Abstract
Cement is the most important ingredient in concrete, which acts as a binding material. It is evaluated that cement is the second largest industrial source of CO2 on earth. This demands a partial or full replacement of cement by an environment-friendly material. In this research industrial waste slag from a local Steel Mill, namely Mangla Metals was selected as possible replacement of cement. Some preliminary standard tests conducted on the slag showed its strong chances to be used as pozzolana. Slag used for this study was reduced to the particle size passing through ASTM standard sieve #100. Concrete specimens containing 10% and 20% replacement of cement by slag were prepared. The mechanical properties like compressive, split cylinder tensile and flexure strength were determined as per standard ASTM methods. Tests were conducted at 3, 7 and 28 days of concrete age. Results show a decrease of 14% in compressive strength, 7.5% in tensile strength and 10.5% in flexure strength for 10% replacement vis-à-vis control specimens at 28 days. For 20% replacement, the decrease in compressive, tensile and flexure strength are 25.5%, 29%, 31% respectively. Additionally, ASTM standard strength activity index test with finer slag particles passing through ASTM sieve #200 provided compressive strength more than that of control specimen. Based on the results, it is concluded that the industrial slag has the potential to partially replace the cement if slag is ground to the particles, passing through ASTM sieve #200. This could lead to a huge reduction of cement quantity in concrete and the environmental burden due to deposition of waste slag in landfills.
Highlights
Concrete is the most important construction material serving mankind since centuries
The results show that by the age of maturity, the compressive strength reduces to 86% and 74% respectively for 10% and 20% cement replacement by the industrial slag passing through sieve #100
The pozzolanic activity increases with the decrease in the quantity of industrial slag
Summary
Concrete is the most important construction material serving mankind since centuries. Concrete is highly versatile and the most widely used material after water. The current usage of concrete is estimated to be about 12 million tons per annum and is still increasing by each passing day. Concrete finds its applications from the houses we live in to the roads & bridges we travel. Concrete is a combination of cement, sand, course aggregates and water. To coupe up with the increasing demands of concrete, efforts are made to increase the production of cement and the natural aggregates. The query sites, from where the natural aggregates and the raw material for cement are acquired, are polluting our environment and causing depletion of our natural resources
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
