Recycling of municipal incinerator bottom ash as aggregate in hardened mortar: Comparison of the use of Portland cement and blast-furnace slag cement

Faced with the depletion of non-renewable natural resources worldwide, and considering the greenhouse gas emissions (CO2) associated with construction, the use of alternative granular materials has become a viable option in the construction industry. In this investigation, the partial and/or total replacement of natural sands with non-hazardous waste incineration bottom ash (MSWIBA) sands was studied for the production of cement mortars using two types of cement, namely CEM I Portland cement and CEM III blast furnace slag cement. The substitution rates were 50%, 75%, and 100% by volume. Mechanical and environmental properties were evaluated for the mortars containing MSWIBA sands. The results show that the uniaxial compressive strengths for the 50% V/V substitution rate reach average values of 50 MPa after 180 days of moist curing for CEM III cement. For the 75% and 100% V/V substitution rates, the average values are around 40 MPa. In general, it is observed that CEM III cement yields better mechanical results. Leaching tests conducted on the MSWIBA sand particles and on the mortars containing 100% MSWIBA sands demonstrated that there is no health risk or hazard associated with the use of MSWIBA as a substitute for natural granular materials in the construction sector.