Use of Clay Tile Waste as an Internal Curing Aggregate to Replace Fine Aggregates in Roller Compacted Concrete

Abstract

The construction industry actively seeks sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives, leading to growing interest in integrating waste materials into concrete production. In addition, proper concrete curing is crucial, prompting the industry to explore alternative methods to address the limitations of conventional curing techniques. The use of internal curing agents, particularly in concrete with a low water/cement ratio, has become widespread. Attention has been directed toward the utilization of waste materials as internal curing agents based on their water absorption and desorption capacities. This study aims to fill a gap in sustainable construction practices by assessing the feasibility of employing clay tile waste as an internal curing aggregate (ICA) to replace fine aggregates in roller-compacted concrete (RCC). This research involves a series of laboratory experiments to evaluate the suitability of clay tile waste as an ICA. Furthermore, the study evaluates the mechanical properties of RCC samples containing clay tile aggregates (CTA) at varying percentages of replacement: 5%, 10%, and 15%. The findings indicate that the 10% replacement yields 18% more 3-day compressive strength than conventionally cured RCC. However, the tensile and flexural strengths of the RCC samples with CTA are lower compared with conventionally cured RCC, highlighting areas for further optimizations.