Properties of Mortar Made with Basalt Powder As Sand Replacement

This paper describes a study of the use of waste basalt powder to enhance mortar properties when used as a partial replacement of fine aggregate. This basalt powder is a waste product resulting from the preparation of aggregates for asphalt mixture production. Experiments were performed on mixtures containing up to 20% replacement of sand by basalt powder to determine the impact on the compressive and flexural strength of mortar as well as on the flow characteristics, density, and porosity. The results indicate that use of basalt powder as a partial replacement of sand leads to improvement of the compressive strength and flexural strength. The mortar porosity in the capillary pore range was reduced. Use of the basalt powder can improve the management of industrial waste while improving the mechanical properties of cementitious mortar.