Study on Usage of Fabric Fibre Slime Waste as Fractional Substitution on the Characteristics of Cement Mortar

Abstract

Cement mortar is a construction material made by mixing cement, sand, and water, commonly used for plastering, binding building blocks, and bedding layers. Textile industry wet processes generate fabric fibre slime waste, an industrial byproduct that is typically disposed of using traditional methods that harm the environment and contain toxic elements that pose risks to human health and other organisms. This research aims to investigate the potential of using effluent treatment plant sludge in cement mortars. The study examines the consistency, initial and final setting time, soundness, and fluidity properties of cement with partial replacement of fabric fibre slime waste. Additionally, it investigates the hardened properties of the resultant mixture, including compressive and split tensile strength, as well as durability properties such as water absorption, rapid chloride penetration, shrinkage, and sorptivity. Microstructure analysis was performed using SEM and XRD. Results show that replacing up to 5% of cement with fabric fibre slime waste yields compressive strength comparable to the control mix, but strength decreases gradually with higher replacement levels. The same trend was observed for split tensile strength. Rapid chloride penetration resistance increases with a 5% replacement and is similar to the control mix up to 10%, but decreases at higher replacement levels. Water absorption, sorptivity, and drying shrinkage increase with an increase in the replacement level of fabric fibre slime waste. Partial replacement of cement with fabric fibre slime waste leads to an increase in initial and final setting time of the mixture. XRD analysis revealed that fabric fibre slime waste is an inert material, while SEM images show that higher replacement levels of cement with fabric fibre slime waste leads to a porous microstructure in the mortar, ultimately resulting in decreased compressive strength.