Abstract:
This study investigates the use of brick dust (BD) as a supplementary cementitious material
(SCM) for high early strength grout systems, specifically designed for rapid repairs of civil
and military infrastructure where open time is limited. A comprehensive evaluation of BD's
pozzolanic activity and its effects on fresh and hardened state grout properties was
conducted through powder characterization, flow, flexure, compressive strength, strength
index, modified Chapelle's test, and BET test. The results demonstrate that BD improves
strength, durability, and making it a suitable SCM for high early strength grout systems.
Notably, formulations F11, containing 5% BD, 30% fly ash (FA), and 10% ordinary
Portland Cement (OPC) in replacement of Calcium Aluminate Cement (CAC), exhibit
promising results with 28 MPa compressive strength achieved in just 1 hour. This offers a
potential solution for immediate repairs where rapid strength gain and reduced open time
are critical. XRD and SEM analysis reveal that the addition of these SCMs increases the
availability of silicate sites, leading to the production of more calcium aluminate silicate
hydrates, which governs the reduction of strength degradation factors associated with CAC.
The incorporation of BET test results further supports the improved pozzolanic activity of
BD, showcasing its potential to enhance grout performance in demanding applications. The
findings of this study contribute to the development of sustainable and efficient repair
materials for critical infrastructure."
