Mass Concrete with EAF Steel Slag Aggregate: Workability, Strength, Temperature Rise, and Environmental Performance

Davor Kvočka, Jakob Šušteršič, Alenka Mauko Pranjić and Ana Mladenović ()
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Davor Kvočka: Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute, Dimičeva ulica 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Jakob Šušteršič: Institute for Research in Materials and Applications, Špruha 18, 1236 Trzin, Slovenia
Alenka Mauko Pranjić: Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute, Dimičeva ulica 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Ana Mladenović: Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute, Dimičeva ulica 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 23, 1-20

Abstract: Temperature control is the primary concern during the design and construction process of mass concrete structures. As the concrete production has an enormous negative environmental impact, the development of green mass concretes will eventually become as important as the thermal characteristics. Therefore, this paper investigates the use of Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) steel slag aggregate for the partial replacement of the natural aggregate in the production of mass concrete. The impact of EAF steel aggregate on mass concrete workability, strength, and thermal behaviour was analysed. In addition, a cradle-to-gate LCA study was conducted to evaluate the environmental footprint and sustainability potential of the tested mass concrete mixtures. The study results suggest that the use of EAF steel slag aggregate in combination with a low-heat cement with a high content of blast furnace slag can significantly lower the temperature, reduce the environmental impact, and increase the sustainability potential of mass concrete, while at the same time providing sufficient workability and compressive strength. The study results indicate that EAF steel slag can be upcycled into an aggregate for the production of green mass concrete mixtures.

Keywords: mass concrete; thermal stress; EAF steel slag; green concrete; LCA; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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