Mechanical and Durability Properties of Mortars Containing Olive Waste Ash

Abstract

The potential usage of olive waste ash (OWA) as a partial replacement for cement in mortar production is investigated in this study. The experimental program was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, OWA was calcined at 400 °C and 600 °C, then prepared in three particle size ranges (<90 µm, 90–180 µm, and 180–360 µm). The most suitable calcination conditions and particle size were identified to achieve high pozzolanic activity. Using these optimum conditions, the second phase involved producing mortars with different replacement levels (5–20% by weight of cement), and evaluating mechanical strength, alkali–silica reaction (ASR), capillary water absorption, and microstructural properties. Results from the first phase showed that finer particles and higher calcination temperatures enhanced pozzolanic activity as expected, and the processing conditions of OWA for the second phase are determined. In the second phase, strength decreased gradually with increasing replacement levels, although acceptable results were generally obtained at 10–15% replacement. Accelerated mortar bar tests (AMBT) indicated decreases in ASR expansion in mortars containing OWA, while capillary water absorption tests revealed higher water uptake due to increased porosity. XRD and SEM analyses confirmed the participation of OWA in pozzolanic reactions and the formation of calcium–silicate–hydrate (C–S–H). Overall, the findings demonstrate that OWA, particularly when calcined at 600 °C and ground to fine particle sizes, can be used as a sustainable supplementary cementitious material at 10–15% replacement levels.

Keywords

• Olive waste ash
• Supplementary cementitious material
• Mortar
• Pozzolanic activity index
• Sustainability

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