Influence of slag powder in the cement mortar mixes on the characteristics of compactness and freeze –thaw strength

Abstract

Worldwide, there is a clear imperativeness to reduce the consumption of non-renewable raw materials. The aim of the research is to obtain new ecological materials with applicability in the construction field, but also to efficiently manage these by-products by eliminating it completely and re-introducing it into the economic circuit. We envisaged the use of slag products as a material cementitious characteristics or as artificial aggregates, so that materials embedded in construction produce as little environmental impact as possible. After cooling, the blast furnace slag products was used in the new mortar mixes in two forms: in the form of a powder product milled from the granulated slag, and in the form of an aggregate made of non-granulated slag, sorted to the sized of 0/4 mm. Ground-granulated slag in the form of a powder below 63 μm was used as an addition to the cement mass, and the newly obtained artificial aggregate, sorted to 0/4 mm, was used in various percentages for replacing the natural aggregates in the control mix. The results show that the combined use of slag powder as an addition to the cement mass and artificial slag aggregates, regardless of the percentage of substitution of Natural aggregates in the mortar mortar mix, has led to the development of new mortar mixes with higher compaction than the control mortar. The higher filling rate due to the use of ground slag has influenced the increase of compressive strengths and freeze-thaw strengths from the repeated freeze-thaw action for new cement mortar mixes with blast furnace slag, as compared to the control mortar mix.