Copper Slag of Pyroxene Composition as a Partial Replacement of Natural Aggregate for Concrete Production

Sandra Filipović,Olivera Đokić,Dimitrije Zakić,Aleksandar Radević

doi:10.3390/min11050439

Sandra Filipović, Olivera Đokić + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/min11050439

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Abstract

Copper slag, a by-product of the pyrometallurgical process used for obtaining copper from copper ore in Bor, Serbia, contains mainly silicon, iron, calcium, and aluminium oxides. Due to such properties, it is disposed of in landfills. Despite the favourable technical properties copper slag aggregates possess, such as low-water absorption (WA24 0.6%), low resistance to fragmentation (LA 10%), and low resistance to wear (MDE 4%), its use in the construction industry is still limited. The results of testing the technical properties of copper slag aggregates (CSAs) as a potential replacement for natural river aggregate (RA) are presented in this paper. The experiments included tests on three concrete mixtures with partial replacement of coarse natural aggregate with copper slag. The replacement of RA particle sizes of 8/16 mm and 16/31.5 mm with CSA in the amount of 20% + 50% and 50% + 50% resulted in an increase in the compressive strength of 12.4% and 10.5%, respectively. The increase of CSA content led to a decrease in water penetration resistance and salt-frost resistance of concrete, whereas the resistance to chloride ion penetration did not change significantly.

Highlights

Petros Petrounias and PanagiotaThe global use of about 25 × 109 metric tons per year makes concrete one of the most commonly used construction materials [1]
The experiments presented in this paper included investigations of chemical, mineralogical-petrographic, and physical-mechanical properties of copper slag aggregates and natural river aggregate, as well as physical-mechanical properties of concrete mixtures prepared with partial replacement of coarse river aggregate (RA) with copper slag aggregate (CSA)
The investigation was performed with the aim to compare the behaviour of standard concrete made with RA and concrete made with CSA as an innovative solution for the use of this by-product

Summary

Introduction

Petros Petrounias and PanagiotaThe global use of about 25 × 109 metric tons per year makes concrete one of the most commonly used construction materials [1]. The possibility of combining with different aggregates in different ratios, wide availability, and economic cost of production established the dominance of concrete in the construction industry [2]. Different industrial activities accompanied by the production of primary products result in various by-products that have almost no practical industrial application. These industrial by-products, which are generated in high quantities worldwide, present severe challenges regarding their disposal [6]. This is why it is necessary to find other alternatives that would be acceptable from the ecological aspect. One solution would be the use of copper slag aggregates as a substitute for natural aggregate in concrete [7]

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