The benefic effect of Moroccan oil shale’s ash on blended cement (CMII)

Abstract

Recycling of Tarfaya’s oil shales (OSA) was conducted for two essential reasons: First, to follow the change of their mineralogical composition with the heat treatment and second to investigate the possibility of their use in building materials. The mineral compositions and the mineralogical transformations of the oil shale during their thermal treatment were followed respectively by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). The XRF showed that the mineral composition of the ash burned at 850°C is similar to that of Portland clinker and the DRX showed the presence of quartz, mayenite, gehlenite, anydrite, hematite and lime as well as the existence of some characteristics phases of the clinker as C2S, C3A and C4AF. The Infrared spectrum showed the various functional groups that exist in OSA. The substitution of cement CMII by OSA increased the content of free lime and Blaine specific surface. The ash influenced beneficially the mechanical strength of the blended cement. The best results were obtained at all times of curing (2, 7, 28 and 91 Days) for the substitution of CMII by 7 and 10 % of OSA.