Produção de pavimentos intertravados contendo resíduo de filtro de cervejaria

Abstract

Urban development caused massive extraction of natural resources, such as sand and gravel. Mining is of great importance for social development, but it causes significant impacts on the environment, some are irreversible. The construction production chain is one of the activities that consumes the rawest materials, with concrete manufacturing being the practice with the greatest demand for natural aggregates, such as sand and gravel. Given this scenario, the reuse of waste from industrial activities is configured as a strategy for the construction sector, in addition to minimizing environmental damage. The brewing industry is responsible for the generation of a large volume of waste from Diatomaceous Earth (DE), this mineral used in the beverage filtration process. Combined with the need to minimize the environmental problems of this residue, the research evaluated the influence of the incorporation of Diatomaceous Earth residue, coming from filters of the beer industry, in the manufacture of interlocking pavements, subsidizing studies of materials aimed at sustainability in the areas of civil construction and industry. For the manufacture of the pavements, five dosages were considered, reference, dry residue, and washed residue at the levels of 1% and 2%, by weight, respectively. The physical and mechanical properties of the blocks were evaluated through tests of resistance to axial compression and water absorption in the hardened concrete, at the age of 28 days, and the pieces were manufactured on an industrial scale using a vibrating table, in a concrete artifact factory. The microstructure of the concrete was observed, based on analyzes of Optical-Digital Microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy. Regarding the compressive strength, the results showed that the addition of dry and washed residue in up to 2% to replace the fine aggregate, was greater than 50 MPa in accordance with the minimum limit of 35 MPa, established by ABNT NBR 9781:2013, for pedestrian traffic, light vehicles, and commercial vehicles. For water absorption, all dosages in accordance with ABNT NBR 9781:2013, being less than 6%. The results of the microstructural analysis indicated a compact and homogeneous cement paste, with the development of additional hydrated calcium silicate (C-S-H) in concretes containing dry residue in the proportions of 1% and 2%, justifying the higher resistances. This research made it possible to change the characterization of waste to resource, constituting a beneficial link between the branches of the beer industry and civil construction.