Innovative Approach to Sustainable Construction: Utilization of Refined Travertine Processing By-products as Partial Cement Replacement in Eco-friendly Concrete

Document Type : Original Article

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Faculty of Engineering, Mahallat Institute of Higher Education, Mahallat, Iran

10.22091/cer.2025.11940.1588

Abstract

The construction industry faces significant environmental challenges, with cement pro-duction being a major contributor to global CO₂ emissions, while the stone processing industry generates substantial waste material, particularly travertine sludge, creating disposal problems and environmental hazards. This research investigates the potential of Refined Travertine Waste Material (RTWM) as a partial cement replacement in concrete production, with various mixtures prepared using 0% to 50% RTWM replacing cement by mass, and evaluating their mechanical properties and durability characteristics through comprehensive testing at 7, 28, and 90 days. Results demonstrate that RTWM can effectively replace up to 40% of cement without significant strength loss, with optimal performance observed in the 35-40% substitution range, attributed to physical filling effects, improved particle packing, and limited chemical interactions within the cementitious ma-trix. Water permeability decreased consistently with increasing RTWM content, indicating enhanced durability, and statistical analysis confirmed these findings with regression models providing reliable strength prediction tools. Environmental assessment revealed that optimal RTWM incorporation could reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 32% and energy consumption by approximately 25% in concrete production while maintaining or improv-ing key performance characteristics.

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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 31 May 2025

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