Valorization of calcined kaolinitic clay used in high performance mortar

In this work, an experimental investigation was carried out to evaluate the potential of an industrial pozzolan, the metakaolin, on the behavior of mortar. The aim is to use metakaolin as a 10% partial replacement of cement. Its effect on the physico-mechanical properties of the mortar has been analyzed. The results show that the incorporation of metakaolin decreases the density of the dried mortar and increases that of the wet mortar but these remain lower than those of the control mortar. Moreover, thermal analysis ATD / ATG shows that in the heat flow curve appears two endothermic peaks which correspond to the loss of mass of the cement pastes. Heat flux of these pastes increases when metakaolin is used into the cement. In addition, metakaolin increases the compressive and flexural strengths of wet and dry mortars by approaching without exceeding those of the control mortar. The use of metakaolin as a cement substitution has shown its potential to be a pozzolanic material that can offer economic, environmental and technical benefits.