Performance of Sustainable Mortars Made with Filler from Different Construction By-Products

• Published in: Materials Vol. 15; no. 7; p. 2636
• Main Authors: López-Uceda, Antonio, Fernández-Ledesma, Enrique, Jiménez, José Ramón, Fernández-Rodríguez, José María
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 03.04.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Adhesive strength; Aggregates; Air Content; Air entrainment; Asphalt; By products; Byproducts; ceramic filler; Coal-fired power plants; Compressive strength; construction by-products; Construction industry; Fillers; Flexural strength; granite filler; Laboratories; Mechanical properties; Mortars (material); Physical properties; Production increases; recovery filler; siliceous filler; Sustainability; Sustainable materials; sustainable mortars; Water absorption; Water vapor; Workability; Spain; construction by-products; recovery filler; sustainable mortars; ceramic filler; granite filler; siliceous filler
• ISSN: 1996-1944; 1996-1944
• DOI: 10.3390/ma15072636

One way to contribute to sustainability in the construction sector is through the incorporation of construction by-products from their own activities. This work intends to extend the possibilities for enhancement of these by-products through the incorporation of four different ones, as fillers, in mortar production. The influence of these incorporations in mortar production was compared with a reference mortar with siliceous filler in its fresh state; workability, entrained air content and fresh density, and in its hardened state; capillary water absorption, water vapour permeability and shrinkage (up to 91 days); and adhesive, compressive, and flexural strength; the last two were studied over time (up to 180 days). Despite the reduction in compressive strength, both in the short and long term, there was a gain in adhesive strength when the construction by-products were incorporated. Regarding the physical properties and durability studied, no relevant differences were found with respect to the reference mortar. According to the European Specifications, these mortars could be used as regular or coloured rendering and plastering mortars, and masonry mortars, and these findings promote the circular economy in the construction sector.