Author(s)

F. J. Aukour

Abstract

Marble waste, in the form of sludge obtained from the marble cutting industry, was incorporated in the mixture formulations of concrete block. The possibility of using marble sludge powders (MSPs) as a substitute for limestone was investigated over a three year period. The production of cement block from sludge was standardised in terms of process and content. Interpretation of the results have shown that appropriate incorporation of MSP can result in favourable characteristics in terms of compression strength 9 N/nm2 at 28 days, and water absorption (7%), anticipating a complimentary usage of sludge as a by-product instead of being waste. Keywords: eco-construction blocks, marble sludge powder, cement, sustainability, environment, waste re-use. 1 Introduction Nowadays, the growing consumption of available natural resources as raw materials in industry leads to their decreasing quantity, as well as quality, in nature. In addition, the marble cutting industry generates a high volume of wastes. The most important issue that forms the basis of this project is that the amount of construction and demolition waste in landfill sites and municipalities side roads is expected to increase in the near future at international levels. Several research projects are being conducted by incorporation of these waste materials to reduce their environmental impact, especially after being air dried.

Keywords

eco-construction blocks, marble sludge powder, cement, sustainability, environment, waste re-use.