Experimental Evaluation of Modified Sulfur Concrete for Achieving Sustainability in Industry Applications

Margareth Dugarte,Gilberto Martinez-Arguelles,Jaime Torres

doi:10.3390/su11010070

Margareth Dugarte, Gilberto Martinez-Arguelles + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su11010070

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Journal: Sustainability	Publication Date: Dec 23, 2018
Citations: 25	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Universidad del Norte

Abstract

Portland cement concrete (PCC) has been the most widely used concrete in the construction industry. However, PCC has a short service life under some aggressive environments, leading to the need of costly repairs. The purpose of this research was to implement local materials to produce a modified sulfur concrete (MSC) with better performance in industrial applications. Several modified sulfur concrete mixtures were prepared using natural aggregates from the northern region of Colombia, and sulfur cement by combination of sulfur with a modifier, with the objective of achieving the best performance based on mechanical strength and chemical resistance. To achieve this purpose, an experimental program based on a k-factorial design was used to determine the optimal mix design based on the results of the compressive strength. The mixture presenting the best results was then examined further with standardized tests to determine its physical, mechanical, and chemical properties (compressive strength, abrasion resistance, bulk density, absorption, and chemical resistance). Final results showed that the sulfur concrete mixture is very resistant to chemical attack and an outstanding substitute for PCC. The results indicated that there is no significant loss in weight and no relevant variation in compressive strength after the specimens were immersed in sulfuric acid and sulfate solutions. In addition, similar results were obtained for the slabs located in chemicals plants whose conditions were assessed during a 60-day period of exposure.

Highlights

Sulfur and its derivatives are considered as being among the most important elements used as industrial raw materials all over the world [1]
Sulfur cements have been recognized for providing good resistance to chemical attack, quick hardening, i.e., reaching the required properties in only 24 h, high strength and fatigue resistance, very low water permeability, and exceptional resistance to acid and salt agents, which allows its use in highly aggressive environments [4,7,8]
The optimal mix design of modified sulfur concrete consisted of an aggregate content of 70% of the total volume, with 61% of coarse aggregate, 17.6% of fine aggregate A, and 21.4% of fine aggregate B, and with an additive/sulfur ratio of 0.100

Summary

Introduction

Sulfur and its derivatives are considered as being among the most important elements used as industrial raw materials all over the world [1]. As fossil fuel consumption is increasing all over the world, petroleum and gas production are yielding sulfur as a by-product, which is being applied as a binder in composite construction materials such as asphalt and concrete [7]. Sulfur cements have been recognized for providing good resistance to chemical attack, quick hardening, i.e., reaching the required properties in only 24 h, high strength and fatigue resistance, very low water permeability, and exceptional resistance to acid and salt agents, which allows its use in highly aggressive environments [4,7,8]. The mechanical properties of sulfur cements may be improved by the inclusion of a variety of admixtures to produce what is known as modified sulfur cements

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