Enhancing the sustainability, mechanical and durability properties of recycled aggregate concrete using calcium-rich waste glass powder as a supplementary cementitious material: An experimental study and environmental assessment

Non-biodegradable ceramic tile and glass waste from building demolition causes serious environmental problems. Therefore, recycling and reusing these materials in concrete represents an application of the key characteristics of sustainable chemistry and the twelve principles of green chemistry, which state that waste must be managed properly to avoid toxicity, persistence, bioaccumulation, and other harms. Accordingly, this research explores the potential of integrating solid waste into concrete production. It focuses on calcium-rich glass powder (RCWGP) with a CaO content of more than 30% and ceramic coarse aggregate (RA). These materials were used as partial substitutes for coarse aggregate and cement to create environmentally friendly concrete. No previous study has examined the use of wall ceramic waste as a substitute for coarse aggregate and CaO-rich waste glass powder (RCWGP) as an alternative to cement to create low-carbon recycled aggregate concrete with desirable mechanical and durability properties. A number of tests, including slump, initial and final setting times, compressive strength, split tensile strength, flexural strength, electrical resistance, porosity, total and surface water absorption, chloride ion diffusion coefficient, chloride penetration depth, microstructure analysis, and environmental assessment, were performed to evaluate the properties of concrete made with 25% RA and RCWGP at proportions of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%. The findings indicated that 15% of RCWGP produced the best mechanical characteristics, chloride penetration resistance, and lowest permeability and water absorption. On the other hand, 20% of RCWGP produced a concrete that released the least amount of carbon dioxide, which was 25% and 24%, at 28 days and 90 days, respectively, lower than the reference mix. Additionally, the total and surface water absorption, along with the percentage of permeable pores, improved at all selected ages. For instance, at 90 days, these values were 24%, 34%, and 10% lower, respectively, than those of the control mix.