Life cycle assessment of concrete paving blocks using electric arc furnace slag as natural coarse aggregate substitute

Abstract

Abstract This study assessed the environmental impacts of natural coarse aggregate and electric arc furnace aggregate production, and the impacts of paving blocks production using both aggregates in the proportion of 50%. The life cycle impact assessment has been performed by using the IMPACT 2002 + method, considering the impact categories of carcinogens, non-carcinogens, respiratory inorganics, terrestrial ecotoxicity, global warming and non-renewable energy. In the electric arc furnace aggregate production, the results indicate that metal recovering is responsible for the negative impacts (84%); electricity, diesel and lubricating oil consumption contribute for respiratory inorganics, global warming, non-renewable energy and non-carcinogens impact categories, while transport contributes for the same categories and terrestrial ecotoxicity. Considering the paving blocks production, cement has the highest contribution for all impact categories, except terrestrial ecotoxicity; the paving blocks produced with electric arc furnace aggregate present the lowest impacts for the climate change and ecosystem quality categories, and avoided impacts for human health and resources damage categories.