Influence of iron processing waste and dynamically prepared magnetized water on the properties of sustainable concrete

Despite extensive research on sustainable concrete materials, the combined effects of iron waste (IW) and magnetized water (MW) on concrete performance have not been comprehensively evaluated. Therefore, this study investigates the influence of incorporating IW with MW on the fresh, mechanical, durability, and microstructural properties of concrete. The recycling of IW material generated from machining, grinding, or steel processing operations is considered as a sustainable and economical strategy to reduce the consumption of natural raw materials. IW is one of the major industrial by-products in developing countries that can be effectively utilized in sustainable construction. In addition, water magnetization technology has shown superior effect in cementitious systems containing non-ferromagnetic materials. Hence, this study was designed to develop a new type of sustainable concrete incorporating IW as a partial replacement of concrete fine aggregate. In addition, the study evaluated how IW material (as ferromagnetic material) affects the performance of concrete when using MW instead of tap water (TW) in concrete mixing. The designed mixes incorporated IW at different contents (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50) as a partial replacement of fine aggregate, and MW was prepared using 50, 100, 150, 200 dynamic magnetization cycles as full replacement of TW. MW was produced using two different magnetic field intensities of 1.4 and 1.6 Tesla (T). Workability, compressive strength, flexural strength, and splitting tensile strength were measured and evaluated for the proposed sustainable concrete. Durability performance was assessed through the sorptivity test, while microstructural characteristics were analyzed using SEM, EDX, and XRD techniques. The results showed that concrete workability increased by up to 338% when IW was incorporated at replacement levels of (20–40% (using TW. The compressive strength improved by 22% when 10% IW was used with MW at 150 cycles. The use of 20% IW combined with MW at 150 cycles showed the best performance, with increased splitting tensile strength by 37% and the flexural strength by 7% after 28 days. In addition, fewer microcracks and pores, along with a relatively denser concrete matrix, were observed in the concrete microstructure when using MW. These results show how IW and MW can be used to create high-performance, sustainable concrete that promotes waste valorization, the preservation of natural resources, and ecologically friendly building techniques.