Use of granite and basalt rock powders as replacement materials in cement production

Abstract

The use of pozzolanic materials, rock powder or fly ash, as an additive to replace some cement additives is considered an innovative and cost-effective way to reduce the negative impact of cement production on the environment. There is no report, however, on the addition of rock powder in cement, which is the key motivation for undertaking this research project. In this study, the physical, chemical and compression properties of cement mortart with different percentages of Granite Rock Powder and Basalt Rock Powder (10, 15, 20, and 25%) were investigated, and were compared to that of cement with fly ash. The compressive tests were conducted at 7 and 28 days. The effect of different percentages of rock powders and fly ash on the microstructure was also conducted in order to provide a better understanding on how these three materials affect cement mortar performance. The results showed that mortars with 10% of Granite Rock Powder and 10% Basalt Rock Powder first obtained higher strength, but were lower than control-1 (100% cement). Compared with ordinary concrete, the strength of the 25% fly ash group increases rapidly, and it is expected to obtain higher strengths in the later stages.