Mechanical and Durability properties of repair mortars with recycled aggregates and graphene oxide addition
construction and demolition waste; graphene oxide; mortar; mechanical properties; durability
In the last few decades, the construction sector has experienced intense development, culminating in large amounts of waste, especially derived from demolition and construction activities. The construction industry is continuously searching for innovations, performance gain, cost reduction, and sustainability. The use of the recycled fine aggregate, made from construction and demolition waste, has proved to be an alternative for incorporated in the composition of the mortar. However, the replacement of natural aggregate by RCD aggregates, as long as the mechanical strength and durability of the mortar decrease issue was solved. In this sense, small additions of graphene oxide (GO) could have the potential to improve the mechanical performance and durability of mortars. The improvement of the mechanical properties and durability could encourage the construction industry to use, furthermore would support to reduce the depletion of available natural resources. This work evaluates the mechanical and durability properties of mortars, made up of 100% of replacement of the natural aggregates to recycled aggregates, and graphene oxide added in two levels of 0.05% and 0.10% (of the cement mass). The mortars were made in four types: natural aggregate, RCD aggregate, RCD aggregate an addition of 0.05% of OG and RCD aggregate an addition of 0.1% of OG. The tests carried out covered the compressive strength, flexural tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, water absorption and carbonation. The results of the tests indicate that the replacement of natural aggregate by RCD aggregate plus the addition of OG in repair mortars resulted in an increase in compressive strength (21%), flexural tensile strength (10%), modulus of elasticity (6%) and decrease in carbonation (5%) and water absorption (7%) compared to RCD mortar.