Evaluation of strength and durability of lean mortar mixes containing marble waste

•Marble waste was evaluated as a potential substitute of river sand in mortars.•Marble waste can significantly accelerate hydration process.•25% of sand can be substituted by marble waste when mortars are exposed to an aggressive environment. This study was carried out to test the suitability of marble waste as a fine aggregate in lean mortar mixes. Marble waste was crushed in the form of fine aggregate, then it was substituted in place of river sand from 0% to 100% by volume. It was found that by incorporation of marble waste from 25% to 50%, maximum benefits could be derived in terms of reduced water requirement, improved mechanical performance and enhanced durability. At 50% substitution the water requirement to attain the required workability fell by 6% and compressive strength increased from 2.84MPa to 7.04MPa. When exposed to 5% sodium sulphate and sulphuric acid solutions, the mortar mix with 25% marble waste and 75% of river sand performed at par with control mortar. In view of these results it was concluded that marble waste can be safely used in both aggressive and non-aggressive environments by replacing river sand by 25% and 50% respectively in lean mortar mixes.