Performance Assessment of Concrete with Quarry Dust as a Sustainable Partial Replacement for Cement

Quarry dust, a major by-product of stone crushing, has been widely used in construction applications such as highway surfacing, sandcrete block production, and lightweight concrete elements. This study evaluates the potential of quarry dust as a partial replacement for cement in concrete, with replacement levels of 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% by weight. The investigation involved compressive strength, durability, and linear shrinkage tests on concrete specimens cured for 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. Results indicate that compressive strength increases with age for all mixes, with maximum strength achieved at 20% replacement (27.38 N/mm² at 28 days). Beyond 20%, strength decreased but remained higher than control in some cases. Durability tests in dilute sulfuric acid revealed enhanced abrasion resistance, especially at higher replacement levels, with 40% quarry dust showing superior wear resistance. Linear shrinkage decreased with increasing quarry dust content due to its lower water absorption capacity. The findings suggest that partial cement replacement with up to 20% quarry dust can be used for lightweight structural concrete, offering both economic and environmental benefits, though it is not recommended for applications where sulfate resistance is critical.