Experimental Evaluation of Modified Sulfur Concrete for Achieving Sustainability in Industry Applications

Margareth Dugarte, Gilberto Martinez-Arguelles and Jaime Torres
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Margareth Dugarte: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla 80020, Colombia
Gilberto Martinez-Arguelles: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla 80020, Colombia
Jaime Torres: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla 80020, Colombia

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: Portland cement concrete (PCC) has been the most widely used concrete in the construction industry. However, PCC has a short service life under some aggressive environments, leading to the need of costly repairs. The purpose of this research was to implement local materials to produce a modified sulfur concrete (MSC) with better performance in industrial applications. Several modified sulfur concrete mixtures were prepared using natural aggregates from the northern region of Colombia, and sulfur cement by combination of sulfur with a modifier, with the objective of achieving the best performance based on mechanical strength and chemical resistance. To achieve this purpose, an experimental program based on a k-factorial design was used to determine the optimal mix design based on the results of the compressive strength. The mixture presenting the best results was then examined further with standardized tests to determine its physical, mechanical, and chemical properties (compressive strength, abrasion resistance, bulk density, absorption, and chemical resistance). Final results showed that the sulfur concrete mixture is very resistant to chemical attack and an outstanding substitute for PCC. The results indicated that there is no significant loss in weight and no relevant variation in compressive strength after the specimens were immersed in sulfuric acid and sulfate solutions. In addition, similar results were obtained for the slabs located in chemicals plants whose conditions were assessed during a 60-day period of exposure.

Keywords: modified sulfur concrete; sulfur cement; compressive strength; abrasion resistance; chemical attack (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2018:i:1:p:70-:d:192705

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