Hydro-mechanical properties of cement mortar using Bentonite as partial cement replacement

With the present emphasis on sustainability, it is critical to produce ecofriendly building materials aiming to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from cement manufacturing process. Bentonite is one of the most essential materials utilized in the construction of cementation structures because it acts as a binding ingredient which has a favorable impact on the characteristics of mortar. This is because bentonite has strong colloidal properties, and when in contact with water, its volume increases tremendously, producing a gelatinous and viscous fluid. The primary goal of this study is to determine the influence of partial cement replacement with dry bentonite (DBN) and colloidal bentonite (CBN) on specific hydro-mechanical mortar parameters. The cement replacement by weight percentages with bentonite were 0, 10, 15, and 20%. Different tests were performed at different curing ages including 7, 14, 28, 60, 91, and 120 days to assess the impact of bentonite on hydro mechanical properties of cement mortars. According to the findings of this study, when cement is partially replaced by bentonite with 15% bentonite substitution ratio, which is regarded the optimum ratio at 120 curing day age, both compressive and bending strengths are improved. Particularly, the compressive strength of colloidal and dry bentonite rose by around 21 and 16 %, respectively. While, the flexural strengths of colloidal and dry bentonite mixtures were 18 and 12 % greater, respectively, than the control mix.