Development and Characterization of Sustainable Cement-Free Controlled Low Strength Material Using Titanium Gypsum and Construction Waste Soil

This study investigates the utilization of titanium gypsum (TG) and construction waste soil (CWS) for the development of sustainable, cement-free Controlled Low Strength Material (CLSM). TG, combined with ground granulated blast furnace slag, fly ash, and quicklime, serves as the binder, while CWS replaces natural sand. Testing thirteen mixtures revealed that a CWS replacement rate of over 40% controls bleeding below 5%, with a water-to-solid ratio between 0.40 and 0.46, ensuring flowability. Higher TG content reduces flowability but is crucial for strength due to its role in forming a crystalline network. Compressive strength decreases with higher TG and water-to-solid ratio, while 3–5% quicklime provides a 56 day strength below 2.1 MPa. Higher CWS reduces expansion, and TG content between 60% and 70% minimizes volume changes. XRD and SEM analyses underscore the importance of controlling TG and quicklime content to optimize CLSM’s mechanical properties, highlighting the potential of TG and CWS in creating low carbon CLSM. © 2024 by the authors.