Abstract
The development of self-compacting concretes with electric arc furnace slags is a novelty in the field of materials and the production of high-performance concretes with these characteristics is a further achievement. To obtain these high-strength, low-permeability concretes, steel slag aggregates and cupola slag powder are used. To prove the effectiveness of these concretes, they are compared with control concretes that use diabase aggregates, fly ash, and limestone supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs, also called fillers) and intermediate mix proportions. The high density SCMs give the fresh concrete self-compacting thixotropy using high-density aggregates with no segregation. Moreover, the temporal evolution of the mechanical properties of mortars and concretes shows pozzolanic reactions for the cupola slag. The fulfillment of the demands in terms of stability, flowability, and mechanical properties required for this type of concrete, and the savings of natural resources derived from the valorization of waste, make these sustainable concretes a viable option for countless applications in civil engineering.
Highlights
The production of crude steel in Europe in the year 2017 was 168.3 Mt, almost 4% higher than in2016, while the production by electric arc furnaces stands at 40.3% of total production (67.8 Mt) [1].This steel production determines the amount of electric arc furnace slag (EAFS) generated during the fusion processes of scrap, totalling 18 Mt for the year 2016 according to the Euroslag
The aim of this study is to demonstrate that it is possible to obtain a high-performance concrete (HPC), considering this to have a strength between 70 and 150 MPa, which is self-compacting and uses steel slag aggregate in all fractions, obtaining a concrete with countless potential applications
The mixes that incorporate diabase coarse and limestone filler or slag filler have an average slump flow of 750–850 mm corresponding to the upper category or SF3 according to EN 206-9, equivalent to category AC-E3 according to EFNARC
Summary
2016, while the production by electric arc furnaces stands at 40.3% of total production (67.8 Mt) [1] This steel production determines the amount of electric arc furnace slag (EAFS) generated during the fusion processes of scrap, totalling 18 Mt for the year 2016 according to the Euroslag. In Europe, 12 Mt of cast iron was generated in 2017 These values of production reveal the volume of slag resulting from the steel and cast iron industries that ends in landfills. The pozzolanic properties of the slag generated in steel processes depend on the cooling process. Slow cooling (case of EAFS) promotes the complete crystallization of the phases and the inertization of the final product, not compromising its dimensional stability.
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