| Abstrakt: |
Jordan, ranked as the world's second most water-scarce country, faces severe water shortages. Treated wastewater (TWW) has become an essential part of Jordan's water budget to bridge the gap between water supply and demand, primarily used for agricultural and industrial purposes. The construction sector, especially concrete production, consumes larg amounts of water. This study explores the feasibility of using TWW to partially or completely replace fresh water in concrete production. Concrete mixtures were prepared with varying TWW ratios (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) and tested for workability, compressive strength, microscopic properties (SEM-EDS), and interaction mechanisms (FTIR-ATR) to assess the impact of TWW on synergistic properties. The results showed that workability decreased proportionally with increasing TWW content. However, different TWW proportions did not affect the compressive strength of concrete or the 7-day to 28-day strength ratio. FTIR-ATR analysis revealed unique silicon-oxygen tetrahedral structures in calcium silicate hydrate, but no new bonds or components were produced by TWW. SEM-EDS microstructure testing indicated no chemical changes that could affect concrete properties. The study concludes that replacing fresh water with TWW in concrete production is feasible, conserving fresh water and supporting circular economy goals. Additionally, the study contributes to the development of low-cost concrete production and fresh water conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
