Use of Olive Biomass Fly Ash in the Preparation of Environmentally Friendly Mortars

The incorporation of fly ash from olive biomass (FAOB) combustion in cogeneration plants into cement based mortars was explored by analyzing the chemical composition, mineralogical phases, particle size, morphology, and IR spectra of the resulting material. Pozzolanic activity was detected and found to be related with the presence of calcium aluminum silicates phases. The preparation of new olive biomass fly ash content mortars is effective by replacing either CaCO3 filler or cement with FAOB. In fact, up to 10% of cement can be replaced without detracting from the mechanical properties of a mortar. This can provide an alternative way to manage the olive biomass fly ash as waste produced in thermal plants and reduce cement consumption in the building industry, and hence an economically and environmentally attractive choice.