Experimental Study on the Effect of Partial Replacement of River Sand by Quarry Dust on the Properties of Cement Mortar and Brick Masonry

Abstract

The depletion of river sand — driven by large-scale extraction to meet construction demand — has created acute material shortages, driven prices to prohibitive levels in many Indian markets, and caused serious environmental damage to riverbed ecology through bank erosion, lowering of groundwater tables, and destruction of aquatic habitats. Quarry dust (QD), the fine particulate waste generated during stone crushing operations, is produced in large quantities at stone crusher units throughout the Deccan Trap basalt terrain of Maharashtra and currently represents an environmental disposal problem — accumulating in crusher yards and risking run-off contamination of agricultural land. This study investigates the potential of quarry dust as a partial to full replacement for river sand in cement mortar for brick masonry construction, evaluating five mortar compositions: 0% QD (control, CM0), 25% QD (CM1), 50% QD (CM2), 75% QD (CM3), and 100% QD (CM4), all in 1:3 cement-to-fine aggregate ratio at constant w/c ratio 0.50. Fresh mortar properties (flow, air content, setting time), mechanical properties of mortar cubes and mortar joints (compressive, tensile, and bond strength), masonry prism and wall panel compressive strength, and durability (water absorption, sorptivity, sulphate expansion, freeze-thaw resistance, and efflorescence tendency) are evaluated following Indian Standards. Results show that 50% quarry dust replacement (CM2) provides the optimum performance — 28-day mortar compressive strength 14.8 MPa (19.4% above control), masonry prism strength 4.68 MPa (21.9% above control), and best durability indicators — while simultaneously saving ₹507 per cubic metre of mortar. The 100% QD mortar (CM4) is found acceptable only for non-structural applications where aesthetics and structural performance are not critical. The study provides direct recommendations for adoption by the masonry construction industry in the Karad region.