Potential Use of a Quarry Waste for the Production of Self-compacting Concrete

The main feature of Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC) is its compactability under the action of its own weight, filling formworks and covering reinforcement without the need of applying external energy. Limestone filler is the most used supplementary cementitious materials for the production of SCC in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area, Argentina. Alternative sources for fillers can be found in residues from the exploitation of rocks. A good example is the quartzite mud resulting as a residue from the washing of manufactured sand in the Buenos Aires Province. The use of this waste would benefit the environment in reducing the demand for non-renewable natural resources and in adding value to the residue. In this paper, the performance in the fresh and hardened states of SCC made with 25, 50, 75, and 100% of the quartzite residue as a partial substitute of limestone filler is evaluated. Tests include spread, passing time, compressive strength, and capillary water absorption. Results show that the superplasticizer demand increases considerably with the content of the residue. Nevertheless, the properties of concrete in the fresh and hardened states show the feasibility of using the material to produce SCC.