Influence of andesite as a supplementary cementitious material on the properties of Portland limestone cement-based products

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-21-2026

Abstract

Andesite, a dark volcanic rock, was investigated as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) in four Portland limestone cement (PLC)-based products—(1) cement for structural applications, (2) blended cement for bricklaying and plastering, (3) general-purpose plastering mortar, and (4) plastering mortar for lightweight block applications—with the aim of improving visual appearance, reducing carbon footprint, and lowering raw material cost. Laboratory tests identified 10% PLC replacement with andesite as the optimal level, which was then applied across all mixes. In paste and mortar testing, the incorporation of andesite increased initial and final setting times by 14.06% to 50.78% and 5.13% to 11.43%, respectively, compared to mixes without andesite, while still meeting industrial standards. Compressive strength results showed an 8.42% to 20.06% reduction at 28 days; however, all products continued to comply with the required performance criteria. At the industrial scale, products were produced and field-tested, and their color was evaluated using digital image analysis. Results showed that grayscale values were 13.12% to 32.03% lower than those of control products, indicating a consistently darker shade and enhanced visual appearance. Economically, substituting PLC with andesite reduced raw material costs by 2.64% to 7.44%, depending on the product, demonstrating that andesite can improve aesthetics and sustainability while maintaining compliance with industry standards.

Publication Title

Journal of Metals Materials and Minerals

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