Performance Evaluation of Cement Mortar Prepared with Waste Foundry Sand as an Alternative for Fine Aggregate: A Sustainable Approach

Concrete can be made cost-effective and environmental friendly using various sources of industrial byproducts. The extensive use of fine aggregates in mortar and concrete has adverse environmental effects as it consumes large quantities of natural resources and causes its depletion. To address these challenges and to make concrete cost effective and environmental friendly, use of waste industrial byproducts have the potential to replace the fine aggregates in concrete and mortar. In this research, waste foundry (WFS) sand is used as an alternative for fine aggregate in mortar. Similarly, for effective utilization of WFS in mortar, this study also attempts use of treated WFS in two forms. WFS treated with 5% concentrated H₂SO₄ is considered chemically treated waste foundry sand (CTFS) and WFS treated with fresh water is considered as water treated foundry sand (WTFS) respectively. After treatment of WFS, CTFS and WTFS is employed in varying proportions like 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% by weight of fine aggregate in cement mortar. This study mainly exhibits feasibility of WFS, WTFS and CTFS on strength, durability, and microstructural properties of cement mortar as per Indian standards. The findings of the tests demonstrated that cement mortar made with WFS performed better when fine aggregate was substituted with 30% of CTFS and WTFS. Similarly, optimum use of WTFS and CTFS is found to be 30–40% subjected to various strength and durability properties. The use of WFS in cement mortar will help the metal/foundry industries from the challenges related to handling and disposal of WFS and help in producing green cement mortar for construction as an innovative construction material.