The effect of varying pressures and cement ratios on the compressive strength of reconstituted limestone

Abstract

The construction Industry is the largest generator of waste. This waste has the potential to be reused within other building materials, thereby generating less waste. A current ongoing project at the University of Malta is that of an engineered masonry composite building material, composed mainly of limes lone powder generated from crushed blocks or quarry waste. This material may be utilized in different parts of the building Industry, such as building blocks, paving and cladding. The process sees the application of higher pressures to a mix of limestone powder, cement and water to compact the material and expel any excess water, creating a dense stone-like maternal. The current objective of the project is to understand the degree to which cement and compaction load correlate to one another in the generation of compressive strength of the composite material. This is done by means of a large batch sampling with a varying degree of all the parameters in question. Further small batch testing is conducted to determine the effect of varying degrees of workability by increased initial water content and use of superplasticizer. An understanding of these key parameters allows for an optimisation to the mix for the desired use and allows for higher efficiency in both production and the use of material.