Morphology and Properties in Blended Cements with Ceramic Wastes as a Pozzolanic Material

Abstract

[EN] This paper describes the research run on ceramic materials, and more specifically fired clay roof tiles, ground to a fineness suitable for use as an active replacement for portland cements (PCs). The utilization of waste products from calcined clay roof tiles as a pozzolanic material in the cement manufacture is studied. One of the first materials used as pozzolans in the history was thermal-treated clay, a material similar to the calcined clay precast elements. For this study, the materials selected are clay products that have been eliminated for different reasons: a wrong temperature inside the kiln, dimensional and mechanical failures, and durability loss. The results showed that these products have good pozzolanic properties; at an early age, the pozzolanic activity was found to be higher than fly ash, although it was lower than silica fume. The morphology of clay tile–PC pastes are similar to the morphology of the pastes containing other pozzolanic materials. Hydrated calcium aluminate products are generated when the preparation method yields less compact pastes with a greater voids' volume to accommodate these products. The hydrated calcium aluminate phases were analyzed using scanning electronic microscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques.