S.D. = 0.13; 0.019) (S.D. = 0.27; 0.039)

(after 5 months) 13.898; 2.016 8.326; 1.208

Water vapor permeability (ng/(m.s.Pa(oz/(ft.s.psi)) x 10-9) 23.10; 1.712 36.19; 2.683

Thickness of the diffusion air layer equivalent to 20 mm of 0.16; 0.52 0.10; 0.33

mortar (m; ft)

(S.D. = 0.00; 0.00) (S.D. = 0.01; 0.03)

After ageing cycles

Liquid water permeability under pressure - water ab- 620; 20.96 580; 19.61

sorbed (ml; fl oz)

(S.D. = 16.0; 0.54) (S.D. = 10.0; 0.34)

Adhesive strength (MPa; psi) 0.70; 101.5 0.80; 116.0

(S.D. = 0.11; 0.016) (S.D. = 0.09, 0.013)

S.D. - Standard deviation

29
 FIGURES CAPTIONS

Figure 1 - Bulk density of fresh mortar for the different replacement ratios studied (average of 3 spec-

imens)

Figure 2 - Comparison of non-dimensional results obtained for bulk density of fresh mortar with those

of Evangelista & de Brito (2005) and Rosa (2002)

Figure 3 - Dry bulk density of hardened mortar for the different replacement ratios studied (average of

3 specimens)

Figure 4 - Flexural and compressive strength of hardened mortar for the different replacement ratios

studied (average of 3 specimens). (S.D. flexural (MPa; ksi): 0%-0.22; 0.032; 20%-0.07; 0.010; 50%-

0.19; 0.028; 100%-0.19; 0.028); (S.D. compressive (MPa, ksi): 0%-1.09; 0.158; 20%-0.69; 0.100;

50%-1.13; 0.164; 100%-0.52; 0.075)

Figure 5 - Comparison of non-dimensional results obtained for flexural strength of hardened mortar

with those of Evangelista & de Brito (2005) and Rosa (2002)

Figure 6 - Comparison of non-dimensional results obtained for compressive strength of hardened mor-

tar with those of Evangelista & de Brito (2005) and Rosa (2002)

Figure 7 - Water absorption due to capillary action of hardened mortar for the different re-

placement ratios studied (average of 3 specimens). (S.D. (kg/(m2.min0.5); lb/(ft2.min0.5): 0%-

0.034; 0.007; 20%-0.062; 0.013; 50%-0.065; 0.013; 100%-0.038; 0.008)

Figure 8 - Comparison of non-dimensional results obtained for the water absorption coefficient at 24 h

of hardened mortar with those of Evangelista & de Brito (2005)

Figure 9 - Time versus dimensional variation (average of 3 specimens). (S.D. (%): 0%-0.0013; 20%-

0.0081; 50%-0.0031; 100%-0.0034)

Figure 10 - Comparison of results obtained for dimensional variation of hardened mortar with those of

Evangelista & de Brito (2005)

Figure 11 - Comparison of non-dimensional results obtained for the modulus of elasticity of hardened

mortar with those of Evangelista & de Brito (2005)

30
 Bulk density of fresh mortar

2100.0 131.1
0
2050.0 127.9
2000.0 124.8
20
1950.0 121.7
3

3
kg/m

lb/ft
1900.0 118.6
50
1850.0 115.5
1800.0 112.3
1750.0 100 109.2
1700.0 106.1
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
% of replacement

Figure 1 - Bulk density of fresh mortar for the different replacement ratios studied (average of 3

specimens)

(S.D. (kg/m3; lb/ft3): 0%-2.3; 0.14; 20%-20.1; 1.25; 50%-28.3; 1.77; 100%-9.4; 0.59)

31
 Bulk density (BD) of fresh composite

1.05
Silva (recycled ceramics)
(Convencional composite BD)
(Modified composite BD) /

1
Evangelista (fine recycled
0.95 concrete in concrete)
0.9 Rosa (coarse recycled
ceramics in concrete)
0.85

0.8
0 50 100
Replacement ratio (%)

Figure 2 - Comparison of non-dimensional results obtained for bulk density of fresh

mortar with those of Evangelista & de Brito (2005) and Rosa (2002)

32
 Dry bulk density of hardened mortar

1900.0 118.6
1850.0 0 115.4
1800.0 112.3
1750.0 20 109.2
3

3
kg/m

lb/ft
1700.0 50 106.1
1650.0 103.0
1600.0 99.8
1550.0 96.7
100
1500.0 93.6
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
% of replacement

Figure 3 - Dry bulk density of hardened mortar for the different replacement ratios studied (av-

erage of 3 specimens)

(S.D. (kg/m3; lb/ft3): 0%-1.8; 0.11; 20%-23.8; 1.49; 50%-30.9; 1.93; 100%-3.4; 0.21)

33
 Flexural and compressive strength of hardened mortar
10.00 1.450
9.00 20 50 1.305
8.00 0 1.160
7.00 100 1.015
6.00 0.870
MPa

ksi
5.00 0.725
4.00 0.580
3.00 0.435
2.00 0 20 50 100 0.290
1.00 0.145
0.00 0.000
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
% of replacement
Flexural strength Compressive strength

Figure 4 - Flexural and compressive strength of hardened mortar for the different replacement ratios

studied (average of 3 specimens)

(S.D. flexural (MPa; ksi): 0%-0.22; 0.032; 20%-0.07; 0.010; 50%-0.19; 0.028; 100%-0.19; 0.028);

(S.D. compressive (MPa, ksi): 0%-1.09; 0.158; 20%-0.69; 0.100; 50%-1.13; 0.164; 100%-0.52; 0.075)

34
 Flexural strength (FS) of hardened composite

1.2
(Conventional composite FS)
(Modified composite FS) /

1 Silva (recycled ceramics)

0.8
Evangelista (fine recycled
0.6 concrete in concrete)
Rosa (coarse recycled
0.4 ceramics in concrete)
0.2
0
0 50 100
Replacement ratio (%)

Figure 5 - Comparison of non-dimensional results obtained for flexural strength of hardened mortar

with those of Evangelista & de Brito (2005) and Rosa (2002)

35
 Compressive strength (CS) of hardened composite

1.4 Silva (recycled ceramics)

(Conventional composite CS)
(Modified composite CS) /

1.2
1 Evangelista (fine recycled
concrete in concrete)
0.8 Evangelista (fine recycled
0.6 concrete in mortar)
0.4 Rosa (coarse recycled
ceramics in concrete)
0.2
0
0 50 100
Replacement ratio (%)

Figure 6 - Comparison of non-dimensional results obtained for compressive strength of hardened

mortar with those of Evangelista & de Brito (2005) and Rosa (2002)

36
 Water absorption coefficient due to capillary
action

1.00 0.205
100
0.90 0.185
0
kg/(m .min )

0.80 0.164

lb/(ft .min )
0,5

0,5
50
0.70 20 0.144
2

2
0.60 0.123

0.50 0.103

0.40 0.082
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
% of replacement

Figure 7 - Water absorption due to capillary action of hardened mortar for the different replacement ratios

studied (average of 3 specimens)

(S.D. (kg/(m2.min0.5); lb/(ft2.min0.5): 0%-0.034; 0.007; 20%-0.062; 0.013; 50%-0.065; 0.013;

100%-0.038; 0.008)

37
 Water absorption (WA) due to capillary action
2.6
2.4
coefficient) / (Conventional
composite WA coefficient)
(Modified composite WA

2.2
2 Silva (Recycled ceramics)
1.8
1.6 Evangelista (fine recycled
1.4 concrete in concrete)
1.2
1
0.8
0 50 100

Replacement ratio (%)

Figure 8 - Comparison of non-dimensional results obtained for the water absorption coefficient at

24 h of hardened mortar with those of Evangelista & de Brito (2005)

38
 Dimensional instability (shrinkage)

-0.005
Dimensional variation (%)

3 6 7 10 14 21 28 40 56 70 80
-0.015 III(20)
-0.025 III(50)
-0.035 III(100)
-0.045 III(0)

-0.055
-0.065

Time (days)

Figure 9 - Time versus dimensional variation (average of 3 specimens)

(S.D. (%): 0%-0.0013; 20%-0.0081; 50%-0.0031; 100%-0.0034)

39
 Dimensional variation (DV)

1.8
(Conventional composite DV)
(Modified composite DV) /

1.7
1.6 Silva (recycled ceramics)
1.5 after 80 days
1.4
1.3 Evangelista (fine recycled
1.2 concrete in concrete) after
1.1 90 days
1
0.9
0.8
0 50 100

Replacement ratio (%)

Figure 10 - Comparison of results obtained for dimensional variation of hardened mortar

with those of Evangelista & de Brito (2005)

40
 Modulus of elasticity (ME) of hardened composite

1.2 Silva (recycled ceramics)

(Conventional composite ME)
(Modified composite ME) /

after 2 months
1
0.8 Silva (recycled ceramics)
after 5 months
0.6
0.4 Evangelista (fine recycled
concrete in concrete) after 1
0.2 month
0
0 50 100
Replacement ratio (%)

Figure 11 - Comparison of non-dimensional results obtained for the modulus of elasticity of

hardened mortar with those of Evangelista & de Brito (2005)

41

View publication stats