More eco-efficient concrete: An approach on optimization in the production and use of waste-based supplementary cementing materials

•High densely packed mixtures were effective in improving the SCMs performance.•High strength, high waste consumption and high binder efficiency were achieved.•The finer SCMs served as physical and mechanical performance enhancers.•The coarser SCMs increased waste consumption and improved eco-efficiency. This paper presents a study that includes increase in clinker replacement and waste consumption in cement-based composites. Techniques for performance optimization of waste-based supplementary cementing materials in densely packed matrices using basic oxygen furnace slag, iron ore tailings from a tailings dam, quartz mining tailings and quartzite mining tailings were evaluated. Powders with different particle size ranges were produced and characterized. A highly-packed sand-concrete reference mix was designed and six different mixtures with 10−60 vol% partial cement replacement were evaluated. The high binder efficiencies observed and physical-mechanical performances evidence the effectiveness of the proposal, expanding the concept of low-cost supplementary cementing materials and broadening the range of residual materials suitable for use in cement-based composites.