The Effect of Incorporating Industrials Wastewater on Durability and Long-Term Strength of Concrete

Abstract

Concrete, as one of the essential construction materials, is responsible for a vast amount of emissions. Using recycled materials and gray water can considerably contribute to the sustainability aspect of concrete production. Thus, finding a proper replacement for fresh water in the production of concrete is significant. The usage of industrial wastewater instead of water in concrete is considered in this paper. In this study, 450 concrete samples are produced with different amounts of wastewater. The mechanical parameters, such as slump, compressive strength, water absorption, tensile strength, electrical resistivity, rapid freezing, half-cell potential and appearance, are investigated, and a specific concentration and impurities of wastewater that cause a 10% compressive strength reduction were found. The results showed that the usage of industrial wastewater does not significantly change the main characteristics of concrete. Although increasing the concentration of wastewater can decrease the durability and strength features of concrete nonlinearly, the negative effects on durability tests are more conspicuous, as utilizing concentrated wastewaters disrupt the formation of appropriate air voids, pore connectivity and pore-size distribution in the concrete.