Preparation of coal gangue ceramsite high-strength concrete and investigation of its physico-mechanical properties

Using coal gangue (CG) as a building material does not only reduce the disposal of industrial waste and promote the resource utilization of solid waste, but also solves the excessive consumption of sand and stone in construction. This study experimentally investigated calcining ceramisites from CG raw materials and the mechanical properties of CG ceramsite concrete were studied. Additionally, the physical, chemical and composition changes of CG before and after calcination were observed using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). The experimental results reveal that calcination can reduce the density, increase the strength, increase the porosity of CG, and change the microstructure and mineral composition of CG. Finally, there are great differences between coal gangue ceramsite concrete and ordinary concrete in the variation of compressive strength with time and the relationship between elastic modulus and compressive strength. In this paper, the existing formula is modified according to the experimental data.