Eco-mechanical performances of concrete containing vitrified ash derived from municipal solid waste incineration

Cement and concrete industry is often associated with high environmental impacts. So, nowadays there is a growing interest toward the development of “eco-friendly” cementitious materials, i.e. able to guarantee a compromise between mechanical performances and ecological aspects. Aim of this paper is the development of “green concretes” that incorporate vitrified bottom ash derived from municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) as partial cement replacement. In case of concrete for structural use, a crucial aspect to assess the overall sustainability of these materials is the evaluation not only of the environmental impact, but also of the mechanical behavior, so to find a tailored mix design. To this purpose, in this study a proper set of eco-mechanical indexes will be provided for concretes containing three percentages of MSWI vitrified ash as partial cement replacement, up to 20% by weight. Life cycle as-sessment (LCA) methodology will be also applied to investigate the environmental performance of this concrete, quantifying the potential benefits of replacing conventional materials .