Reducing Carbon Footprint through Marble Waste Recycling Using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

Abstract

This article addresses the potential of reducing the carbon footprint by recycling marble dust powder and using it as a partial substitute for cement, based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to estimate the carbon emissions associated with the production of concrete mixtures. The environmental performance of different replacement ratios was studied within the system boundary from cradle to gate. Five concrete mixtures were studied with replacement ratios of 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%, respectively, adopting a functional unit of one cubic meter of concrete. Mechanical tests were also conducted, including compressive strength, splitting tensile strength and flexural tensile strength at ages of 7 and 28 days, to verify the engineering suitability of the mixtures. The results showed that using marble dust powder contributed to reducing carbon dioxide emissions and improving the environmental performance of concrete while maintaining its mechanical properties. The carbon footprint was reduced up to 19.4% at a replacement ratio of 20%, while the 10% replacement ratio achieved the best balance between environmental efficiency and mechanical performance. The 15% replacement ratio recorded the highest tensile strength values. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the reliability and stability of the results.