Exploring the potential of waste marble powder as a sustainable substitute to cement in cement-based composites: A review

Stone and marble processing industries are vital for economic development, but their non-biodegradable waste poses significant environmental concerns. On the flip side, concrete industry is actively seeking an eco-friendly alternative to cement for sustainability and cost efficiency. Therefore, with the intent to utilize this waste marble powder (WMP) in cement-based composites (vibrated concrete, cement paste, mortar, and self-compacting concrete), an extensive review of the various associated properties like fresh, mechanical, hardened, durability, and microstructural properties has been presented in this study. Regarding workability, lower cement replacement level by WMP (up to 10%) yielded consistent slump with insignificant variation. A notable 5-10% increase in compressive strength is reported up to 10% replacement of cement. Moreover, the inclusion of 10% WMP resulted in a substantial enhancement of 20% in chloride resistance. Furthermore, enhanced durability performance was testified when WMP is combined with other cement additives like silica fume and fly ash. SEM studies revealed dense packing of cement composites for lower substitutions (10%) of cement by WMP. This study also includes an environmental assessment to determine the optimum replacement level. The present study will aid in presenting a potential route toward minimizing the carbon footprint of the construction industry by utilizing waste material.