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Properties of sustainable self-compacting concrete incorporating discarded sandstone

slurry

Prarthita Basu, Blessen Skariah Thomas, Ramesh Chandra Gupta, Vinay Agrawal

PII: S0959-6526(20)35358-0
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.125313
Reference: JCLP 125313

To appear in: Journal of Cleaner Production

Received Date: 30 June 2020

Revised Date: 2 November 2020
Accepted Date: 25 November 2020

Please cite this article as: Basu P, Thomas BS, Chandra Gupta R, Agrawal V, Properties of sustainable
self-compacting concrete incorporating discarded sandstone slurry, Journal of Cleaner Production,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.125313.

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 Credit Author Statement
1) Prarthitha Basu: Investigation; Methodology
2) Blessen Skariah Thomas: Writing - review & editing.
3) Ramesh Chandra Gupta: Conceptualization; Supervision
4) Vinay Agrawal: Data curation; Formal analysis

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 Properties of sustainable self-compacting concrete
incorporating discarded sandstone slurry

Prarthita Basu a, Blessen Skariah Thomas b,c, Ramesh Chandra Gupta a*, Vinay Agrawal a

a
Department of Civil Engineering, Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur, India.
b
State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China.
c
Shanghai Key Laboratory for Digital Maintenance of Buildings and Infrastructure, School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and

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Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China.

*rcgupta.ce@mnit.ac.in (corresponding author)

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 Properties of sustainable self-compacting concrete
incorporating discarded sandstone slurry
Prarthita Basu a, Blessen Skariah Thomas b,c, Ramesh Chandra Gupta a*, Vinay Agrawal a
a
Department of Civil Engineering, Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur, India.
b
State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China.
c
Shanghai Key Laboratory for Digital Maintenance of Buildings and Infrastructure, School of Naval Architecture, Ocean
and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China.

*rcgupta.ce@mnit.ac.in (corresponding author)

Abstract
Sandstone waste generated during the cutting and polishing process destroys the atmospheric

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condition when it is dumped along roadside, water bodies and landfill. The present

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investigation aims to utilize sandstone slurry (SS) as a partial replacement to portland
pozzolana cement (PPC) in self-compacting concrete (SCC). Sandstone slurry was
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characterized by chemical composition, mineral phases, specific gravity, density, particle size
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distribution and scanning electron microscopy test as primary investigation. Afterwards, five
replacement percentages (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20) of sandstone slurry by weight of portland
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pozzolana cement were assessed for their fresh and hardened properties. Scanning electron
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microscopy and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were also conducted. Microstructural
study confirms that the sandstone slurry did not influence the cement hydration, and the
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workability was decreased by the particular shape and surface texture of the sandstone slurry.
To achieve the target workability, water to cement ratio was kept high and the dosage of
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superplasticizer was increased. This phenomenon validates increment in permeable voids and
water absorption, reduced density and strength decrement of the self-compacting sand stone
slurry concrete in comparison to the control concrete mix. The results point out the possibility
of utilizing sandstone slurry (up to 15%) in self-compacting concrete, applicable for narrow
and congested reinforcements, as well as in general structural works as a green and
sustainable building material. This work discovers sandstone slurry as a sustainable
substitution to portland pozzolana cement in the production of self-compacting concrete by
minimizing the use of raw material and avoiding the environmental hazards created by the
uncontrolled dumping of the sandstone by-products.

Keywords: Sustainability; Sandstone slurry; SCC; Green concrete; Hardened properties;

Durability; Microstructural parameters; FTIR.

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ACRONYMS FULL FORM
ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials
CO2 Carbon dioxide
C-S-H Calcium Silicate Hydrate
CA (OH)2 Calcium hydroxide
CS Compressive Strength
EFNARC European Federation of National Associations Representing for Concrete
FTS Flexural Tensile Strength
FTIR Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy
GHGS Green House Gases
MPA Megapascals
(OH¯ ) Hydroxide
PPC Portland Pozzolana Cement
SS Sandstone Slurry
SCC Self-Compacting Concrete

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SEM Scanning Electron Microscopy
SF Slump Flow

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UPV Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity
XRD X-ray Diffraction
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 1. Introduction
Concrete is one of the most used materials in construction industry from last 200 years
(Gautam et al., 2014). Cement is the essential binding material in concrete; however its
utilization is related to release of harmful gases (CO2, GHGs) in the environment (Malhotra,
2010). According to Aruntas¸ et al. (2010) and Utlu et al. (2006), manufacturing of cement is
harmful for the atmosphere which directly affects the human health also. In the year of 2018,
India alone consumed 460 million tons of cement, which increased by 5% in the year of 2019
(Cement Manufacturers Association). As per the global carbon budget, 2017 (CDIAC; Le
Quéré et al., 2017; Global Carbon Budget, 2017) India is one of the top four emitters
responsible for nearly 7% of the global CO2 emission. Production of concrete not only

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involves usage of cement, it also requires coarse and fine aggregate as other ingredients

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which also a frightening worry of the concrete sector (Ince et al., 2020). Utilization of locally
available wastes as an alternative to traditional concrete ingredients contributes to decrease
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CO2 emissions, diminish environmental hazards and reduce the cost of concrete.
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China, Turkey, India, Iran and Italy are the top five producers of dimensional stones among
27 countries, producing around 72% of total stone of the world (Rana et al., 2016). Various
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types of rocks such as granite (igneous), marble (metamorphic), limestone (sedimentary),

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sandstone (clastic sedimentary), slate (metamorphic) etc. are utilized as dimensional stones
(Dolley, 2013). As the demand of dimensional stones increases, mining of stones also rises
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consequently (Gautam et al., 2017), resulting into huge amount of waste generation. The
amount of waste generation is based on several factors such as nature of rocks (geological,
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textural and petro graphic) and the capacity of plant along with the type of cutting and
processing equipment (Karaca et al., 2012). Depending upon the surface quality and chosen
production type, finishing and polishing operations also differ (Careddu and Marras, 2015).
According to Careddu et al. (2013), near about 20-30% by weight of stone are wasted as
slurry during the sawing and finishing process. At regional scale sandstone waste generation
data was reported by Kumar et al., (2017) and presented in Table 1. The data signifies that
more than 50% of sandstones mined out from reserves were wasted. The quantity of
sandstone waste generation is alarming and abundant which should be utilized. With the
enhancement of technology, quantity of waste generation also increased and often these are
dumped without utilization (Kumar et al., 2018).
Stone wastes are non-biodegradable waste (Vijayalakshmi et al., 2013), which creates
environmental hazards. Discarding these wastes to open land without any recycling process

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can lead towards the nurturing of insects and pests. Discarding them into waterways may
produce silting, making complications for marine life. The fine stone powders may get
airborne with a minor wind, tends to steady down in places distant from the place of disposal.
These powders pass into the lungs, triggering major breathing difficulties (Rana et al., 2016;
Kumar et al., 2018; Arif et al., 2018).

Sandstone slurry is a fine powdered material, generated as a by-product from the sandstone
industries, in huge quantity during the cutting and shaping process of sandstone blocks. It was
estimated that approximately 50% gets wasted throughout the cutting and shaping procedure
of sandstone slabs (Kumar et al., 2017). Therefore, as an approach towards the consumption
of stone industry by-products and lessening the tactic of utilizing conventional constituents,

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stone wastes are applied in the building industry as a substitute to virgin concrete

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components.

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Few experiments have been conducted for the effective use of sandstone waste in the
construction sector. For example, Arif et al. (2018) reported the strength and durability
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parameters identical to that of the reference specimens, when 15% total aggregates were
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replaced with SS. He et al. (2018) utilized sandstone powder as an alternative for binder
(50%) and reported 35% reduction in the compressive strength, while the inclusion of 5%
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silica fume has proven partial improvement in the lost strength. , Kumar et al., (2017); Kumar
et al., (2016) reported successful utilization of sandstone as a restricted substitution for coarse
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aggregate in Portland cement concrete. Verstrynge et al. (2014) outlined a curtailment in

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strength by using lower quality of ferruginous sandstone. Ludovico-Marques et al. (2012)

reported that the porous sand stone rocks are having less compressive strength and high
strength at peak stress points. Tugrul and Yılmaz (2012) utilized Ordovician sandstones as
coarse aggregate in the fabrication of concrete and concluded that they were having low
aggregate quality as compared with other sandstones, however, for making low strength
concrete this material can be utilized. Rong et al. (2012) reported improvement in
compressive strength when the sandstone was cemented by microbe cement. Yılmaz and
Tug˘rul (2012) was reported a reduction with the application of clay cement as compared
with carbonated cement due to poor bonding between concrete aggregates. Rodgers et al.
(2009) suggested that the sandstone had a better resistance against deformation in the dry
state and may be utilized successfully as road base material. Kumar et al., (2007) utilized
sandstone along with silica fume and recommended it may be used as high-performance
concrete as it possesses adequate safety factors against flexural failure.

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Enormous explorations have been administered for the effective utilization of stone waste
along with other industrial wastes, agricultural wastes in the manufacture of various building
components, as well as building materials. Some of the literatures have been discussed.

Schankoski et al. (2020) reported that the utilization of diabase and gneiss quarry wastes
enhanced the quality of concrete surface and passing ability. A significant reduction was
noticed in V-funnel time and viscosity of the concrete mixes. Finally, it was concluded that
these quarry by-products can be used successfully as fillers in SSC. Rojo-López et al. (2020)
developed SSC of binary and ternary blends by partially substituting cement with metakaolin,
biomass ash along with granite powder. The studies presented that these materials improve
the ability of self-compaction along with good compressive strength, reducing the cost of

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concrete. Cheboub et al. (2020) used crushed olive kernel shell as a substitution of fine

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aggregate to prepare light weight self-compacting mortar and reported reduction in the

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flexural strength, modulus of elasticity and ultrasonic pulse velocity values as compared with
the control mortar. However, the compressive strength and thermal conductivity results are
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supportive to utilise this material in making mortar. Zhang et al. (2019) prepared concrete
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with ground granite powder as partial replacement of cement and concluded that
compressive, flexural strength increased initially and later on decreased. Ghalehnovi et al.
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(2019) prepared SSC by partially replacing cement with red mud, granite in addition with
marble powder also used as filler and reported that red mud alone destructively effected fresh
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parameters of concrete. When it was used with granite and marble powder hardened
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properties of concrete was improved. Li et al. (2019) reported use of granite dust as filler is
more beneficial for preparing mortar as compared to cement replacement. Due to the fineness
and chemically inert characteristics of granite dust, the requirement of water increased which
subsequently decrease the strength. However, utilization of granite dust as filler enhances
packing density, decrease cement paste volume, reduce cement content and carbon footprint.

Garijo et al. (2018) prepared natural hydraulic lime mortar and studied the impact of water-
binder ratio, type of aggregate, curing condition and material of mould on the physical and
hardened characteristics of designated mortar. It was concluded that the higher water to
binder ratio enhances structural degradation, increment in the open porosity and decrement in
hardened concrete characteristics. Gupta and Vyas (2018) discussed that the workability of
mortar reduced due to angular shape and rough surface of granite powder. Although, reduced
water to cement ratio was achieved with optimized grading of fine aggregate and granite
powder, which improves strength, reduce water absorption and permeable voids. Mashaly et

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al. (2018) utilized granite sludge as partial replacement of cement and prepared mortar,
concluded decrement in physical and hardened properties with improved resistance to
abrasion, freeze and thaw along with sulphate attack.

Binici and Aksogan (2018) reported improvement of durability properties of concrete

prepared with natural granular granite, silica sand and powders of waste marble and basalt as
fine aggregate. Aarthi and Arunachalam (2018) reported that utilization of granite sawing
waste up to 10% reduced shrinkage, water absorption, porosity yet enhanced resistance
against acid and chloride attack. Alyamac et al. (2017) produced SSC with waste marble
powder by response surface method and reported a development of eco-efficient SSC with
water to cement ratio less than 0.6 and marble powder to cement ratios up to 0.6.

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Singh et al. (2017) reported the employment of 15% crushed lime stone as fine aggregate,

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diminished the compressive strength and escalated the depth of chloride ion penetration and
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gas permeability, irrespective of the category of cement. Kanellopoulos et al. (2014) utilized
recycled lime powder as a restricted supplant for binder has increased the Sorptivity,
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permeability and depth of chloride permeability of concrete. Temiz and Kantarc (2014)
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utilized limestone and calcite powder along with fly ash improves early compressive strength;
however, these materials may reduce the strength at later ages. Sua-iam and Makul (2013)
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noticed reduction in density with a magnification in the compressive strength and workability
for the SCC containing limestone powder and high-volume rice husk ash as partial
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replacement of fine aggregate. Gesoglu et al. (2012) disclosed that the utilization of fly ash
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along with limestone powder refined the compressive strength of concrete, and requires less
super plasticizer. Aruntas et al. (2010) utilised waste marble dust in cement manufacturing
and recommended up to 10% of waste marble dust can be utilised.

Based on the literature review, it can be observed that sandstone was used in various fields;
prepare brick, traditional concrete, road base material, high performance reinforced concrete
and microbe cement as partial replacement of cement, fine aggregate and coarse aggregate
(Basu et al., 2020). The novelty of this research work was to investigate the influence of SS
(>90µm) in the generation of SCC as partial replacement of Portland Pozzolana Cement. As
per the best of authors knowledge and authors did not found any literature available with the
same material with identical research methodology. Previously sandstone slurry was used in
making traditional concrete as reported by Arif et al., (2018), a comparison between present
study and previous study is presented in Table 13.

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The objective of this research work is to study the fresh, hardened, durability and
microstructural properties of SSC in which SS utilized as a partial replacement of Portland
pozzolana cement. The properties studied are the fresh properties (slump flow test, T500 test,
J-ring test, V-funnel test, L-Box test, Sieve segregation test and air content test), compressive
strength, flexural tensile strength, density, water absorption and permeable voids, ultrasonic
pulse velocity and water penetration. The microstructural properties were analyzed with
Scanning Electron Microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The outcomes
stated in this paper are substantial as they deliver a complete vision into the effects of SS
upon the above said properties of SSC. The paper commences with an introduction
explaining the consumption of cement in concrete industry and harmful gases associated with

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it along with the environmental hazards created by dumping of sandstone wastes. Then it

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elaborates about the raw materials and their characteristics, mix design and test methods in
Clause 2. Outcomes of test results are elaborated in Clause 3. Paper is concluded in Clause 4
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with mentioning possible utilization of SS up to 15% as replacement of pozzolana portland
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cement. Successful use of this material may decrease CO2 emission along with reduction in
environmental hazards.
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2. Experimental program
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In these section, properties of raw material, mixture proportion and test methods are
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explained.
2.1. Materials
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The material properties are examined as per ASTM standards and EFNARC guidelines as
mentioned in Table 2. Various tests were carried out on the raw materials and list of tests are
tabulated in Table 3. Portland Pozzolana cement was used (Table 4, Table 5). SS was
received in dry condition from landfill areas and sieved through 90-micron sieve. The
physical properties of SS are given in Table 6, average particle sizes of Portland Pozzolana
Cement and SS given in Table 7. The SEM images of SS and binder shows angular shape
with a rough surface of SS particles. XRD study of SS discloses that it mostly comprises
quartz with traces of chromium, calcite and hematite. The major components of SS are SiO2-
81.045%, Al2O3-8.225%, K20- 5.592, MgO-0.523, TiO2- 0.442, Fe2O3- 0.388, etc (S. Kumar
et al., 2016, R.C Gupta et al., 2019). Coarse aggregate (specific gravity 2.74, water
absorption 0.18%, fineness modulus 5.94) and fine aggregate (specific gravity 2.63, water
absorption 0.50%, fineness modulus 2.61) of nominal maximal size of respectively 10mm

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and 4.75mm was used. Superplasticizer (SP) and viscosity modifying agent (VMA) was used
to maintain flowability and viscosity of SCC. Institution water was used for the whole
experimental work.

2.2. Mixture proportions

Details of SCC mixes for the control mixture are entrusted in Table 8 (R C Gupta et al.,
2019). A preliminary study has been conducted to finalise the water to powder ratio,
admixture dosage and SS replacement percentage (P. Basu et al., 2020). Then the final five
mixes were prepared, followed by the testing procedure and reporting of results. One mix was
prepared with no SS (SS0) and four other mixes were prepared with 5% (SS5), 10% (SS10),

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15% (SS15) and 20% (SS20) of SS by weight as partial replacement of Portland Pozzolana
Cement binder. The water to binder ratio has been established as 0.33. The concrete mixtures

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were made as per EFNARC (2005) guidelines in a rotary type pan mixer. Throughout the
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experimental process temperature and relative humidity were precise at 22°C and 50%
correspondingly.
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2.3. Test methods
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All the fresh, hardened and durability properties were tested as per standard methods as
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listed in Table 9. Fresh properties were examined to fix the class and utilization of SCC as
per EFNARC, 2005. The microstructure of the samples (1cm3) were analyzed using SEM
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image analysis, using Nova Nano FE-SEM 450, and FTIR spectroscopy (to identify the
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molecular group) using PerkinElmer Spectrum-Two (scan range between 400–4000 cm-1) on
powdered sample. The microstructure of the samples (1cm3) were analyzed using SEM image
analysis, using Nova Nano FE-SEM 450, and FTIR spectroscopy (to identify the molecular
group) using PerkinElmer Spectrum-Two (scan range was between 400–4000 cm-1) on
powdered sample.

3. Results and discussions

This section includes test result outcomes and subsequent discussions of fresh, hardened,
durability and microstructural properties.

3.1. Effect of SS on fresh concrete properties

Fresh properties of the concrete mixes are reported in Table 10. A concrete may be
designated as self-compacting when its flowability, viscosity, passing potentiality and

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segregation resistance are satisfied as per the requirements mentioned in EFNARC guidelines
EFNARC (2005). To sustain a slump flow diameter of 800±50 mm, superplasticizer dosage
was adjusted for all t0he concrete blends. It was remarked that the utilization of SS lead to
increased demand of superplasticizer dosage to attain the desired slump flow diameters. The
increment in the extent of SS lead to a reduced slump flow diameter, as the binder content
decreased relatively (Gupta et al., 2019). The curtailment in binder quantity and an escalation
in the fineness (higher fineness of SS in contrast with that of Portland Pozzolana Cement)
have expanded the stiffness of concrete, which was minimized by a surge in the SP quantity.
The reduction in slump flow diameter also depends upon the specific character of SS and
Portland Pozzolana Cement.

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The SEM images (Fig. 3(a), 3(b)) revealed that cement fragments come across round and

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even superficial texture. However, SS fragments appeared angular with irregular exterior

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texture, and the size of SS particles was finer than that of the Portland Pozzolana Cement
particles. The increase in viscosity may happen due to angular form and uneven surface of SS
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particles. Hence, it may be concluded that the shape, surface texture and grading of particle
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size are the key ingredients for flowability of SCC. The low specific gravity and high facet
area of SS fragments might have intensified the inescapability of cement volume in the SS
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SCC design blends as associated to that of the reference mixture (SS0).

Various researchers also deliberated the natural properties of concrete mix incorporating fly
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ash, limestone powder, granite powder, marble powder, blast furnace slag etc. An
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enhancement in the flowability of concrete embracing fly ash and granulated blast furnace
slag was reported by Gesoglu et al. (2012); D.W.S. Ho et al. (2002), Zhao et al. (2015).
However, the stone wastes are having angular shape and rough textures, which lead to
reduced flowability of the concrete mixes. All the concrete mixes reported in this study
belongs to SF3 (760-850mm) as per EFNARC (2005) and may be recommended for
implementation in thronged structures and the structures having multiplex formation. The
SF3 class of concrete often provides smooth surface finish without honeycombing. The
filling potentiality of the concrete mixtures was determined by the T500 and V-Funnel flow
times (Fig. 6.a and 6.c) and test outcomes are displayed in Table 10.

It can be distinguished that the slump flow duration for the concrete mixtures fluctuated in
the middle of 1.40-1.88s and V-funnel flow time varied from 5.37-7.39s. The control
concrete (SS0) had the minimum slump flow and v-funnel flow time, however the maximum

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time may be observed for the SS20 concrete mixture (Gupta et al., 2019). This raise in the
time period may be associated to the increment in the viscosity (formed by angular shaped
and uneven surfaced SS particles), decrement in cement paste volume and increment in the
cohesiveness, which reduces the workability of the concrete mixes. As per EFNARC
guidelines, all the mixes may be categorized as VS1/VF1, as they have good filling ability
within narrow reinforcement and good surface finish. It is possibly noted from Fig.7 that the
T500 and V-funnel flow times are correlated with an equation of R2=0.96. The results reported
here were in compliance with the observations of Vijayalakshmi et al. (2013) who
communicated a reduction in the workability on account of the particular shape and surface
texture of the granite powder, and Yahia et al. (2005) who reported an increment in the

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viscosity due to the effect of limestone powder on highly flow-able mortar.

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The passing potentiality of the concrete mixtures were resolved, on employing L-box and J-

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ring tests (Fig.6.b and Fig.6.d), which reveals the step height, and height ratio of the concrete
mixes, representing the blocking characteristics of concrete mixes by the reinforcement bars.
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The blocking of concrete mixes by the reinforcement bars was lower at smaller replacement
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level of SS. The concrete mixture may get blocked by the reinforcement bars owing to the
accumulation of powder content, surge in the specific surface area, shape and size of SS.
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From the investigation results, it may be acclaimed that the J-ring step height and L-box
ratios varied from 3-9 mm and 0.86-0.95 respectively, however the highest and lowest
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standards were found for SS20 and SS0 respectively.

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As per EFNARC limits all the concrete mixes may be categorized into class PA1, typically
recommended for housing and vertical structures. The results observed here were in
compliance with the uncovering of Madandoust and Mousavi (2012) (partial binder
replacement by metakaolin), Topcu et al. (2009) (marble dust as filler material), Kumar et al.
(2016) and Jain et al. (2019) (granite waste above 20%) who observed reduction in passage
potentiality of the SCC mixtures. Sieve segregation resistance assessment was performed to
observe the resistance of the SCC against segregation (separation of cement paste and
aggregates from each other, during the process of handling and placement) and the analysis
outcome are presented in Table 10. An enhancement in the segregation resistance was
observed with the increased replacement percentage of the SS, due to its inert nature. The
sieve segregation value for 0% SS was 19.84%, while it reduced to 19.38, 19.03, 18.79 and
18.64% respectively for the SSC containing 5, 10, 15 and 20% SS. Non-pozzolanic fillers

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have better resistance against segregation as compared with pozzolanic fillers (Elyamany,
2014).

All the SCC mixes can be categorized in to SR1 class (as per EFNARC), typically useful for
the applications in thin slabs and vertical structures. Air content for control mix without SS
was 4.1% (SS0), which escalated with an expansion in the quota of SS (up to 6.9% for SS30).
It can be noted that the compressive strength of concrete reduced with a surge in the air
content, and the relationship is represented in (Fig. 15 (b)). For a moderate strength concrete,
the compressive strength reduces around 10-12% for every percentage increment of air
content. The obtained results were in compliance with the findings of Topcu et al. (2009)
who disclosed an increment in the air content with the percentage of substitution of marble

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dust in SCC. Place of application of SCC as per fresh property results is presented in Fig.6

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(e).

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3.2 Effect of SS on compressive and flexural strength
The results for compressive strength (CS) at 7, 28, 90, 180 and 365th day are presented in Fig.
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8 and standard deviation is presented in Table 11. A clear pattern of increment in the CS
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could be noticed with a surge in the curing age. The paramount CS was found for SS0 mix at
7, 28, 90, 180 and 365th day. The 7th day average CS of the control specimen was 34.60 MPa,
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while that of the specimen containing 20% SS was 25.40 MPa, 26.59% less than that of the
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SS0. The curtailment in CS may possibly be attributed to the delay in hydration of the
Portland Pozzolana Cement during the early phase of curing. The higher percentage of un-
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hydrated SS particles might have created a higher percentage of permeable voids in the early
stage. Moreover, the high quantity of water absorbed by the SS leads to decrement in free
water during the hydration procedure. Therefore, the deficiency of proper cement saturation
in the early phase of water curing delays the strength enlargement. Similar reduction in
compressive strength at early days was also reported by Islam et al. (2016).

The CS of the specimens containing SS started to attain more strength beyond 7th day. At
28th day, the average CS of the specimens containing 20% SS was 32.50 MPa, which was
24.42% less than that of the control specimens. The augmentation in CS may be due to the
pozzolanic action of Portland Pozzolana Cement which activated at delayed curing ages. At
the end of 90 and 180th day, there was an increment in the CS for the complete samples, and
the decrement in compressive strength of the SS20 specimens with reference to SS0
specimens have reduced to 23.04%. The 365th day CS of the reference samples was 56 MPa,

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whereas the other design mixes had compressive strengths of 52.00 (SS5), 50.93 (SS10),
48.90 (SS15), 47.00 (SS20) MPa, respectively with a strength decrement of 7.1%, 9.1%,
12.7% and 16.07% (compared to control). The continuous chemical reaction of the Portland
Pozzolana cement has filled up the voids with the hydration outcomes, and hence the
curtailment in the compressive strength of SS20 compared with SS0 was only 16.07%
(8.51% gains than the compressive strength 28 days).

From the scanning electron microscopy images displayed in Fig. 17, the micro cracks and
voids are more visible with the increase of SS percentage. Addition of more SS reduced the
hydration process and disturbed the creation of C-S-H gel, which lead to weaker joint linking
cement paste and aggregate. These observations validate the outcome of the compressive

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strength test, where SCC specimens containing SS shows lower CS in contrast with that of

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the reference SCC specimens.

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The results for the flexural tensile strength (FTS) at 28, 90, 180 and 365 days are shown in
Fig. 9 and standard deviation mentioned in Table 11. The outcome of flexure strength has
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shown a pattern close to that of the CS. An increment in the flexural strength is observed with
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an increment in the curing age. However, as the replacement quantity of SS increased, the
FTS decreased with reference to the reference concrete specimens. The 28th day average FTS
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was the highest for the reference specimens SS0 (6.16 MPa) when compared with the other
concrete specimens containing SS. With reference to the SS0 concrete, the curtailment in
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flexure strength was 36.36% for the specimens containing 20% of SS.
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At 90 and 180 days of curing, the FTS for all the SCC mixes has increased with reference
to 28th day strength. In contrast with that of the control specimens, the strength of SS20
reduced by 26.15% and 24.84% in succession. At the end of 365th days of curing, the flexural
strength of the control specimens increased to 8.64 MPa, while that of the other mixes were
8.40 (SS5), 7.95 (SS10), 7.70 (SS15) and 7.50 (SS20) MPa, correspondingly. The limiting in
the FTS of SS20 was 21.30% when compared with that of SS0. This result is in line with the
findings of Kou and Poon, (2013) who investigated the specifications of concrete
incorporating fly ash and recycled aggregates. According to their study, the strength of
concrete gradually escalated from 28 days to 10 years, meanwhile the reduction percentage
also decreased significantly with curing age.

The increment in the proportionality of voids along with the surge in the SS percentage
(Fig. 10) with in the concrete mixtures could be a distinct motivation behind the abatement in

12
flexure strength. Reduction in strength may also occur due to the weak bonding among
concrete components, owed to the angular shape of SS (Fig.3 (b)) which also assisted in
producing micro cracks.

Table 11 represents the standard deviation results of compressive (7, 28, 90, 180 and 365
days) and flexural tensile (28, 90, 180 and 365 days) strengths. Compressive strength (CS)
and flexural tensile strengths (FTS) improved in all concrete mixes prepared with SS with the
curing age (CS7d< CS28d< CS90d< CS180d< CS365d) and (FTS28d< FTS90d< FTS180d<
FTS365d). The hydration process of Portland Pozzolana Cement was continuous up to 365
days; hence, the concrete pores were less open and the microstructure was enhanced which
resulting improvement of the strength to enhance over curing age as reported by Cui and

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Cahyadi (2001).

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A decrement of strength was observed, when the percentage of SS content in the concrete
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mix were increased irrespective of curing ages (Fig.8 and Fig.9). Similar observation was
made by Li et al. (2019), while using granite dust as filler for making mortar. This reduction
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could be due to the finer particle size distribution and surface quality [Figs.1 and 3 (b)]. The
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increment in the amount of SS content involves with great amount of angular and irregular
elements, which effected the organization of concrete matrix, the filling effect and porosity of
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the concrete mix, which results in to a weak interior structure. The inclusion of elements with
an irregular surface might also source of high friction among cement paste and the SS,
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deteriorating the workability of the concrete mix, enhancing voids and lessening the strength
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of SSC. The porous structure of concrete would validate the decrement of strength. The
impact of SS on density, water absorption, permeable voids, ultrasonic pulse velocity and
water penetration capacity is scrutinized in depth in subsequent sections.

From an engineering point of view, these losses are negligible. The results observed by
Tugrul and Yılmaz (2012) were in compliance with the studies unearthed by other scientists
who used similar materials in conventional cement concrete. Arif et al. (2018) replaced total
aggregate by SS (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 & 30 by weight) and concluded that the CS and
densification of concrete gets trimmed when the replacement exceeds 15%. Indistinguishable
declarations were made by Singh et al. (2016) who distinguished that the poor microstructure
and increased surface area of granite cutting waste (GCW) reduced the compressive strength,
while 25% and 40% GCW may be utilized (0.30 and 0.40, 0.45 water/binder ratio) to design
high strength concrete.

13
 It was concluded by Barbhuiya (2011) that a decrement in the extent of fly ash and an
increment in the aggregate of dolomite powder (non-pozzolanic) reduced the compressive
strength irrespective of curing ages. Similar pattern was reported by Sadek et al. (2016) who
stated that the poor workability, less compactness and reduced strength of SCC may be
interrelated to a lesser amount of cement content in the mix. (Fig. 10 (a)) and (Fig. 10 (b))
represents the correlation between compressive and flexure strength at 28 and 365 days of
water curing. A constructive correlation (R2=0.97) may be observed at 28 days. After 365
days, the correlation coefficient has reduced to R2=0.94 (from the regression analysis),
representing a noteworthy enhancement in the FTS from 28 to 365 curing days. From
strength point of view, the utilization up to 15% of SS as Portland Pozzolana Cement

of
replacement in the SSC and it would be a possible alternate.

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3.3 Effect of SS on density, water absorption and permeable voids

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Bulk density, apparent density, water absorption and permeable voids were measured in all
SSC mixes after 28 days of curing (Figs. 11–12). The water absorption capacity of SS0 was
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minimum (2.59%). This value raised slightly when SS was incorporated (2.80%-SS5; 2.98%-
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SS10; 3.10%-SS15; 3.12%-SS20). The increment in water absorption capacity indicates that
higher number of pores are occupied with water. The absorption capacity of these pores will
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be increased after consequent absorption and vacuuming, due to the air filled in the pores
displaced by water.
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The bulk and apparent density results displayed a contrary character when the SS content in
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the concrete mix increased. Both densities are decreased as mentioned in Table 12. The larger
number of pores noticed in SCC when SS was mixed caused the bulk density to be slightly
less. Kumar et al. (2016) also outlined depletion in the concrete density of 6.33% by using
sandstone as a restricted replacement of coarse aggregate in traditional concrete. Similar
decrement in density was also found and presented by Arif et al. (2018) where total aggregate
was partially substituted by SS. The water absorption capacity and density outcomes are
inter-related. The fairly decreased density may be associated with the lower specific gravity
of SS as compared to the substitute traditional pozzolana portland cement.
The percentage of permeable voids is displayed in Fig.12. An increment in this parameter
outcomes was noticed when amount of SS increased in the SSC mix with values of 5.66%
(SS0); 6.28% (SS5); 6.71% (SS10); 7.07 (SS15) and 7.09 (SS20). With the increment of SS
content in the concrete mix, the internal structure became extensive and developed higher
number of voids. The permeable voids were higher in the concrete mix when amount of SS

14
increased which was relatable with the reduced strength (Figs. 8-9) and density of concrete
mix (Fig. 11). The relation in between the concrete internal structural and its performance has
been reported by various researchers (Jain et al., 2019; Zhang et al., 2019; Tanaka and
Kurumisawa, 2002; Binici and Aksogan, 2018) containing stone wastes to achieve fresh
properties the water to powder ratio kept high (Table 8), which resulting into high permeable
voids. A high amount of water and its subsequent loss might develop pores, which have been
observed by Garijo et al. (2018).
Inclusion of SS as an alternate for Portland Pozzolana Cement decreased the binder content.
Concrete mix prepared with more than 15% SS showed degraded microstructure specifically
voids which rises water absorption in the concrete mix. Reduction in the binder content

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generated micro-cracks and permeable voids on account of the less generation of C-S-H gel,

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enabling the penetration of water into the concrete sample. Similar patterns have been
reported by Jain et al. Jain et al. (2019) when granite powder was utilized to partially
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substitute river sand in SCC, and Kumar et al. (2016); Kumar et al. (2016), who reported that
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the utilization of sandstone coarse aggregate resulted in an increment in the proportionality of
water absorption.
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SEM images of concrete mixes displayed in (Fig. 17) exhibits poor packing of the concrete
pores. As observed in (Fig. 13 (a)), the relation between these two parameters is direct and
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strong (R2=0.99) and inter-connection between the percentage of permeable voids and CS is
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also displayed straight relationship (R2=0.90) (Fig. 13 (b)). Hence, it can be summarized that
strength parameters of SCC may be ameliorated if the porosity decreased.
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3.4 Effect of SS on ultrasonic pulse velocity

The results of the non-destructive UPV test to assess the quality and uniformity of
concrete samples is represented in (Fig. 14). For the SCC specimen containing 20% SS, the
UPV value was 5550 m/s, which was 7.50% less than that of control concrete specimen
(6000 m/s), reflecting infirm connection linking cement paste and aggregates. The UPV
values gradually decreased for the increasing substitutions with the SS, which was 5900,
5820 and 5760 m/s respectively for SS5, SS10 and SS15 mixes. This reduction in UPV test
values may on account of the appearance of voids and micro-cracks.

Concrete specimens have been categorized into five classes starring from ‘excellent’ to
‘very poor’ quality according to Whitehurst (1951). As the UPV values of the entire concrete
specimens were exceeding 4500 m/s, all the SCC mixes from SS0 to SS20 may be classified

15
as excellent quality. Singh et al. (2017) used marble slurry to prepare concrete and reported
that the dried marble slurry improves the quality of concrete, proven through ultrasonic pulse
velocity test. Inter relationship has been established linking CS and UPV values (Fig.15 (a)),
which shows direct positive relation (R2=0.9522).

3.5 Effect of SS on water penetration

Penetration of water is a distinct basis towards the strength decrement of concrete specimens.
Fig. 12 represents the water penetration values after 28 days of curing. The concrete mixes
show higher values when SS was included in the mix composition, attaining maximum value

of
of 5mm for SS20. The outcome is maintaining same pattern, when cement was replaced by
granite dust as reported by Aarthi and Arunachalam (2018). Another researcher, Mashaly et

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al. (2018) reported that stone waste when used as replacement of cement the capacity of
internal permeability enhanced.
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The higher amount of SS content produced a lesser cohesion between the constituents,
lessening the cement hydration and enhancing porosity in the concrete internal structure. Due
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to the fineness of SS an acute deficiency in the volume of cement paste have been arise which
effectuates the initiation of cracks and voids, across this water can perforate into the concrete
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core. The relationship between permeability and voids showed positive relation (R2=0.81) in
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(Fig. 13 (c)). The water absorption by permeability characteristics was associated with
strength parameter of concrete after 28 days of curing age. The higher water absorption
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capacity pointed to a wider and interrelated microstructure that impacted compressive

strength at 28 days. It might also be relatable with the high water to powder ratio (Table 8). It
was observed that high compressive strength can be achieved with less water absorption by
permeability and water to cement ratio.

3.6 Scanning electron microscopic analysis

SEM images of concrete mixes SS0, SS15 and SS20 are presented in Fig.17. The SEM
images of concrete comprising 0% sandstone powder (Fig.17 (a)) displayed a dense C-S-H
matrix as compared with 15% and 20% sandstone powder as displayed in Fig.17 (b) and (c).
This was also verified by the UPV value of control concrete which was greater than other
concrete mixes prepared with SS. From SEM images of concretes with sandstone powder,
hair cracks, small voids and interface transitional zone in between cement paste and
aggregate was observed. It was evidently noticeable that the inclusion of SS increased the

16
percentage of voids, along with crack width. The irregular form of SS particles, one of the
reasons for the decreased strength characteristics (owed to the weak connection amid SS
particles and other concrete constituents), was also noticeable in the SEM image.

3.7 Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy study

FTIR spectroscopy of the concrete mixes SS0, SS15 and SS20 are presented in Table 14 and
Fig.18. In FTIR analysis cement hydration could possibly be noted by the band placed at
1000 cm-1 as reported by Kabeer and Vyas (2018). This band for the SS0, SS15 and SS20
blends can be observed at 1015.83, 1009.96, and 1006.50 cm-1 individually. Decrement in the
wave number was noticed in hydration of cement band which leads to reduce in density of

of
concrete as differentiate to the reference concrete mix. Through the hydration process
portlandite [Ca (OH)2] were formed and portlandite band can be noticed around 3400 cm-1. In

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the concrete mix SS0, SS15 and SS20 portlandite bands were found at 3454.07, 3451.92 and
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3448.50 cm-1 respectively. It was noticed from the outcomes that increment in SS percentage
in the concrete mix reduces wave number. Free water bands were noticed around 3646, 3648,
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3649 cm-1 and 1636.30, 1641.14, 1642.50 for SS0, SS15 and SS20 mixes. From the results it
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can be perceived that the value of water band (OH¯ ) also escalated with an increment in the
percentage of SS, on account of the decrement in water intake of cement during the hydration
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process.
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From FTIR study it may be presumed that ‘no new products’ have been produced with the
disposition of SS. Reduction in strength properties may be justified by the decreased value of
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portlandite and CSH gel with the incorporation of SS by replacing cement.

4. Conclusions

This work reports the important role of sandstone slurry (SS), an inert material incorporated
in self-compacting concrete as a partial substitute for pozzolana portland cement. SS is
primarily siliceous in nature with rough and angular surface along with finer particle size.
The fresh properties of SCC were within the array designated by EFNARC standards. The
strength was decreased to some extent with the increment of SS in the SSC due to the surface
characteristics of SS. The curtailment in strength may be attributed to the weak bonding
connecting the cement paste and aggregates, resulting in rapid rupture under loading. With an
escalation in the substitution level, the density of concrete declines owing to the increment in
the concrete porosity, as well as on account of the reduced specific gravity of SS in contrast
with the portland pozzolana Cement. Water absorption and permeable voids expanded with

17
an augmentation in the proportionality of SS. The increment in SS percentage increases water
absorption capacity by permeability. UPV test showed that all the SCC specimens may be
categorized in excellent standards. Microstructural images displayed voids, along with hair
crack with the incorporation of SS above 15%. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy study
confirmed no new products have been generated as SS is an inert material.

It can be concluded that the SSC containing SS up to 15% (water/powder ratio of 0.33) may
be utilized in narrow and congested reinforcements, as well as in general structural works as
specified in EFNARC (2005). The characteristic strength values are within the acceptance
range of the IBC (Section 1905.1.1) and ACI 318 standard (Section 5.1.1). Durability
properties are also in line with the general practice purpose, where the maximum permissible

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limit does not exceed 25mm for water permeability. Hence, the SS up to 15% can be

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recommended as a sustainable alternative building material in the construction industry.

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The parameters studied in the SSC with SS content recommended the preliminary hypothesis
of utilizing the sandstone waste as a partial replacement of up to 15% of Portland pozzolana
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cement. The outcomes of this work subsidize to decreasing the environmental effect on
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sandstone industry and the construction industry, giving a common advantage, subsequently
the intake of raw material is decreased and stone waste is organized, thus avoiding landfill,
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dumping along roadside and water bodies. Successful use of this stone waste in SSC has also
been revealed to lessen the CO2 emission and enhanced other ways for emerging the
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monetary retrieval and decreasing the atmospheric pollution to be revaluated.

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Future scope
The decrement of hardened properties and water penetration was noticed at replacement
levels (5%, 10%, 15% and 20%) typically for voids due to finer particle size of SS. To
increase the strength and lessen the negative impact silica fume can be used in concrete as
mineral admixture additionally. The improvement in concrete properties might be achieved
by applying above mentioned process which might enhance the bonding among cement paste,
SS and aggregate. After the end life of the structure, the SS concrete may be used as recycled
aggregate in construction industry, which may also define as the end life of the material.

Acknowledgement
The authors would like to acknowledge the Material Research Centre, Malaviya National
Institute of Technology Jaipur (India) for the necessary assistance in SEM and FTIR analysis.

18
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aggregates. In Advances in Human Factors and Sustainable Infrastructure (pp. 13-25).
Springer, Cham.

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S. Kumar, R.C. Gupta, S. Shrivastava, L. Csetenyi, B. S. Thomas, Preliminary study on the use of
quartz sandstone as a partial replacement of coarse aggregate in concrete based on clay
content, morphology and compressive strength of combined gradation, Constr. Build. Mater.
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S. Kumar, R.C. Gupta, S. Shrivastava, Effective utilisation of quartz sandstone mining wastes: A
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S. Kumar, R.C. Gupta, S. Shrivastava, Long term studies on the utilisation of quartz sandstone wastes
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S. Siddique, S. Shrivastava, S. Chaudhary, Durability properties of bone china ceramic fine aggregate
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 List of Tables

Table 1. Output of Mined-Out Sandstone Reserves in Rajasthan, India (Kumar et al.,2017)

Sandstone waste generated [thousands of tons]
Mined out reserves 200,272
Mine waste @ 25% of mine production 50,068
a
Sandstone production as per DMG Rajasthan 150,205
Dressing waste 22,531
Processing + Polishing waste 37,651
Dressing waste + Polishing 60,182
Total waste 110,250
a
Department of mines and geology (DMG) Rajasthan

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Table 2: Standards used for raw material testing

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Material descriptions Standards used References
Type-IP cement (blended) -p ASTM C595M-03 (ASTM
C595)
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Coarse aggregate (nominal maximum size of 10 mm) ASTM C33-03 (ASTM C33)
Fine aggregate (nominal maximum size of 4.75 mm) ASTM C33-03 (ASTM C33)
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Polycarboxylic ether (PCE) based superplasticizer (SP) ASTM C 494/C (ASTM

494M C494/C494M)
chloride-free viscosity modifying agent (VMA) EFNARC (EFNARC)
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Guidelines
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Table 3: List of tests performed on the raw materials

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Tests performed on raw materials Table No Figure No Reference No

Physical properties of cement Table 3 (R.C Gupta et
al., 2019)
Elemental composition of cement. Table 4
Physical properties of sandstone slurry Table 5
Particle size distribution curve of PPC and SS Fig. 2 (R.C Gupta et
al., 2019)
The average particle size of PPC and SS Table 6
Volume density curves of SS and PPC Fig. 3 (a)
Fig.3 (b).
Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images Fig. 4 (a)
of SS and PPC Fig. 4 (b)
Chemical composition of SS Table 7 (S. Kumar et
al., 2016)
X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of SS Fig. 5
Physical parameters of coarse and fine Table 8 (R.C Gupta et
aggregates al., 2019)
Particle size distribution curve of aggregates Table 3 Fig. 6.

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Table 4: Physical properties of cement

Physical properties Results

Specific gravity, g/cm3 2.91
Specific surface area, m2/kg 730.8
Initial setting time, minute 138
Final setting time, minute 251
3-day compressive strength, MPa 24.41
7-day compressive strength, MPa 28.08
28-day compressive strength, MPa 37.30

Table 5: Chemical composition of cement

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Element (Symbol) Weight (%) Atomic (%)
Calcium (Ca) 38.24 27.95

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Oxygen (O) 11.79 58.82
Silicon (Si) 44.94
-p 11.06
Aluminium (Al) 1.3 1.01
Iron (Fe) 2.64 0.28
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Magnesium (Mg) 0.53 0.55
Potassium (K) 0.39 0.24
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Sodium (Na) 0.06 0.04

Phosphorus (P) 0.04 0.03
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Manganese (Mn) 0.07 0.01

Table 6: Physical properties of sandstone slurry

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Physical properties Test results Reference standards

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Color Pink Physical observation

Specific gravity, g/cm3 2.62 ASTM C188 - 09
Liquid limit (WL) % 28.20 ASTM D 4318 – 00
Plastic limit (WP) % 19.76 ASTM D 4318 – 00
Plasticity index (IP) 8.44 ASTM D 4318 – 00
Shrinkage limit (%) 27.11 ASTM D 4943 – 02
Shrinkage ratio 1.51 ASTM D 4943 – 02
Volumetric shrinkage 1.24 ASTM D 4943 – 02
Surface area (m2/kg) 968.7 Obtained from particle size
analysis report

Table 7: Average particle size of Portland Pozzolana cement and sandstone slurry

Raw material Dv (10) Dv (50) Dv (90)

Sandstone slurry 2.903 μm 18.546 μm 62.565 μm
Portland Pozzolana cement 3.768 μm 16.919 μm 42.398 μm

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Table 8: Concrete mixture proportions (R.C Gupta et al., 2019)
MIX ID SS W/P Cement DSS CA FA Water SP VMA
(%) (kg/m3) (kg/m3) (kg/m3) (kg/m3) (kg/m3) (%) (%)

SS0 0 0.33 600 0 776 807 198 1.35 0.10

Table 9: Details of specimens and standards used for testing of concrete properties

Descriptions Specimen Testing Standards used References

size (mm) age (days)
Testing of fresh properties - - EN 12350-2 (BS EN
12350-2)
Sampling of fresh properties - - EN 12350-1 (EN
12350-1)

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Compressive strength 100mm 7, 28, 90, ISO 1920-4: (ISO
(cube) 180, 365 2005 1920-4)

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flexural tensile strength 100mm x 28, 90, ISO 1920-4: (ISO
100mm x 180, 365 2005 1920-4)
500mm
(beam)
-p
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Ultrasonic pulse velocity 100mm 28 ISO 1920-7: (ISO
(UPV) test (cube) 2005 1920-7)
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Density, water absorption and 100mm 28 ASTM C 642- (ASTM C

percentage of permeable voids (cube) 13 642)
water permeability test 150mm 28 DIN-1048 (DIN-
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(cube) (Part-5) 1048

(Part-5)
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Table 10: Fresh concrete properties

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Slump J-Ring T-500 V-Funnel L-Box Sieve

MIX flow step flow flow time (Ratio) segregation Air
ID value height time (sec) resistance content
(mm) (mm) (sec) (%) (%)
SS0 826.50 3.0 1.40 5.37 0.95 19.84 4.1
(SF3) (VS1) (VF1) (PA1) (SR1)
SS5 819.00 4.1 1.43 5.53 0.92 19.38 4.4
(SF3) (VS1) (VF1) (PA1) (SR1)
SS10 810.50 5.4 1.62 5.92 0.89 19.03 4.8
(SF3) (VS1) (VF1) (PA1) (SR1)
SS15 800.00 6.8 1.79 6.94 0.87 18.79 5.4
(SF3) (VS1) (VF1) (PA1) (SR1)
SS20 784.50 9.0 1.88 7.39 0.86 18.64 6.0
(SF3) (VS1) (VF1) (PA1) (SR1)

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Table 11: Compressive and flexural strength standard deviation

MIX Compressive strength Flexure strength

ID 7D 28D 90D 180D 365D 28D 90D 180D 365D
SS0 1.87 3.00 3.85 4.15 4.00 0.01 0.28 0.21 0.17
SS5 1.00 0.50 1.85 1.53 2.00 0.14 0.25 0.42 0.28
SS10 1.22 1.75 1.85 1.91 1.10 0.20 0.62 0.01 0.21
SS15 1.00 1.45 1.52 1.25 1.17 0.14 0.19 0.21 0.22
SS20 0.80 6.00 5.58 3.36 1.50 0.14 0.16 0.21 0.21

Table 12: Hardened concrete test results

MIX Bulk Apparent Water Percentage Ultrasonic Water

ID Density Density absorption of pulse velocity permeability
(Mg/m3) (Mg/m3) (%) permeable (m/sec) (mm)

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voids
(%)

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SS0 2.40 2.47 2.59 5.66 6000.00 3.0
SS5 2.38 2.43 2.80 6.28 5900.00 3.9
SS10
SS15
2.35
2.32
2.40
2.38
2.98
3.10
-p 6.71
7.07
5820.00
5760.00
4.5
4.5
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SS20 2.28 2.35 3.12 7.09 5550.00 5.0
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Table 13: Comparison between mechanical properties of traditional concrete and self-
compacting concrete containing sandstone slurry
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Traditional concrete Self-compacting concrete

Sandstone slurry
replacement (%)

Flexural tensile
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Compressive
absorption

absorption
Flexural
strength

strength

strength

strength
Density

Density
tensile
Water

Water
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0 2.36 3.50 35.16 5.92 2.40 2.59 43.00 6.16

5 2.33 3.84 35.53 5.75 2.38 2.80 39.00 5.29
10 2.30 4.29 33.53 5.47 2.35 2.98 37.25 4.88
15 2.28 4.69 29.67 4.85 2.32 3.10 35.90 4.68
20 2.25 5.22 26.67 4.41 2.28 3.12 32.50 4.40

Table 14: FTIR wave numbers for investigated concrete mixes

S/N Molecular group DSS 0 DSS 15 DSS 20

1 Water Bond (OH¯ ) 3646 3648 3649
2 Water Bond (OH¯ ) 1636.30 1641.14 1642.50
3 Portlandite 3454.07 3451.92 3448.50
4 CO23 1460.20 1452.78 1452.77
5 CSH 1015.83 1009.96 1006.50
6 O-Si-O 876.42 876.34 875.95
7 O-Si-O 777.43 777.35 777.30

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 8 O-Si-O 466.11 462.49 461.95

List of Figures

Particle Size Distribution Curve for PPC Cemnet and Sandstone Dry Slurry
110
Sandstone slurry
100
PPC
90

80
Percent Finer, %

70

60

50

40

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30

20

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10

0
10000 1000 100 -p 10

Particle Size, D, μm
1 0.1 0.01
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Fig. 1: Particle size distribution curve of Portland Pozzolana cement and sandstone slurry
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2 (b)

Fig. 2: Volume density curve of (a) Sandstone slurry, (b) Portland Pozzolana cement

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 3 (a) 3 (b)

Fig. 3: Scanning electron microscopy images of (a) PPC, (b) SS

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Fig. 4: XRD pattern of sandstone slurry

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Fig. 5: Particle size distribution of fine and coarse aggregate.
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6 (a) Slump flow apparatus for determination of 6 (b) L-Box test set up
slump flow value in mm and T500 value in sec

6 (c) Arrangement of V-Funnel test 6 (d) J-Ring test set up

Fig. 7: Fresh properties testing arrangements
Fig.6: Determination of fresh properties of SCC

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Figure 6 (e) Place of application of SCC as per fresh property results

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Fig.7. Correlation between T500 and V-funnel time
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Fig.8: Compressive strength values of SCC

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Fig. 9: Flexural tensile strength values of SCC mixes
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10 (a) 10 (b)
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Fig. 10: Relationship between flexural and compressive strength (a) 28 days (b) 365 days

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Fig.11: Density of sandstone slurry concrete.
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Fig. 12: Water absorption and permeable voids of sandstone slurry concrete

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 13 (a) 13 (b)

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Fig.13 (a): Relationship between water absorption and permeable voids (b) Compressive
strength and permeable voids (c) Water permeability and permeable voids
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Fig.14: Ultrasonic pulse velocity values

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 15 (a) 15 (b)

Fig.15 (a): Relationship between UPV values and compressive strength (b): Relationship
between compressive strength and air content

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Fig.16. Water permeability values of SCC samples with various

percentage of Sandstone slurry

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17 (a) SS0 17 (b) SS15

17 (c) SS20

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Fig.17: Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) of SS0, SS15 and SS20

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 18 (a) SS 0
18 (b) SS 15

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18 (c) SS 20
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Fig.18: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of SS0, SS15 and SS20
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Declaration of interests

☒ The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal
relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
☐The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be
considered as potential competing interests:

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