Copper slag waste as a supplementary cementing material to concrete

Abstract

The use of industrial solid waste to concrete production is environmentally friendly because it contributes to reducing the consumption of natural resources, the pollution concrete production generates and the power it consumes. This paper presents the results of a study on the use of copper slag as pozzolanic supplementary cementing material for use in concrete. Initially, the chemical and mineralogical characteristics of the copper slag were determined. After this, concrete batches were made with copper slag additions of 20% (relative to the cement weight) and a set properties were investigated, i.e., specific gravity, compressive strength, splitting-tensile, absorption, absorption rate by capillary suction and carbonation. The results pointed out that there is a potential for the use of copper slag as a supplementary cementing material to concrete production. The concrete batches with copper slag addition presented greater mechanical and durability performance.