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Concrete Properties Comparison When Substituting a 25% Cement with Slag from Different Provenances
María Eugenia Parron-Rubio1, Francisca Perez-García2, Antonio Gonzalez-Herrera3
1Departamento de Ingeniería Industrial y Civil, Universidad de Cádiz, 11205 Algeciras, Spain. m.eugenia.parron@uca.es.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 20, 2018
Summary
This study explores using steel slag to replace cement in concrete, reducing environmental impact and waste. Some slag mixtures, particularly ground granulated blast furnace slag, improved concrete properties compared to traditional concrete.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Civil Engineering
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Global construction's high demand for concrete leads to significant energy consumption and environmental impact from cement production.
- The iron and steel industry generates substantial waste byproducts, such as steel slag, necessitating sustainable management and reuse strategies.
- Cement substitution with industrial byproducts like steel slag offers a dual benefit of reducing raw material consumption and managing waste.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility and impact of substituting 25% of cement with different types of steel slag in concrete mixtures.
- To assess the advantages and disadvantages of incorporating various steel slags into concrete formulations.
- To determine how slag origin, characteristics, and treatment influence the final properties of the concrete.
Main Methods:
- Preparation of four distinct concrete mixtures with 25% cement replacement by different steel slags.
- Characterization of concrete properties for each mixture.
- Comparative analysis against a reference concrete mixture without slag.
Main Results:
- Concrete properties varied significantly based on the specific type, origin, and treatment of the steel slag used.
- Stainless steel slag resulted in a workable mortar, reducing water demand but causing a minor decrease in mechanical strength.
- Concrete mixtures incorporating ground granulated blast furnace slag exhibited superior properties compared to the reference concrete.
Conclusions:
- Steel slag can be effectively utilized as a partial cement substitute in concrete, contributing to sustainability goals.
- The performance of slag-modified concrete is highly dependent on the slag's characteristics and processing.
- Ground granulated blast furnace slag shows particular promise for enhancing concrete properties, outperforming conventional concrete in certain aspects.
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