Effect of Using Marble Powder on the Properties of Recycled Aggregate Self-Curing Concrete

Marble is an industrial waste product obtained during marble stone cutting. It can be used as a replacement for cement in several concrete types. It offers a low-cost constituent with long-lasting effects. Marble powder can react with cement hydration products, forming extra cementitious components that add to the concrete's strength and durability. The improvement of the mechanical properties depends on the replacement ratio of marble powder. In this study, marble powder was used as a replacement for cement to examine recycled aggregate self-curing concrete mixes. Recycling aggregates is an efficient way to reduce negative environmental consequences. To obtain self-curing concrete, self-curing agents were used. Chemical compounds such as Polyethylene glycol are used to mitigate water loss and enhance the effectiveness of the curing processes in concrete. Additionally, some recycled aggregate types may retain an amount of water, which acts as a reservoir, allowing the hydration process to continue within a self-curing regime. The compressive and flexure strengths were studied for both traditional control mixes and self-curing mixes for different recycled aggregates. Also, the durability performance of self-curing RC beams with recycled aggregate were tested under chloride attack (8% concentration) that lasted for up to 60 days. Test results showed that the properties of self-curing concrete containing recycled aggregates were improved due to the replacement of 5 percent of cement using marble powder. Based on durability tests, it was found that the performance of natural dolomite in was superior to that of the recycled aggregate.