Cement composite design using natural zeolites from the coast of Ecuador

Abstract

The world needs civil works; since the beginning of time, people have had the need to build, from a simple rain cover to the pyramids of Egypt; from a cave, to the great Chinese wall. Today is not the exception, because technology has grown enormously and has allowed the development of construction methodologies, creation of new materials, among others; This has allowed ports, airports, space stations, roads, islands, lakes and even artificial beaches to be built. Most of the constructions around the world are built using concrete which is constituted by fine aggregate, coarse aggregate, water, and cement, being the sand the fine aggregate. In this study the possibility of replacing the sand for a novel material called zeolite was analysed, due that zeolites compose 10-60% of the rock in the Coastal Ecuador in the Cretaceous Cayo formation. The mechanical properties like compressive, tension and tensile strength were analysed using experimental design which were tested in laboratory.