The effects of sand washing waste and microwave curing on the dimensional stability of epoxy mortar

Abstract

Sand washing waste (SWW), a by-product of the aggregate production process, consists of microfine particles and has limited practical applications in cement composites. In this study, SWW was considered as a potential filler for epoxy mortars. The effect of SWW on the dimensional stability of epoxy mortar specimens was investigated in terms of linear shrinkage and coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). In addition, the effects of curing methods (open air and microwave) on the dimensional stability of epoxy mortar were assessed. The open air-cured specimens containing an optimum level of SWW exhibited improved dimensional stability compared to pure epoxy; however, increasing the content of the SWW in epoxy mortar led to increased shrinkage. It was also noted that microwave-cured specimens had lower shrinkage, as well as expansion, in comparison to open air-cured specimens. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.