EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE PAVERS BY PARTIALLY REPLACING OPC WITH MARBLE POWDER

Abstract

Concrete paving blocks have been widely used in various countries to a certain extent of time as a standard
practice for providing pavements. It is used because of its firmness in regions such as walkways, parking lots and parks
where normal type pavements are not suitable or less resilient due to many operative and environmental restraints. The
Marble industry is dumping the marble powder in their surroundings directly impacting the environment in different
forms. In dry form, its particles moving with blowing air create dust pollution. On other hand, this powder flows with
run-offs and ultimately affect aquatic life. Moreover, the demand for cement is quite high in developing countries due to
rapid infrastructural growth which results in supply paucity and increase in cost of material. Experimental study was
carried out to conclude various mechanical properties of concrete paving blocks having compressive strength more than
7200 psi in comparison using marble powder from three distinct sources as cement replacement. Concrete paver samples
with varying proportions 0%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30% of marble powder from different sources were casted and
tested to find the properties like compressive strength with respect to 7 days & 28 days, flexural strength and water
absorption with respect to 28 days. From the results it was concluded to replace the marble powder up to 20% by
Mohmand source, 15% by Buner and 10% by Ziarat with cement to achieve improved properties. The usage of cement in
civil works is increasing day by day and its demand is quite high in developing countries thus leading to environmental
pollution due to emission of CO2 during production process. Replacing cement with marble powder up to certain limit
will not only reduce the CO2 emissions and manufacturing cost of pavers but will solve the disposal problem of marble
waste in effective way.