Microstructure of Mortar with Ballast Waste as a Cement Replacement
The use of ballast in tracks generates waste that, in most cases, is destined for landfill. The proposal to use this waste as a replacement in OPC in different proportions valorizes the waste and allows its participation in the Circular Economy. To this end, two samples of ballast waste with substit...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-05-01
|
| Series: | Applied Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/10/5605 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850257939604963328 |
|---|---|
| author | Santiago Yagüe-García Rosario García-Giménez |
| author_facet | Santiago Yagüe-García Rosario García-Giménez |
| author_sort | Santiago Yagüe-García |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The use of ballast in tracks generates waste that, in most cases, is destined for landfill. The proposal to use this waste as a replacement in OPC in different proportions valorizes the waste and allows its participation in the Circular Economy. To this end, two samples of ballast waste with substitution ratios (10, 15, and 20%) were studied for one year using pozzolanic activity, XRD, SEM/EDX, and CT scanning analysis. The shortest setting times corresponded to the ballast waste substitutions with the highest percentage, which is related to particle size and the presence of amorphous material, thereby reducing the setting time. The workability of mortars with a substitution indicates that the average consistency decreases as the substitution percentage increases, while the loss of fluidity grows with a higher substitution percentage. Porosity is linked to the formation of C-S-H gels and the presence of ettringite, which fills the pores between particles. Tortuosity can be considered low, which hinders the transport of aqueous solutions, making the substituted cements studied more resistant to hydration processes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-00e949d8bd694f6cbd76b32a9d5378dc |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-00e949d8bd694f6cbd76b32a9d5378dc2025-08-20T01:56:17ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-05-011510560510.3390/app15105605Microstructure of Mortar with Ballast Waste as a Cement ReplacementSantiago Yagüe-García0Rosario García-Giménez1Departamento de Ingeniería Industrial, Facultad de Ingeniería, Avenida de la Universidad, Villanueva de la Cañada, 6, 28691 Madrid, SpainDepartamento de Geología y Geoquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, SpainThe use of ballast in tracks generates waste that, in most cases, is destined for landfill. The proposal to use this waste as a replacement in OPC in different proportions valorizes the waste and allows its participation in the Circular Economy. To this end, two samples of ballast waste with substitution ratios (10, 15, and 20%) were studied for one year using pozzolanic activity, XRD, SEM/EDX, and CT scanning analysis. The shortest setting times corresponded to the ballast waste substitutions with the highest percentage, which is related to particle size and the presence of amorphous material, thereby reducing the setting time. The workability of mortars with a substitution indicates that the average consistency decreases as the substitution percentage increases, while the loss of fluidity grows with a higher substitution percentage. Porosity is linked to the formation of C-S-H gels and the presence of ettringite, which fills the pores between particles. Tortuosity can be considered low, which hinders the transport of aqueous solutions, making the substituted cements studied more resistant to hydration processes.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/10/5605CDW ballastpozzolanic reactionsupplementary cementitious materialporosity |
| spellingShingle | Santiago Yagüe-García Rosario García-Giménez Microstructure of Mortar with Ballast Waste as a Cement Replacement Applied Sciences CDW ballast pozzolanic reaction supplementary cementitious material porosity |
| title | Microstructure of Mortar with Ballast Waste as a Cement Replacement |
| title_full | Microstructure of Mortar with Ballast Waste as a Cement Replacement |
| title_fullStr | Microstructure of Mortar with Ballast Waste as a Cement Replacement |
| title_full_unstemmed | Microstructure of Mortar with Ballast Waste as a Cement Replacement |
| title_short | Microstructure of Mortar with Ballast Waste as a Cement Replacement |
| title_sort | microstructure of mortar with ballast waste as a cement replacement |
| topic | CDW ballast pozzolanic reaction supplementary cementitious material porosity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/10/5605 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT santiagoyaguegarcia microstructureofmortarwithballastwasteasacementreplacement AT rosariogarciagimenez microstructureofmortarwithballastwasteasacementreplacement |