Abstract:
Marble dust powder is a by-product of the marble processing industries which is generated
during cutting, shaping and polishing process; already causing environmental problems
around the marble processing industries. Due to the boosting of the construction activity in
the country, a huge shortage is created in most of the construction materials especially
cement, resulting in increase of price. Therefore, this research was conducted to examine the
potential of marble dust powder as partial replacement of cement in concrete.
Initially, marble dust powder samples were collected from Ethio-marble Processing
Enterprise. Then marble dust powder was sieved until the particles passing the 90µm
reaches more than 90%, which is similar to that of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). OPC
was replaced by marble dust powder. Normal consistency and setting time of the pastes
containing OPC and marble dust powder from 4% to 20% replacement were investigated.
The compressive strength, flexural strength, tensile split strength and permeability of
concrete containing OPC with marble dust powder from 4% to 20% replacements was also
investigated. Six different concrete mixes with the replacing 0%, 4%, 8%, 12%, 16% and
20% of the OPC were prepared for characteristic strength of 25MPa concrete with water to
cement ratio of 0.50 and 340kg/m3
cement content. Then the properties of these mixes have
been assessed both at the fresh and hardened state.
The results of the concrete work have shown that, up to 8% replacement of the OPC by
marble dust powder achieved a higher compressive strength, whereas the 12%, 16% and
20% replacement of the cement by marble dust powder in the concrete have shown a slightly
lower compressive strength. The water penetration depth was found to decrease as the
marble dust powder content increases and all the blended concretes showed a lower
maximum penetration depth than the control concrete.
Therefore it can be concluded that 8% replacement of cement by marble dust powder shows
satisfactory concrete properties and higher replacement could also be recommended with a
slight reduction in the performance of the concrete.
