RISK MANAGEMENT IN MORTAR: ENGINEERING, ECONOMIC, AND ENVIRONMENTAL USE OF STONE POWDER WASTE

Abstract

Investing in construction material risk management, enhanced by advanced technologies and sustainable methodologies, is vital for ensuring material quality, improving efficiency, and maintaining cost competitiveness in construction projects. One of the wastes that requires a sustainable solution is stone fine powder (SFP), a solid by-product of the stone-cutting industry. This research examines the risk management issues associated with construction materials by effectively applying SFP in producing new dry mortar as an alternative to ordinary cement mortar, focusing on their engineering properties, economic aspects, and environmental benefits. The SFP-based mortar was a mixture of ordinary cement, SFP, and water. Research samples were categorized into five cement-SFP ratios, each including five samples. The commercially available dry mortars were tested using the same methodology as the newly investigated mortar. Interviews with industry owners and local community leaders were undertaken to emphasize the manufacture of mortar as a solution to environmental waste challenges. Three primary variables pertain to the risk management of SFP-based mortar manufacturing: optimal proportion of SFP, affordable price of the new mortar, and environmental considerations. The optimum ratio for the newly developed SFP-based mortar is one part cement to two parts SFP, since it satisfies the minimal requirements for shear strength. The economic evaluation has revealed that the price of the new mortar is 15.48% lower than the typical commercial market pricing. Additionally, the new developed mortar is more ecologically sustainable, since it incorporates waste materials, reducing carbon footprint emissions.