Impact of waste materials (glass powder and silica fume) on features of high-strength concrete

Abstract

Abstract Pozzolanic materials, glass powder, and silica fume (SF) have all been used in concrete recently as a partial cement substitution to increase the strength of the concrete. The aim of this study is to analyze the impact of waste glass powder (WGP) and SF combination on high-strength concrete (HSC) characteristics. The working methodology of the current research consists of using SF passed through sieve No. 200, and WGP particles that passed through sieve No. 400 (particle size less than 38 µm), maximum size of aggregate (14, 20) mm and W/C + p (0.25, 0.35, and 0.45). The used waste materials were in three different amounts of SF and WGP (5, 10, and 15%) by weight of cement. HSC was tested for compressive strength, density, and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) with various glass powder and SF contents. The obtained results show that after 7 and 28 days, concrete specimens containing 15% glass powder and SF demonstrated an increase in density, UPV, and compressive strength, depending on the test results. Conversely, concrete specimens with 5% SF and WGP had decreased compressive strength, UPV, and density. It was detected that WGP gave high mechanical (compressive strength) and physical properties (density and UPV) than SF with a ratio of 15% and lower properties with a ratio of 5%. In HSC manufacturing, glass powder may be used instead of SF.