The Effect of Waste Ballast Aggregates on Mechanical and Durability Properties of Standard Concrete

The acquisition and transportation of aggregate exacerbate the negative impact of concrete on the environment, and waste materials are considered an effective solution to this crucial problem. One of these waste materials is waste ballast (WB), which is needed for new infrastructure along with increasing rail track technology. In this study, the effect of WB aggregate (which is basalt-based) on the mechanical and durability properties of standard concrete was examined. Coarse aggregate was replaced with WB aggregate at the rates of 50%, 75% and 100%. The slump, compressive strength, flexural strength, capillary water absorption, rapid chloride permeability and water penetration tests on the mixtures were performed. According to the results of this study, the utilization of WB improved the compressive strength and flexural strength of the mixtures by about 15% and 7%, respectively. Moreover, the capillary water absorption, rapid chloride permeability and water penetration values of all the concrete mixtures with WB were lower than the control mixture. In addition, the correlation relations between the mechanical and durability properties indicated that they have a strong relationship with each other. All the results of this study demonstrated that the utilization of WB instead of coarse aggregate improved the mechanical and durability properties of concrete. WB can also provide a more sustainable material formation by minimizing the negative environmental effects of concrete production.