Development of unsaturated polyester mortar made with dune sand as a sustainable alternative in construction

This study examines the feasibility of using desert dune sand (DS) as a locally sourced, abundant aggregate for the production of unsaturated polyester resin mortar. Various composites were prepared using different weight percentages of DS aggregate (0–70 wt.%). Furthermore, thermal, mechanical, and durability tests were performed to evaluate the suitability of these materials for specific applications. Thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy analyses were conducted to confirm the results. The findings demonstrate that the optimal desert sand (DS) content ranges between 30 and 50 %, providing a balance between thermal and mechanical properties. The thermal conductivity of the mortar increased from 0.224 W/mK to 0.6 W/mK with increasing DS content. Although the incorporation of DS led to reductions in mechanical properties, the compressive strength decreased from 95.3 MPa to 65.8 MPa, and the flexural strength declined from 22 MPa to 15 MPa, representing a reduction of <20 %, which is within acceptable limits. In addition, water absorption increased with increasing DS content; however, the absorption values remained low (<0.06 %). Moreover, DS was found to enhance the thermal stability up to 359 °C and abrasion resistance showing 84.43 % improvement. The reported density of the mortars ranged from 1223 to 2000 kg/m³, which makes them suitable for use in lightweight concrete applications. These findings suggest that desert DS has the potential to serve as a fine aggregate in construction applications, providing potential benefits in the construction industry.