The present research is concerned with the production and characterization of
ceramic materials obtained using demolition debris alone or in mixtures with
bottom ash from an incinerator of municipal solid waste, incinerated sewage
sludge and steelmaking slag. Blending of the different components was performed
by attrition milling. Milled and dried powders were uniaxially pressed into
specimens which were sintered and characterized by shrinkage on firing, density,
water absorption, hardness, strength, fracture toughness measurements as well
as by XRD and SEM investigations. The fired samples were also tested in acid
environment (HCl) in order to evaluate their leaching behaviour. All materials
produced have low water absorption, fine microstructures, good mechanical
properties and the release of most of the hazardous metals contained in the
starting powders is low. On the contrary, shrinkage on firing is high for most of the
compositions studied
