Influence of the Granulometry of the Granite Residue on the Sorptivity of Ceramic Blocks

The ornamental rock industry generates an enormous amount of waste on manufacturing process. Granite is the main rock extracted in Brazil for export blocks, a country that is one of the largest exporters in the world. The expressive volume of powder generated during the manufacturing process can be reused in the manufacture of ceramic pieces. The objective of this work is to evaluate three different particle sizes of the waste and its influence on the ceramic block sorptivity capacity. The clay used in the work and the residue were characterized by chemical analysis test, granulometry, Atterberg limits, and grain density. After the production of ceramic pieces with three levels of incorporation (0, 10, and 20%) of the residue, immersion absorption, sorptivity, mechanical resistance, and adherence tests with mortar were carried out. The results indicate that the granulometry of the residue significantly influences the sorptivity of the ceramic.