Francesco Messina

Recycling of MSWI fly ash by means of cementitious double step cold bonding pelletization: Technological assessment for the production of lightweight artificial aggregates

In this work, an extensive study on the recycling of municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash by means of cold bonding pelletization is presented. The ash comes from an incineration plant equipped with rotary and stoker furnaces, in which municipal, hospital and industrial wastes are treated. Fly ash from waste incineration is classified as hazardous and cannot be utilized or even landfilled without prior treatment. The pelletization process uses cement, lime and coal fly ash as components of the binding systems. This process has been applied to several mixes in which the ash content has been varied from 50% (wt.%) up to a maximum of 70%. An innovative additional pelletization step with only cementitious binder has been performed in order to achieve satisfactory immobilization levels. The obtained lightweight porous aggregates are mostly suitable for recovery in the field of building materials with enhanced sustainability properties. Density, water absorption and crushing strength ranged from 1000 to 1600 kg/m(3), 7 to 16% and 1.3 to 6.2 MPa, respectively, and the second pelletization step increased stabilization efficiency. The feasibility of the process has been analyzed by testing also concrete specimens containing the artificial aggregates, resulting in lightweight concrete of average performance.

Recycling of Pre-Washed Municipal Solid Waste Incinerator Fly Ash in the Manufacturing of Low Temperature Setting Geopolymer Materials

In this work, three samples of municipal solid waste incinerators fly ash (MSWI-FA) have been stabilized in systems containing coal fly ash to create geopolymers through a polycondensation reaction. Monolithic products have been obtained with both MSWI fly ash as received and after the partial removal of chloride and sulfate by water washing. The polycondensation products have been characterized qualitatively by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy and quantitatively, through the determination of the volume of reacted water and silicate. Furthermore, the heavy metals and chloride releases together with the physico-mechanical properties have been evaluated on the hardened products. In conclusion, considering the technological and environmental performances of the obtained geopolymers, they could be suitable for many non-structural applications, such as backfilling of abandoned quarries, decorative materials or brick fireplaces, hearths, patios, etc.

Coal Combustion Wastes Reuse in Low Energy Artificial Aggregates Manufacturing

Sustainable building material design relies mostly on energy saving processes, decrease of raw materials consumption, and increase of waste and by-products recycling. Natural and lightweight artificial aggregates production implies relevant environmental impact. This paper addresses both the issues of residues recycling and energy optimization. Particularly, three coal combustion wastes (Weathered Fly Ash, WFA; Wastewater Treatment Sludge, WTS; Desulfurization Device Sludge, DDS) supplied by the Italian electric utility company (ENEL) have been employed in the manufacture of cold bonded artificial aggregates. Previously, the residues have been characterized in terms of chemical and mineralogical compositions, water content, particle size distribution, and heavy metal release behavior. These wastes have been used in the mix design of binding systems with the only addition of lime. Finally, the artificial aggregates have been submitted to physical, mechanical, and leaching testing, revealing that they are potentially suitable for many civil engineering applications.

Recycling of Clay Sediments for Geopolymer Binder Production. A New Perspective for Reservoir Management in the Framework of Italian Legislation: The Occhito Reservoir Case Study

Reservoir silting is an unavoidable issue. It is estimated that in Italy, the potential rate of silting-up in large reservoirs ranges from 0.1% to 1% in the presence of wooded river basins and intensive agricultural land use, respectively. In medium and small-sized reservoirs, these values vary between 0.3% and 2%. Considering both the types of reservoirs, the annual average loss of storage capacity would be of about 1.59%. In this paper, a management strategy aimed at sediment productive reuse is presented. Particularly, the main engineering outcomes of an extensive experimental program on geopolymer binder synthesis is reported. The case study deals with Occhito reservoir, located in Southern Italy. Clay sediments coming from this silted-up artificial lake were characterized, calcined and activated, by means of a wide set of alkaline activating solutions. The results showed the feasibility of this recovery process, optimizing a few chemical parameters. The possible reuse in building material production (binders, precast concrete, bricks, etc.) represents a relevant sustainable alternative to landfill and other more consolidated practices.

SHIELDING EFFECTIVENESS TESTS OF LOW-COST CIVIL ENGINEERING MATERIALS IN A REVERBER- ATING CHAMBER

In this paper, test study on low-cost civil engineering construction material is presented. In fact, in several civil constructions the strategy is to build up to flrst fence to EMI that limits interferences while using only in some limited areas high-cost ad hoc shielding material. The materials used in this study are tested at the Universitµa di Napoli Parthenope, formerly Istituto Universitario Navale (IUN) Reverberating Chamber (RC) according to a nested approach. Tests are made in the frequency range from 2 to 18GHz and show that low-cost materials are able to achieve about 16dB of shielding efiectiveness (SE) in contrast to ad hoc materials that show about 50dB in SE.

TiO2-Based Photocatalytic Geopolymers for Nitric Oxide Degradation

This study presents an experimental overview for the development of photocatalytic materials based on geopolymer binders as catalyst support matrices. Particularly, geopolymer matrices obtained from different solid precursors (fly ash and metakaolin), composite systems (siloxane-hybrid, foamed hybrid), and curing temperatures (room temperature and 60 °C) were investigated for the same photocatalyst content (i.e., 3% TiO2 by weight of paste). The geopolymer matrices were previously designed for different applications, ranging from insulating (foam) to structural materials. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated as NO degradation in air, and the results were compared with an ordinary Portland cement reference. The studied matrices demonstrated highly variable photocatalytic performance depending on both matrix constituents and the curing temperature, with promising activity revealed by the geopolymers based on fly ash and metakaolin. Furthermore, microstructural features and titania dispersion in the matrices were assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDS) analyses. Particularly, EDS analyses of sample sections indicated segregation effects of titania in the surface layer, with consequent enhancement or depletion of the catalyst concentration in the active sample region, suggesting non-negligible transport phenomena during the curing process. The described results demonstrated that geopolymer binders can be interesting catalyst support matrices for the development of photocatalytic materials and indicated a large potential for the exploitation of their peculiar features.

Fiber Bragg grating sensors as a tool to evaluate the influence of filler on shrinkage of geopolymer matrices

Geopolymer matrices represent one of the main sustainable alternatives to ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and other clinker-based blended cements. Real scale applications are limited and a relevant amount of data is still needed to assess the early age and long-term behavior of these systems. Particularly, the early-age monitoring of geopolymers represent a key parameter for mix design optimization. Most of the available methods for the measurement of temperature evolution due to polycondensation kinetics and early age deformations are related to laboratory activities. The upscaling to in situ techniques represents a crucial step toward technological assessment. To this aim, authors propose to use Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) embedded in the geopolymer matrices. Starting from a case study by authors related to the design of externally bonded fiber reinforced geopolymers for strengthening of existing structures, the matrix was optimized in terms of quartz filler content. The measurements carried out by means of FBG sensors allowed to reduce filler content respect to the abovementioned work. Particularly, quartz content can be reduced by 50%. The temperature associated to polycondensation was slightly below 65°C for the three studied systems, limiting the use of designed metakaolin geopolymer to non-massive structures, since thermal cracking could occur, unless further research will be able to assess the viability of retardants. The experimental results confirm that FBG represent an accurate method for simultaneous shrinkage and temperature measurements for geopolymers and the application in real scale structures for remote sensing could help to create database on inner temperatures and early age deformations.

Measurement of temperature and early age shrinkage of alkali activated metakaolin using fiber Bragg grating sensors

Shrinkage is one of the main cause of early age cracking in civil engineering structures and cracking represents a threat to materials durability through service life. Dealing with traditional cementitious composites, we have at the state of the art a good knowledge of the phenomenon and several techniques to mitigate crack risk: 1) internal curing (lightweight aggregates, superabsorbent polymers, natural fibers); 2) shrinkage reducing admixtures; etc. In the case of alkali activated binder composites, the available data are relatively few and there is still need of understanding. In this paper shrinkage and temperature are monitored in the early age by means of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors, which allow an accurate measurement of both parameters. This kind of assessment is particularly critical for alkali activated metakaolin which undergoes a strongly exothermic polycondensation reaction and an accurate measurement method such as FBG technology represents a highly interesting solution. The binding system here studied exhibited relevant shrinkage after 7 days (0.22%) and high temperature peak (63 °C) at 2.5 h.

Characterization of Early Age Curing and Shrinkage of Metakaolin-Based Inorganic Binders with Different Rheological Behavior by Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors

This paper reports results related to early age temperature and shrinkage measurements by means fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs), which were embedded in geopolymer matrices. The sensors were properly packaged in order to discriminate between different shrinkage behavior and temperature development. Geopolymer systems based on metakaolin were investigated, which dealt with different commercial aluminosilicate precursors and siliceous filler contents. The proposed measuring system will allow us to control, in a very accurate way, the early age phases of the binding systems made by metakaolin geopolymer. A series of experiments were conducted on different compositions; moreover, rheological issues related to the proposed experimental method were also assessed.