Using Waste Vermiculite and Dolomite as Eco-Friendly Additives for Improving the Performance of Porous Concrete

Abstract

The present study investigated the applicability of waste vermiculite and dolomite as fine aggregate, known as appropriate mineral adsorbents to enhance the quality of urban runoff, for improving the mechanical properties of porous concrete. 180 samples were mixed by adding 5-30% vermiculite and dolomite, as fine aggregate, and combining them with ordinary sand; lime sand (combining of 5-15% of each). Results showed that although adding dolomite culminated in a minor reduction of permeability– average of about 30%-, the average of compressive strength was augmented by 120%. Results of compressive strength of dolomite samples were repeated in mixtures containing vermiculite (an increase of 57%). While exploiting vermiculite in high percentages (20, 25, and 30) resulted in an extensive decrease in the permeability (94%), it was improved to an acceptable level (about 40%) after using vermiculite in combination with ordinary sand (lime sand). All dolomite and improved vermiculite mixtures, after combining vermiculite with ordinary sand, had appropriate performance in draining storm-urban runoff; such that in the weakest case, stimulated storm runoffs with heights of 10, 20, 30 and 40 cm were completely drained only after 17, 36, 59 and 87 seconds, respectively. Also, using vermiculite resulted in reducing the concrete weight (about 100 kg). Generally, although a little reduction in the permeability was seen, but using waste vermiculite and dolomite improved the mechanical properties of porous concrete significantly.