Influence of the replacement of fine copper slag aggregate on physical properties and abrasion resistance of pervious concrete

Abstract

Copper slag (CS), the metallurgic slag of the copper industry, has demonstrated very promising potential as an aggregate for application in the concrete industry. The present study evaluated the hydraulic conductivity, various strengths, impact and abrasion resistance of the pervious concrete (PC) when a natural fine aggregate of dolomite was replaced by the CS at levels of 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% by the volume of the natural fine aggregate. The optimum content of CS leading to the highest mechanical properties was 100%. At this percentage, compressive, flexural, and split tensile strength for the samples at 28-days curing ages represented 31%, 17%, and 10% increase compared to the control sample. Besides, at this percent, the surface abrasion resistance and weight loss due to impact and ravelling were 23.6% and 21%, respectively, lower than neat dolomite, obtained by a wide wheel abrasion test and a Los Angeles abrasion test. The higher mechanical properties of PC was dependent to higher mechanical properties of deployed aggregate and a denser transition zone s for the CS compared to the dolomite, measured by the aggregate crushing test and the SEM observation.