# Waste Powder Biotite as a Factor Enhancing the Flexural Strength of RPC

## TL;DR

This paper shows that using waste powder from rock processing, containing biotite flakes, can boost the bending strength of a special concrete called RPC.

## Contribution

The study identifies biotite flakes in waste powder as a novel factor for enhancing RPC flexural strength.

## Key findings

- Replacing quartz powder with waste powder increased RPC flexural strength by 23%.
- Biotite flakes in waste powder promote hydration product attachment, enhancing flexural strength.
- Compressive strength decreased slightly due to lower strength of waste sand compared to quartz sand.

## Abstract

The advancement of reactive powder concrete (RPC) technology primarily focuses on modifications to its conventional composition. This involves substituting Portland cement (CEM I) with alternative cement types and finely ground mineral additives, as well as replacing quartz aggregate with another type of aggregate. The paper presents an analysis of the properties of RPC obtaining using waste sand and powder generated during the processing of aggregates from migmatite-amphibolite rock. Research into RPC mixtures revealed that in one scenario, replacing quartz powder with waste powder resulted in a significant increase in flexural strength by 23%, although there was a slight decrease in compressive strength by 7%. However, when both quartz powder and quartz sand were substituted with waste powder and waste sand, there was a 14% reduction in compressive strength, while flexural strength increased, albeit to a much lesser extent. The analysis of mineral composition and microstructure of migmatite-amphibolite waste powder and sand revealed that the primary factor contributing to the increase in flexural strength is the presence of biotite in a flake shape form. The microscopy images clearly show hydration products gathering mainly at the rims of biotite flakes and not on their smooth surfaces. The reason could be better availability for hydration products attachment and lower steric hindrance to the rims of single biotite flakes instead of its large packets. Conversely, the reduction in RPC compressive strength, resulting from the substitution of quartz sand with migmatite-amphibolite waste sand, can be attributed mainly to the lower compressive strength of the waste sand itself. Test results indicate that the waste powder generated during the production of migmatite-amphibolite aggregates, which contains fine flakes of biotite, can be utilised as a mineral admixture in concrete, thereby enhancing its flexural strength.