Development and Properties of a Low-Strength Building Material in an Amalgamation of Red Mud, Phosphogypsum, and Slag-Based Cement Using Various Curing Conditions
摘要
Due to large-scale urbanization, there is a growing demand for construction materials. Most of the common building materials are sourced from natural resources that cause a rapid decline of non-renewable resources. In a parallel space, due to rapid industrialization, there is a huge consumption of natural resources and the generation of similar or more amount of industrial waste materials. Generated waste materials not only are piled up occupying valuable land mass but also pollute the air and water. To address these issues sustainably, there is a need to develop more and more building materials out of the waste stream materials. Phosphogypsum (PG) and Red mud (RM), byproducts of the phosphate fertilizer and aluminum industries, respectively, pose significant environmental challenges due to their extensive production and disposal. This research investigates on development of a low-strength material in combination with RM, PG, and Portland slag cement (PSC) which is intended to be used for making building blocks like bricks. Apart from compressive strength, the durability of the developed material was checked concerning acid, sulfate, and chloride resistance. For this purpose, different curing methods such as 28 days of water curing (C1), 28 days of ambient curing (C2), 14 days of ambient curing followed by 14 days of water curing (C3), and 14 days of water curing followed by 14 days ambient curing (C4). Results indicated that C4 samples exhibited the highest strength of 11.80 MPa, while C1, C2, and C3 samples offered 11.7, 3.16, and 6.99 MPa. The outcome of the present work may be helpful for the production of sustainable bricks of different classes concerning strength. The findings of this study offer valuable insights for the construction industry, highlighting the potential of using RM and PG. This research contributes to sustainable construction practices by addressing waste management issues and optimizing material performance through tailored curing methodologies.