Partial Replacement of Cement by ETP Sludge in Building Materials

Tirupur is popularly known as the "Banian City" of South India, since it is superior in knitted ready-made garments. According to records of the Tamilnadu state pollution control board (TNPCB), there are 830 industries engaged in textile dyeing processes in Tirupur. Common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) and several individual Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) are developed for the treatment of their liquid effluents, and sludge is generated during the treatment process as a result of chemical coagulation, which is becoming a serious disposal issue. Utilization of waste materials and byproducts is a partial solution to environmental and ecological problems. It also has numerous indirect benefits such as reduction in landfill cost, saving in energy, and protecting the environment from possible pollution effects. In this study efforts have been made to use non-biodegradable dyeing Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) sludge as a partial replacement of cement in concrete and floor tiles. In concrete, a percentage replacement ranging from 0 % to 10% and in tiles replacement ranging from 0% to 20% in the base layer were considered. Compressive strength, Split Tensile strength, Flexural strength for Concrete and water absorption, wet transverse strength, wearing resistance for tiles were carried out and a good strength gain with the addition of admixture was observed.