Utilizing of Marble Dust as a Sustainable Fine aggregate Replacement in Concrete

Abstract: This project documents the replacement of fine aggregate by marble dust in concrete mix. Marble dust is intended to increase mechanical properties like compressive, tensile and flexural strength of concrete as well as to reduce the cost of fine aggregate. The concrete mix consists of cement, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate and marble dust as fine aggregate replacer. Fine aggregate is replaced by marble dust by 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 75 and 100 percent by weight. Primarily, the concrete specimens with and without marble dust will be casted to determine the improvement of certain mechanical properties. The water to cement ratio was kept constant i-e 0.55. The compressive strength, tensile strength and flexural strength of cylinders and beams was measured for 28 days. All the materials used in the project are acquired from the local resources. The compressive strength increases with the addition of marble. Sand is 100% replicable by marble, but the ultimate strength is gained with the addition of 50% of marble dust. Split tensile strength of marble concrete has also increased by the addition of marble dust up to 50%. While bending strength was improved with the accumulation of marble dust up to 30%. Further addition reduces  the strength. The water requirement of the marble concrete increases with increase in marble dust. Hence it can be concluded that marble dust is completely compatible with locally manufactured concrete materials.