Utilization of Construction and Demolition Waste for Sustainable Masonry: Experimental Analysis and Microstructural Insights

Construction is an ever-growing industry that significantly contributes to the global economy and provides infrastructure for many diversified sectors such as housing, transportation, water supply, irrigation, and many other projects. The construction of these projects leads to increased demand for...

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Main Authors: K Monish Kumar, H P Thanu, M C Nataraja
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Semnan University 2026-02-01
Series:Journal of Rehabilitation in Civil Engineering
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Online Access:https://civiljournal.semnan.ac.ir/article_9513_d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e.pdf
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author K Monish Kumar
H P Thanu
M C Nataraja
author_facet K Monish Kumar
H P Thanu
M C Nataraja
author_sort K Monish Kumar
collection DOAJ
description Construction is an ever-growing industry that significantly contributes to the global economy and provides infrastructure for many diversified sectors such as housing, transportation, water supply, irrigation, and many other projects. The construction of these projects leads to increased demand for conventional materials in the form of bricks, cement, steel, aggregates, and so on, which has adversely impacted the environment. It has become inevitable for construction professionals to look for energy-efficient sustainable alternatives for conventional building materials. In the present experimental work, the authors have used construction waste as a sustainable alternative by replacing conventional materials partially or completely in masonry units. Construction wastes collected from nearby dump yards are segregated and processed to get the recycled aggregates which are later tested for quality. These aggregates and binders are proportioned to cast stabilized blocks having different engineering properties. These blocks when tested in compression at 7,14 and 28 days, have resulted in strengths in the range of 2.82 MPa to 6.82 MPa. The blocks exhibiting higher strengths were further tested for physical, mechanical, and durability properties namely dimension, density, water absorption, scratch, and efflorescence. In addition, these blocks and the basic materials are tested for their microanalysis through SEM, XRD, and FTIR. Finally, prisms are cast and tested as a masonry unit at 7,14, and 28 days. These blocks showed a maximum dry compressive strength of 4.1 MPa. From the study, it is observed that the stabilized recycled aggregate with 10% cement binder has resulted in acceptable alternative blocks having good engineering properties. The same is presented in the graphical abstract as well.
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spelling doaj-art-9553d68985da452b8aecec2cc4b2b16f2025-08-20T03:12:58ZengSemnan UniversityJournal of Rehabilitation in Civil Engineering2345-44152345-44232026-02-0114110.22075/jrce.2025.36210.22299513Utilization of Construction and Demolition Waste for Sustainable Masonry: Experimental Analysis and Microstructural InsightsK Monish Kumar0H P Thanu1M C Nataraja2Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Civil Engineering, Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering, JSS Science and Technology University, Mysuru-570006, IndiaAssistant Professor, Department of Construction Technology and Management, Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering, JSS Science and Technology University, Mysuru-570006, IndiaProfessor, Department of Civil Engineering, Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering, JSS Science and Technology University, Mysuru-570006, IndiaConstruction is an ever-growing industry that significantly contributes to the global economy and provides infrastructure for many diversified sectors such as housing, transportation, water supply, irrigation, and many other projects. The construction of these projects leads to increased demand for conventional materials in the form of bricks, cement, steel, aggregates, and so on, which has adversely impacted the environment. It has become inevitable for construction professionals to look for energy-efficient sustainable alternatives for conventional building materials. In the present experimental work, the authors have used construction waste as a sustainable alternative by replacing conventional materials partially or completely in masonry units. Construction wastes collected from nearby dump yards are segregated and processed to get the recycled aggregates which are later tested for quality. These aggregates and binders are proportioned to cast stabilized blocks having different engineering properties. These blocks when tested in compression at 7,14 and 28 days, have resulted in strengths in the range of 2.82 MPa to 6.82 MPa. The blocks exhibiting higher strengths were further tested for physical, mechanical, and durability properties namely dimension, density, water absorption, scratch, and efflorescence. In addition, these blocks and the basic materials are tested for their microanalysis through SEM, XRD, and FTIR. Finally, prisms are cast and tested as a masonry unit at 7,14, and 28 days. These blocks showed a maximum dry compressive strength of 4.1 MPa. From the study, it is observed that the stabilized recycled aggregate with 10% cement binder has resulted in acceptable alternative blocks having good engineering properties. The same is presented in the graphical abstract as well.https://civiljournal.semnan.ac.ir/article_9513_d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e.pdfstabilized recycled aggregate blocksmechanical strengthsprism testdurability studiesmicrostructural analysis
spellingShingle K Monish Kumar
H P Thanu
M C Nataraja
Utilization of Construction and Demolition Waste for Sustainable Masonry: Experimental Analysis and Microstructural Insights
Journal of Rehabilitation in Civil Engineering
stabilized recycled aggregate blocks
mechanical strengths
prism test
durability studies
microstructural analysis
title Utilization of Construction and Demolition Waste for Sustainable Masonry: Experimental Analysis and Microstructural Insights
title_full Utilization of Construction and Demolition Waste for Sustainable Masonry: Experimental Analysis and Microstructural Insights
title_fullStr Utilization of Construction and Demolition Waste for Sustainable Masonry: Experimental Analysis and Microstructural Insights
title_full_unstemmed Utilization of Construction and Demolition Waste for Sustainable Masonry: Experimental Analysis and Microstructural Insights
title_short Utilization of Construction and Demolition Waste for Sustainable Masonry: Experimental Analysis and Microstructural Insights
title_sort utilization of construction and demolition waste for sustainable masonry experimental analysis and microstructural insights
topic stabilized recycled aggregate blocks
mechanical strengths
prism test
durability studies
microstructural analysis
url https://civiljournal.semnan.ac.ir/article_9513_d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT kmonishkumar utilizationofconstructionanddemolitionwasteforsustainablemasonryexperimentalanalysisandmicrostructuralinsights
AT hpthanu utilizationofconstructionanddemolitionwasteforsustainablemasonryexperimentalanalysisandmicrostructuralinsights
AT mcnataraja utilizationofconstructionanddemolitionwasteforsustainablemasonryexperimentalanalysisandmicrostructuralinsights