Blast Furnace Slag Research Articles

Cementation characteristics and hydration mechanism of magnesium slag-phosphogypsum composite cementitious materials

The selection and mixing proportion of cementitious materials in cemented backfills are of great engineering importance to ensure the quality of the backfill. Therefore, based on the mixing proportion test of magnesium slag-phosphogypsum composite cementitious materials, the strength change characteristics and volume change rate of the cemented backfill under different cementitious material proportions were investigated. Combined with indoor tests such as hydration heat test, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric-differential thermogravimetric, scanning electron microscopy, and mercury intrusion porosimetry, the hydration mechanism of the cemented backfill under different cementitious material proportions was investigated. The results showed that the highest strength of the cemented backfill was observed with only magnesium slag as the activator. The strength of magnesium slag-phosphogypsum and magnesium slag-desulfurized gypsum cemented backfill was greater than that of cement cemented backfill, yet lower than that of magnesium slag alone cemented backfill. The shrinkage trend and magnitude of magnesium slag alone excites blast furnace slag cemented backfill and cement cemented backfill were similar. With the increasing content of phosphogypsum and desulfurized gypsum, the shrinkage of the backfill tended to increase, especially when the content was 18%. The gel-like products of backfill with magnesium slag-based cementitious materials increased rapidly at 7 days, which strongly bonded the aggregates and filled the backfill pores, resulting in high backfill strength. Although the porosity of backfill with magnesium slag-based cementitious material showed an increasing trend with the increase of age, its most available pore size decreased and harmful pores became less. The results can provide a reference for the application of magnesium slag-phosphogypsum composite cementitious materials.

An investigation of rheological properties and sustainability of various 3D printing concrete mixtures with alternative binders and rheological modifiers

This study assessed the performance of eco-friendly 3D printable mixtures prepared with various wastes such as fly ash (FA), granulated blast furnace slag, and marble dust. Additionally, the study investigated the impact of a viscosity-modifying agent (VMA) and silica fume (SF) on the mixtures’ rheological and mechanical characteristics. The influence of different wastes and VMAs on the fresh and hardened properties of printable mixes was investigated. Besides, the extrudability and buildability properties of the mixtures were evaluated with a manual extrusion device. The sustainability assessment was conducted using embodied CO2 and embodied energy index, integrating both the mixtures’ environmental implications and engineering characteristics. Experimental outcomes indicated that the inclusion of SF led to enhancements in the fresh properties of the 3D printable mixes. The VMA mixes exhibited significantly higher static yield strength than mixes incorporating SF. Considering printability and sustainability, the FA-SF mixture was identified as the optimal one.

Improvement of properties of high volume fly ash based self-compacting mortar with dolomite and ground granulated blast furnace slag

Usage of filler with inert or pozzolanic property has been crucially required for fabricating the practicalself-compacting mortar or self-compacting concrete. The current study investigates the influence of usingthe dolomite powder on the enhanced properties of the high volume Class F fly ash self-compacting mortarwith/without addition of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS/slag). Experimental results showed thatpartial replacement of low calcium Class F fly ash with the dolomite powder not only increased the workability of the fresh modified self-compacting mortars but also enhanced the ordinary Portland cement hydrationprocess at early. The adjustment of dolomite powder addition as partial replacement of fly ash resulted in themodified self-compacting mortars with the compressive strength increased after 7 days of curing. 30 masspercent of dolomite powder partially replacing fly ash was considered as the optimum value to induce the hardened modified self-compacting mortars with the compressive strengths increased at 4.2, 10.4, and 10.5% at3, 7, and 28 days, respectively. With the content of dolomite powder being fixed at 30 and 50 mass percent,partial replacement of fly ash with slag at 50 mass percent induced the modified self-compacting mortars withsignificant enhancement of the engineering properties.

Correction: Comparison of thermogravimetry response of alkali-activated slag and Portland cement pastes after stopping their hydration using solvent exchange method

Correction: Comparison of thermogravimetry response of alkali-activated slag and Portland cement pastes after stopping their hydration using solvent exchange method

Sulfate resistance of alkali-activated flyash-slag-lime concrete: comparative study of drying-wetting cycles and conventional exposure

Abstract Sulphate resistance of concrete is a crucial parameter for design of offshore structures. Of late alkali-activated materials are been given due consideration for infrastructure projects. In this context, the present study aims to assess the sulphate resistance of Alkali-Activated Concrete (AAC) with ternary blend of flyash-Ground Granulated Blast furnace Slag (GGBS) and limestone as the principal binder. The first phase of the study includes the optimization of ternary AAC mix with the inclusion of limestone as a potential binder to popularly used flyash slag blends. The inclusion of 5% limestone powder into the binder matrix is found to have beneficial effect on the mechanical properties of the ternary blended AAC. Further, an increase in the limestone powder content is not found to influence mechanical properties positively. The AAC mix with 5% limestone of total binder content was therefore selected for further evaluation of sulphate resistance. The sulfate resistance is evaluated under the alkaline media by subjecting AAC specimens to constant immersion and alternative drying and wetting cycles. The mechanical characteristics and mass reduction of the exposed samples were tested and compared with the conventional Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) specimens. Evaluations were conducted over periods of 30, 45, 120, and 365 days of exposure. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Energy Dispersion Spectroscopy (EDS) were also used to determine the surface morphology and mineral composition of samples after 365 days of exposure periods. The Flyash-Slag-Lime AAC exhibits denser morphology in comparison to OPC-based concrete, which in turn offers enhanced sulphate resistance.

Research on the Configuration of Multi-Component Solid Waste Cementitious Materials and the Strength Characteristics of Consolidated Aeolian Sand

Developing green, low-carbon building materials has become a viable option for managing bulk industrial solid waste. This paper presents a kind of all solid waste cementitious material (SWCM), which is made entirely from six common industrial wastes, including carbide slag and silica fume, that demonstrate strong mechanical properties and effectively stabilize aeolian sand (AS). Initially, we investigated the mechanical strength of waste-based cementitious materials in various mix ratios, focusing on their ability to stabilize river sand (RS) and aeolian sand. The results show that it is necessary to use alkaline solid waste carbide slag to provide a suitable reaction environment to achieve the desired strength. In contrast, the low reactivity of coal gangue powder did not contribute effectively to the strength of the cementitious material. Further orthogonal experiments determined the impact of different waste dosages on the strength of stabilized AS. It was found that increasing the amounts of carbide slag, silica fume, and blast furnace slag powder improved strength, while increasing fly ash first increased and then decreased strength. In contrast, higher additions of desulfurization gypsum and coal gangue powder led to a continuous decrease in strength. The optimized mix is carbide slag—desulfurization gypsum—fly ash—silica fume—blast furnace slag powder in a ratio of 4:2:2:3:3. The experimental results using SWCM to stabilize AS indicated a proportional relationship between strength and SWCM content. When the content is ≥20%, it meets the strength requirements for road subbases. The primary hydration products of stabilized AS are C-(A)-S-H, AFt, and CaCO3. Increasing the SWCM content enhances the reaction degree of the materials, thereby improving mechanical strength. This study highlights the mechanical properties of cementitious materials made entirely from waste for stabilizing AS. It provides a reference for the large-scale utilization of industrial solid waste and practical applications in desert road construction.

The strength, reaction mechanism, sustainable potential of full solid waste alkali-activated cementitious materials using red mud and carbide slag

Alkali-activated cementitious material (AACM) is a green building material which effectively utilizes industrial solid wastes, such as red mud (RM), ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS). However, there are problems with using conventional alkali activators (NaOH, Na2SiO3), including strong corrosivity and high cost. In order to solve this problem, this study prepares full solid waste cementitious materials (FSWCM) by activating RM and GGBS using carbide slag (CS) instead of traditional alkali activator. Based on the response surface method (RSM), the effects of RM content, CS content and water-binder ratio on the performance of FSWCM were studied. The microstructure changes of FSWCM with different RM contents were analyzed by XRD, TG, FTIR and SEM-EDS. The results showed that the optimized content of RM and CS was 40 % and 20 % respectively, and the 28-d compressive strength reached 14.11 MPa, which met the requirements of road base materials. The regression model established by RSM had high accuracy and could accurately predict the performance response values. The alkaline environment created by CS-RM facilitated the decomposition of active components in GGBS, resulting in the formation of a considerable amount of C-(A)-S-H gel via polycondensation. With the increase of age, Na+ dissolved in RM replaced Ca2+ in C-A-S-H to form N-A-S-H gel. The hydration products N-A-S-H, C-(A)-S-H and CaCO3 were intertwined to form a stable and dense three-dimensional network structure, which provided excellent mechanical properties. Sustainability analysis shows that FSWCM has significant advantages in cost control and environmental friendliness compared with AACM.

The Impact of Fly Ash on the Properties of Cementitious Materials Based on Slag-Steel Slag-Gypsum Solid Waste.

This paper presents a novel low-carbon binder formulated from fly ash (FA), ground granulated blast furnace slag, steel slag, and desulfurization gypsum as a quaternary solid waste-based material. It specifically examines the influence of FA content on the mechanical properties and hydration reactions of the quaternary solid waste-based binder. The mortar test results indicate that the optimal FA content is 10%, which yields a 28-day compressive strength 11.28% higher than that of the control group without FA. The spherical particles of fly ash reduce the overall water demand and provide a "lubricating" effect to the paste due to their continuous gradation, improving the fluidity of the slag-steel slag-gypsum cementitious materials. The micro test results indicate that fly ash has minimal effect on the early hydration products and process of the solid waste-based cementitious materials, but after 7 days, it continuously dissolves silicon-oxygen tetrahedrons or aluminum-oxygen tetrahedrons, consuming Ca2+ and OH- in the system. After 28 days, the amount of ettringite and C-(A)-S-H gel generated increases significantly. The pozzolanic activity of fly ash is mainly stimulated by the Ca(OH)2 from steel slag in the later hydration stage. Additionally, spherical fly ash particles can fill the voids in the hardened paste, reducing the formation of cracks and weak zones, and thereby contributing to a denser overall structure of the hydrated binder. The findings of this paper provide data support for the development of low-carbon cement-free binders using fly ash in conjunction with metallurgical slags, thereby contributing to the low-carbon advancement of the construction materials industry.

Study on the Rheological and Thixotropic Properties of Fiber-Reinforced Cemented Paste Backfill Containing Blast Furnace Slag

Study on the Rheological and Thixotropic Properties of Fiber-Reinforced Cemented Paste Backfill Containing Blast Furnace Slag

Bond between alkali-activated steel slag/fly ash lightweight mortar and concrete substrates: Strength and microscopic interactions

The fire-retardant lightweight mortar spalling from the tunnel lining substrates can threaten the safety of vehicles. The use of steel slag (SS) in alkali-activated cement can reduce the carbon emission and cost of lightweight mortar. The effects of SS on the bond strength and the microstructure of the interface between alkali-activated SS/fly ash (FA) lightweight mortar (ASFm) and concrete substrates was studied. The SS contents, namely, the mass ratio of SS to the summation of FA and SS, were 0 %, 20 %, 40 %, 60 %, and 80 %. The properties of ASFm, including compressive strength, fire resistance and bond strength, were studied. Results demonstrated that the bond strength of ASFm increases and then decreases with the increase in SS content. The highest bond strength of 0.65 MPa was obtained at 40 % SS content. Bond strength was determined by the pore structure and micromechanical properties of the matrix. When the SS content was increased from 0 % to 40 %, the content of C-A-S-H gel and C-N-A-S-H gel contents increased, and the porosity was reduced; hence, the bond strength of ASFm became larger. When the SS content increased from 40 % to 80 %, SS acted as an inhibitor, which reduced the micromechanical properties and increased the porosity of ASFm; therefore, the bond strength of ASFm decreased. This achievement provides an alternative way for the application of SS in tunnels.

Properties of concrete with processed granulated blast furnace slag as fine aggregate

Exploring the use of non-organic solid wastes from mines and mineral industries such as metallurgical slags, and tailings as a replacement to natural sand in concrete can provide sustainable options to save the natural river sand reserves. River sand for construction is environmentally and economically unviable in several countries of the world. The present investigation intends to explore the suitability of unused granulated blast furnace slag stocks as fine aggregate in concrete. The granulated blast furnace slag was processed using a vertical shaft impactor to modify the shape parameters of the granules. The Processed Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (PGBS) content in concrete was varied between 0 and 100% and the mechanical and microstructural properties of concrete were characterised. The workability of fresh concrete, compressive strength, tensile strength, stress-strain characteristics, drying shrinkage, and development of bond between concrete and reinforcement were investigated. The results show a considerable increase (~40%) in the long-term strength of concrete with 100% PGBS. The PGBS-based concrete showed higher compressive strength than the strength of the reference concrete. Using the XRD and TGA techniques the hydration products present in the PGBS and river sand-based concrete were qualitatively and quantitatively assessed.

Research on the Compressive Strength of Saltwater Mixing and Curing Cement Mortar Incorporating Blast Furnace Slag

In this study, the blast furnace slag (BFS) was used to replace 30% cement (weight replacement), freshwater, and saltwater (half, same, and twice the concentration of seawater) used to produce the cement mortar. Then, these four types of mixing water were used to cure the mortar till the test ages (7 days and 28 days). The test results show that, at 7 days, the compressive strength of saltwater (half concentration) mixing and curing mortar incorporating BFS is the highest (78 MPa). The freshwater mixing and curing control mortar has the lowest compressive strength (36.2 MPa). At 28 days, the compressive strength of saltwater (twice concentration) mixing and saltwater (half concentration) curing mortar incorporating BFS is the highest (90.2MPa). The strength of the control mortar is 53.0MPa under the same curing water, which is still relatively low. It can be seen from this that the mixing and curing of saltwater are beneficial to improving the compressive strength of cement mortar. The freshwater mixing and saltwater (twice concentration) curing cement mortar incorporating 30% BFS can have a higher strength at 28 days.

Performance evaluation and sustainability analysis of geopolymer concrete developed with ground granulated blast furnace slag and sugarcane bagasse ash

Performance evaluation and sustainability analysis of geopolymer concrete developed with ground granulated blast furnace slag and sugarcane bagasse ash

Post fire behavior of square and rectangular concrete filled steel tubes with granulated blast furnace slag fine aggregate concrete

AbstractThe present study investigated the behavior of concrete‐filled steel tubes (CFST) and concrete‐filled double‐skin steel tubes (CFDST) of square and rectangular shapes after exposure to elevated temperatures. The infill concrete was prepared with granulated blast furnace slag (GBS) as fine aggregate, and no natural fine aggregate was used. A total of 20 CFST and CFDST specimens of both square and rectangular shapes were prepared. The specimens were heated at 200, 400, 600, and 800°C temperatures for 2 h and allowed to cool inside the furnace after heating. Axial load was applied to the specimens to check their behavior after exposure to fire. The reduction in the load‐carrying capacity was insignificant for the specimens heated at 200, 400, and 600°C for both square and rectangular CFST and CFDST conditions. The decrease in load‐carrying capacity was slightly higher in the case of CFDST specimens compared to CFST specimens. A three‐dimensional finite element model using ABAQUS software was proposed for predicting the behavior of the tested specimens. The proposed model could predict the behavior of both unheated and heated specimens with acceptable accuracy.

Predictive modeling of compressive strength of geopolymer concrete before and after high temperature applying machine learning algorithms

AbstractGeopolymer concrete (GPC) is regarded as a more environmentally friendly construction material compared to conventional cement concrete, and its exceptional environmental capabilities are highly favored by the contemporary construction sector. Studying the mechanical properties of GPC upon exposure to elevated temperatures is a crucial aspect of evaluating structural damage and enhancing fire safety measures. Nevertheless, properly predicting the compressive performance of GPC upon exposure to high temperatures remains a formidable task. This study employs various machine learning techniques, such as single models, integrated models, neural network models, and hybrid models, to predict the compressive strength of GPC from room temperature to 1000°C. The results of each model are summarized, and the significant factors influencing compressive strength are analyzed to evaluate the thermal behavior of GPC. These findings offer recommendations for future in‐depth machine learning applications in the GPC field. The K‐fold cross‐validation shows that the hybrid model genetic algorithm–random forest has the highest prediction accuracy, while the single model performs the worst. Other models also provide favorable prediction results. The feature importance analysis revealed that the compressive strength of GPC is primarily influenced by heating temperature (HT) and hydroxide ion concentration, with fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag content being secondary factors. The partial dependence plot‐2D analysis indicates that as HTs increase, the influence of other variables on GPC compressive strength decreases significantly. These findings can inform the design of GPC mixing ratios for high‐temperature exposure. The machine learning technique proposed in this study accurately predicts GPC compressive strength across various temperatures, reducing experimental time and costs while promoting the GPC sector.

Feasibility of upcycling red mud for low-CO2 cement via calcination: A comparative study with FA and GGBFS based in China

This study examines the feasibility of developing low-CO2 cement using calcined red mud (RM) and explores positive scenarios that simultaneously attain technical, environmental, and economic benefits in reference to conventional fly ash (FA) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) cements. Based on the variables of RM's content and calcination temperature, we investigated the fresh properties (paste rheology and mortar flowability), strength development, microstructure, embodied CO2 emissions, and cost of the RM-blended cement. The results show that there was an optimal range of RM's calcination temperature (400–600 °C) that improved the cement paste viscosity while attaining a higher strength than that of FA cement. Considering the cradle-to-gate CO2 emissions and cost of cement production, the optimal cement composition is comprised of up to 30% RM calcined at 600 °C, where the cement cost is lowered by 19.3% compared to the FA reference having a comparable CO2 footprint. According to the geographical analysis, the calcined RM shows minimal advantages over GGBFS but could substitute FA as a cleaner, cheaper, and more reactive supplementary cementitious material in regions where electricity grid is dominated by clean energy. Therefore, RM offers a plausible solution to future low-CO2 cement in light of the increasing shortage of FA led by the declining use of coal-powered electricity.

Physical properties of cement composite with monoethanolamine

This study analyzed the fluidity, air content, flexural strength, compressive strength and carbon dioxide adsorption performance of cement, furnace slag and fly ash-based cement composite using appropriate substitution values of MEA derived from preliminary experiments. Fluidity and air content were found to increase as the fly ash substitution rate increases. It is believed that the increases are due to the fly ash ball bearing effect in combination with the creation of micropores by MEA. The compressive strength was found to decrease with lower furnace slag substitution ratios. This is believed to have resulted because the Pozzolanic reaction of the fly ash plays a more dominant role in determining the compressive strength than does the latent hydraulic activity of furnace slag as the furnace slag substitution rate is decreased. It is determined that the compressive strength was reduced because the Pozzolanic reaction reduces the density of the texture and pore structure of the interfacial transition zone. Carbon dioxide values increase as the furnace slag substitution rate was increased.

The Influence of FA Content on the Mechanical and Hydration Properties of Alkali-Activated Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag Cement

This study primarily investigates the effect of fly ash (FA) content on the mechanical properties and hydration performance of alkali-activated ground granulated blast furnace slag cement (AAGC) and compares the related properties with ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Additionally, we examined the hydration products; performed thermal analysis, MIP, and SEM; and determined chemically bound water and pH values of AAGC. The compressive strength of AAGC showed a retrogression phenomenon from 3 to 28 days, with the 14-day and 28-day compressive strengths of AAGC being higher than those of OPC. The AAGC with 20% FA content exhibited the highest 28-day compressive strength (75 MPa). The hydration heat release rate curve of OPC and AAGC was divided into the initial induction period, induction period, acceleration period, deceleration period, and steady period. As FA content increased, the 28-day pore volume of AAGC increased, while pH values and chemically bound water decreased. SEM images of AAGC with low FA content showed more microcracks.

Influence of fly ash and granulated blast furnace slag on autogenous shrinkage and drying shrinkage of cement-based materials mixed with alkali accelerator and alkali-free accelerator

Shotcrete shrinkage and cracking are getting more threatening due to its high content of cementitious materials, small aggregate particle size and a large amount of accelerator, which poses a great threat to the construction safety of engineering structures. This paper studies the volume stability of cement mortar with different contents of fly ash (FA) and granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) (10%/20%/30%) under the condition that the dosage of alkali liquid accelerator is 4% and that of the alkali-free liquid accelerator is 7%. This work is designed to provide a guidance for the basic research and practical application. By comparing the autogenous shrinkage, drying shrinkage, mass loss caused by drying condition, and internal humidity change of drying condition of cement mortar within 180 days of age. Combined with MIP analysis, XRD hydration product analysis, and SEM hydration product morphology analysis, the results show that both fly ash and granulated blast furnace slag can reduce the autogenous shrinkage and drying shrinkage of cement mortar mixed with accelerator to a certain extent, and the shrinkage reduction effect of FA is more prominent. The reduction effect of GBFS is more obvious at high dosages. Adding FA and high content of GBFS can increase the mass loss of cement mortar under drying shrinkage conditions. The high content of mineral admixtures will exacerbate the rate of decrease in the internal humidity of the cement mortar. The reasons for the reduction of autogenous shrinkage and drying shrinkage of cement mortar mixed with accelerators due to the addition of FA and GBFS are: the early activity of the two mineral admixtures is low, and the hydration process is slow. And the reduction of pore size with the range of 5-50nm leads to the reduction of capillary tensile stress and the weakening of the driving force for shrinkage deformation. Among them, the shrinkage reduction effect of fly ash is more pronounced. Therefore, mineral admixture can be used to replace a certain amount of cement in actual shotcrete construction, so as to increase the volume stability of shotcrete.

Optimal development and performance evaluation of electrolytic graphene oxide synergistic all-solid waste cementitious grouting material

The low-carbon and friendly alkali-activated cementitious (AACM) grouting material has a broad application potential in the field of grouting engineering due to its excellent workability and higher early strength and is expected to replace cement grouting material in the future. In this study, an AACM grouting material using electrolytic graphene oxide (EGO) synergistic ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS)-fly ash (FA)-rice husk ash (RHA) solid waste was proposed. The optimal ratio was 0.025 % EGO, 8.13 % FA, 26.6 % RHA, and 65.27 % GGBS, which determined by the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), Entropy Weight Method (EWP), and Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) methods. A systematic evaluation of the mechanical properties and impermeability of the proposed AACM grouting material was conducted by macro experiments (compressive strength, flexural strength and permeability) and micro experiments (XRD, SEM-EDS, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR) and Thermogravimetry Analysis (TG)). The results show that the increment of compressive strength and flexural strength for AACM grouting material with 0.025 % EGO compared to the cement water-glass grouting material were 161.2 % and 2.9 %, respectively, at 7-day. While the permeability coefficient compared to AACM grouting material without EGO decreased by 43.9 %. The XRD results show that the EGO reduced the intensity of AACM grouting material diffraction peaks, and FTIR analysis reveals that EGO increased the visibility of O-C-O characteristic peaks. These confirmed that EGO could enhance the degree of alkali activation reaction. The TG results indicate that the addition of EGO promoted the formation of carbonates, which strengthen the mechanical properties of AACM grouting material. The SEM-EDS results demonstrate that EGO increased the Ca/Si ratio, promoted the formation of highly polymerized hydration products.