Partially Replacing Sand with Marble Dust Powder in Concrete: An Experiment

A marble dust obtained as a by-product of marble cutting, sawing, and shaping was studied from a physical and chemical standpoint in preparation for use as a binding ingredient in concrete and mortar manufacturing. Marble is a metamorphic rock formed when a pure limestone undergoes metamorphosis. Marble dust has a significant calcium oxide content, with more than 50% of it being calcium oxide. To minimize negative environmental consequences, the amount of sand in concrete is reduced and replaced with marble dust, which saves money while simultaneously increasing the strength and longevity of the concrete. In M50 (Mix design concrete) grade concrete, marble dust was substituted with sand at 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% by weight of sand. For 150mm X 150mm X 150mm sized cubes, concrete mixtures were tested and compared to normal cement concrete in terms of compressive strength at 7 and 28 days. The many qualities of concrete, such as workability, durability, strength, crack resistance, and permeability, can be successfully increased by adding some good quality binding elements like marble dust. The resulting microstructure alteration in cement composites may improve attributes such as compressive strength, flexural strength, split tensile strength, and durability, as well as extend the service life.