Development sustainable concrete with high-volume wastes tile ceramic: Role of silica nanoparticles amalgamation

Abstract

As the global concrete industry shifts towards sustainable practices, there is an increasing focus on mitigating the environmental impacts of ordinary Portland cement (OPC)-based concrete, which is notorious for its significant greenhouse gas emissions, high energy consumption, and substantial demand for natural resources. This urgency is compounded by the growing production of waste tile ceramic materials due to rapid urban development, leading to enhanced research into their recyclability within concrete for improved durability and sustainability. This study explores the development of high-strength concrete utilizing waste tile ceramic aggregates (WTCAs) and waste tile ceramic powder (WTCP) as replacements for natural aggregate and OPC, respectively. To further enhance the concrete's mechanical properties and microstructure, silica nanoparticles derived from waste bottle glass (WBGNPs) were integrated in varying proportions ranging from 2 % to 10 % of the binder content. Optimal results were achieved with a full replacement of natural aggregate by WTCAs, 60 % substitution of OPC by WTCP, and the inclusion of 4 % WBGNPs, which collectively exhibited superior compressive, splitting tensile, and flexural strengths. Microstructural analyses revealed that the addition of WBGNPs improved the hydration process, increased gel density, and reduced porosity. From the obtained numerical results, the coefficient of determination value of 0.92 further confirms the model's predictive strength, demonstrating that the Random Forest algorithm can reliably estimate the compressive strength. The findings indicate that the concrete formulated with WTCP and WBGNPs not only meets diverse construction demands but also significantly contributes to environmental sustainability by reducing impacts on global warming and minimizing landfill usage. This study advocates for the strategic incorporation of WTCP and WBGNPs in concrete applications to promote environmentally sustainable construction practices. It is highly recommended that WTCP be utilized in sustainable binders as a replacement for OPC and natural aggregates to enhance it strength and durable properties, reduce the environmental issues, costs, and the depletion of natural resources.