Recycling of Stone Sludge for Partial Replacement of Portland Cement and Fine Natural Aggregate in Cement Composites

The study examines the use of stone sludge generated during the processing of natural stone. The aim is to verify its benefits in the production of concrete at stonemasonry workshops, particularly with regard to reducing the volume of by-products produced and the consumption of natural raw materials. The experiment focuses on analysing the material parameters of selected types of stone sludge, and on the production of mortars and concretes with varying proportions of sludge. The mortars were evaluated using stone sludge as a partial replacement for cement at 5, 10 and 15%, and for fine natural aggregate at 20, 35 and 50%. The study also aims to assess the effect of further processing by grinding stone sludge and the subsequent impact on the workability of fresh mortars and the resulting flexural and compressive strength. The next stage involved verifying the key properties of the concretes and assessing the potential for reducing the use of natural raw materials and cement whilst still achieving the required mechanical properties. The results obtained evaluate the potential for using stone sludge in the construction industry, particularly its impact on the properties of cement composites, the conservation of natural resources and the reduction in waste sent to landfill.