The Pozzolanic Activity of the Sediment Treated by the Flash Calcination Method
Abstract The dredged sediment has been positioned for years as alternative materials in the construction field. However, it is often necessary to apply a treatment to improve their reactivity and performance. This article aims to study the pozzolanic reactivity of fluvial sediment treated by flash calcination method at different temperatures 650 °C, 750 °C, and 800 °C. The physico-chemical, mineralogical, and environmental characteristics were studied for treated (flash-calcined sediment) and raw sediment. The pozzolanic reactivity of the flash-calcined sediments was estimated with Frattini’s test, isothermal calorimetry test, lime consumption analysis and compressive strength then compared to metakaolin which is considered as the reference. The results of the compressive strength of mortars show the detrimental effect of raw sediment on the development of resistance. Contrary to the raw sediment, the treatment of the sediments by flash calcination activates the pozzolanic reactivity of the clay phases and considerably improves the contribution of the sediments to the development of resistance and the porous structure. Moreover, the sediment calcined at 750 °C gives better properties than those obtained at 650 °C and 800 °C. The result demonstrates the feasibility of using calcined sediments as a pozzolanic mineral addition in a cementitious material.