Composite binders with products of building materials recycling

Introduction. Modern construction deals with the need to conserve natural resources and reduce construction wastes produced in huge amounts annually, up to millions tons in Russia and in the CIS countries. The problem of recycling becomes especially urgent in the context of the restoration of territories affected by military operations, such as the LPR and the DPR, where destroyed buildings pose both an environmental threat and provide a potential source of secondary raw materials. The development of technologies for the production of composite binders based on recycling products, such as expanded clay, is a strategically important task that allows solving environmental problems, reducing restoration costs and construction speed by localizing resources.

The purpose of the study is to develop and provide rationale for the use of composite binders based on Portland cement and finely ground expanded clay concrete (CB) as a mineral additive. The tasks include studying the effect of the specific surface area (400 and 1000 m2/kg) and the mass fraction of the additive (5%, 15%, and 25%) on the physical and mechanical properties of binders, such as normal density, density and strength of cement stone, to determine the optimal composition.

Materials and methods. The following recycled materials were used: Portland cement CEM I 42,5 (New cement), quartz sand and expanded clay concrete (CB). Composite binders were obtained by co-grinding cement and pre-crushed (fraction 0.14-1.25 mm) cement to obtain a specific surface area of 400 and 1000 m2/kg. The research was conducted in accordance with standard test methods in the laboratories of the Belgorod State Technological University named after V.G. Shukhov. The normal density, density, and compressive strength (at the ages of 7, 14, and 28 days) of 3×3×3 cm cube samples were analyzed. Composition determination was based on the structural affinity law, which assumes that the compatibility of components in composition and structure ensures the best operational properties.

Discussion and Conclusion. Experimental studies have confirmed that the introduction of expanded clay concrete into the binder makes it possible to reduce the normal density (water consumption) and increase the strength of cement stone at optimal parameters. The best results were shown by the composition with 15% CB additive, crushed to a specific surface area of 1000 m²/kg (Composition 5), which reached a maximum compressive strength of 76.34 MPa on day 28, which exceeds the strength of the control sample (70.94 MPa). This is due to high reactivity of fine particles, which contribute to a more dense and homogeneous structure. The use of a coarse fraction (400 m²/kg) or exceeding the dosage by up to 25% leads to a decrease in strength characteristics. Thus, it is optimal to introduce 15% finely ground (Sk = 1000 m²/kg) expanded clay concrete, which makes it possible to effectively replace cement without loss of quality and improve the performance properties of the binder.

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