Effect of Steel Slag and Granulated Blast-furnace Slag on the Mechanical Strength and Pore Structure of Cement Composites

Reuse of solid industrial wastes is an effective approach to develop low-carbon construction materials. This paper examines how two materials, steel slag（ST） and granulated blast-furnace slag（SL） impact the mechanical performance and pore structure of cement-based systems. Analysis was done on the variations of the porosity, pore size, and pore volume distribution with the curing age and replacement content, and the fractal dimensions of pore surfaces. The results suggested that systems with both supplementary materials had lower early strengths than pure cement, but could generally surpass pure cement paste after 90 d; higher SL content was particularly helpful for boosting the late strengths. The addition of ST increased the porosities and mean pore sizes at each age, and both increased with ST content; SL was helpful for decreasing the system＇s late porosity（especially harmless pores below 20 nm）; The lowest porosity and mean pore size were obtained with 20% SL. Both systems had notably fractal characteristics on pore surfaces, with ST systems showing the highest dimensions at 10% ST, and SL systems at 20% SL. Compressive strength displayed a significant linear increase with fractal dimension.

Influence of Carbonation on Fatigue of Concrete with High Volume of Ground Granulated Blast-furnace Slag

The effect of carbonation on fatigue performance of ground granulated blast-furnace slag concrete was investigated. Based on the static compression tests of carbonated GGBS-concrete, the correlation between carbonation depth and compressive strength was analyzed and an equation between carbonation depth and compressive strength was put forward. Meanwhile, fatigue S-N curves of various carbonation depths were fitted, and the infl uence of carbonation on fatigue life and strength was studied. Carbonation has a dual effect on the fatigue behavior of GGBS-concrete. A fatigue equation based on the depth of carbonation was established. Also, the probabilistic distribution of fatigue life of carbonated concrete at a given stress level was modeled by the two-parameter Weibull distribution.

Dredged marine soil stabilization using magnesia cement augmented with biochar/slag

Dredged marine soils(DMS)have poor engineering properties,which limit their usage in construction projects.This research examines the application of reactive magnesia(rMgO)containing supplementary cementitious materials(SCMs)to stabilize DMS under ambient and carbon dioxide(CO_(2))curing conditions.Several proprietary experimental tests were conducted to investigate the stabilized DMS.Furthermore,the carbonation-induced mineralogical,thermal,and microstructural properties change of the samples were explored.The findings show that the compressive strength of the stabilized DMS fulfilled the 7-d requirement(0.7-2.1 MPa)for pavement and building foundations.Replacing rMgO with SCMs such as biochar or ground granulated blast-furnace slag(GGBS)altered the engineering properties and particle packing of the stabilized soils,thus influencing their performances.Biochar increased the porosity of the samples,facilitating higher CO_(2) uptake and improved ductility,while GGBS decreased porosity and increased the dry density of the samples,resulting in higher strength.The addition of SCMs also enhanced the water retention capacity and modified the pH of the samples.Microstructural analysis revealed that the hydrated magnesium carbonates precipitated in the carbonated samples provided better cementation effects than brucite formed during rMgO hydration.Moreover,incorporating SCMs reduced the overall global warming potential and energy demand of the rMgO-based systems.The biochar mixes demonstrated lower toxicity and energy consumption.Ultimately,the rMgO and biochar blend can serve as an environmentally friendly additive for soft soil stabilization and permanent fixation of significant amounts of CO_(2) in soils through mineral carbonation,potentially reducing environmental pollution while meeting urbanization needs.

Volume and Surface Nucleation of Crystals in Glass Based on Blast-Furnace Slag

Using differential thermal analysis, X-ray phase analysis, electron microscopy, and optical microscopy, the nucleation of crystals in glass obtained by blending metallurgical slag with silicon dioxide has been studied. The type of crystallization (homogeneous or heterogeneous, volume or surface) is revealed for each of nine compositions of synthesized glass. It is shown that the first crystalline phase in a volume crystallizing glass is perovskite (CaO·TiO2);in this phase a nucleation of the main phase occurs: melilite (solid solution of gehlenite 2CaO·Al2O3·SiO2 in akermanite 2CaO·MgO·2SiO2). The fundamental characteristics of homogeneous (for a catalizing phase, perovskite) and heterogeneous (for a catalyzed phase, melilite) of crystallization are determined: the steady state nucleation rate Ist, time of unsteady state nucleation τ, crystal growth rate U, and activation energy of frictional flow. The temperature dependences of Ist, τ, and U are obtained. The kinetics of the crystallization of glass is studied and the rates of the surface crystal growth are determined in the glass of nine compositions. The influence of grinding the particles of the original glass on the sequence of deposition of the crystalline phases was studied. Practical recommendations are presented for the use of blast-furnace slag as a raw material for the synthesis of glass and their further utilization.

Dry Mix Slag—High-Calcium Fly Ash Binder. Part Two: Durability

This work investigates durability of cement-free mortars with a binder comprised of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) activated by high-calcium fly ash (HCFA) and sodium carbonate (Na2CO3): the soundness, sulfate resistance, alkali-silica reactivity and efflorescence factors are considered. Results of tests show that such mortars are resistant to alkali-silica expansion. Mortars are also sulfate-resistant when the amount of HCFA in the complex binder is within a limit of 10 wt%. The fineness of fly ash determines its’ ability to activate GGBFS hydration, and influence soundness of the binder, early strength development, sulfate resistance and efflorescence behavior. The present article is a continuation of authors’ work, previously published in MSA, Vol. 14, 240-254.

Dry Mix Slag—High-Calcium Fly Ash Binder. Part One: Hydration and Mechanical Properties

High-calcium fly ash (HCFA)—a residue of high-temperature coal combustion at thermal power plants, in combination with sodium carbonate presents an effective hardening activator of ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS). Substitution of 10% - 30% of GGBFS by HCFA and premixing of 1% - 3% Na2CO3 to this dry binary binder was discovered to give mortar compression strength of 10 - 30 to 30 - 45 MPa at 7 and 28 days when moist cured at ambient temperature. High-calcium fly ash produced from low-temperature combustion of fuel, like in circulating fluidized bed technology, reacts with water readily and is itself a good hardening activator for GGBFS, so introduction of Na2CO3 into such mix has no noticeable effect on the mortar strength. However, low-temperature HCFA has higher water demand, and the strength of mortar is compromised by this factor. As of today, our research is still ongoing, and we expect to publish more data on different aspects of durability of proposed GGBFS-HCFA binder later.

Tests on Alkali-Activated Slag Foamed Concrete with Various Water-Binder Ratios and Substitution Levels of Fly Ash

To provide basic data for the reasonable mixing design of the alkali-activated (AA) foamed concrete as a thermal insulation material for a floor heating system, 9 concrete mixes with a targeted dry density less than 400 kg/m3 were tested. Ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) as a source material was activated by the following two types of alkali activators: 10% Ca(OH)2 and 4% Mg(NO3)2, and 2.5% Ca(OH)2 and 6.5% Na2SiO3. The main test parameters were water-to-binder (W/B) ratio and the substitution level (RFA) of fly ash (FA) for GGBS. Test results revealed that the dry density of AA GGBS foamed concrete was independent of the W/B ratio an RFA, whereas the compressive strength increased with the decrease in W/B ratio and with the increase in RFA up to 15%, beyond which it decreased. With the increase in the W/B ratio, the amount of macro capillaries and artificial air pores increased, which resulted in the decrease of compressive strength. The magnitude of the environmental loads of the AA GGBS foamed concrete is independent of the W/B ratio and RFA. The largest reduction percentage was found in the photochemical oxidation potential, being more than 99%. The reduction percentage was 87% - 93% for the global warming potential, 81% - 84% for abiotic depletion, 79% - 84% for acidification potential, 77% - 85% for eutrophication potential, and 73% - 83% for human toxicity potential. Ultimately, this study proved that the developed AA GGBS foamed concrete has a considerable promise as a sustainable construction material for nonstructural element.

Effect of ground granulated blast-furnace slag(GGBFS) and silica fume(SF) on chloride migration through concrete subjected to repeated loading

The effect of ground granulated blast-furnace slag(GGBFS) and silica fume(SF) on the chloride migration through concrete subjected to repeated loading was examined.Portland cement was replaced by 20%,30%,40% GGBFS and 5%,10% SF,respectively.Five times repeated loadings were applied to specimens,the maximum loadings were 40% and 80% of the axial cylinder compressive strength(f′c),respectively.Chloride migration through concretes was evaluated using the rapid chloride migration test and the chloride concentration in the anode chamber was measured.The results indicate that the transport number of chloride through concrete containing 20% and 30% GGBFS replacements and 5% and 10% SF replacements is lower than that of the control concrete,but 40% GGBFS replacement increases the transport number of chloride.Five loadings at 40% f′cor 80% f′c increase the transport number of chloride for all mixes investigated in this study.5% SF replacement has a very close effect on the chloride permeability of concrete with 20% GGBFS when concrete is subjected to 40% f′cor 80% f′c.

Crystallization behavior of blast-furnace slag by single hot thermocouple technique

The crystallization behavior of blast-furnace slag under isothermal and continuous-cooling conditions was studied using the single hot thermocouple technique.The crystallization phases were obtained using FactSage software and X-ray diffractometry.The crystallization kinetic parameters were calculated by combining these results with the Johnson-Mehl—Avrami model.Under isothermal conditions,the shortest crystallization incubation time was 24 and 18 s when the temperatures were 1300 and 1150℃,and the corresponding critical cooling rates were 4.5 and 14.3℃/s,respectively.At 1270℃,the slag was difficult to crystallize and the fiber-forming rate improved.When the continuous-cooling rate was 6.5℃/s,the slag solidified into a glassy state.The main crystallization phases,gehlenite,akermanite,anorthite,and melangite,were most easily precipitated.The growth factors of melangite and anorthite were approximately 1.63 and 1.68,respectively,which indicated that the crystals nucleated on the surface and grew in two dimensions.

Development of Cementitious Materials Utilizing Alkali-activated Yellow River Silt

The possibility of preparing cementitious materials by the alkali-activated method using Yellow River sediment(The second largest river in China)as raw material and the modification effect on different slag addition were investigated.Sodium silicate and calcium hydroxide were used as the activator,and the specimens were prepared by the press molding method.The hydration process,hydration products,pore characteristics,and mechanical properties were investigated using SEM/EDS,FTIR,TG/DTG,XRD,MIP,and uniaxial compressive strength experiments,respectively.The results showed that the compressive strength of the modified yellow river silt-based cementitious material was significantly increased when the water glass dosage was 12 wt%(Ms=1.8)and the slag dosage was 40%,and its 90-day maximum compressive strength could reach 53 MPa.

Shrinkage Behavior of High Performance Concrete at Different Elevated Temperatures under Different Sealing Conditions

The shrinkage behavior of high performance cement concrete made from Portland cement, ultra fine granulated blast furnace slag and pulverized fly ash with addition of superplasticizer at different temperatures from ambient temperature to 120 ℃ under different seuliug conditions was investigated by means of length change measurement on cylindrical concrete specimens along with curing age. Results show that drying shrinkage deformations of titled concrete specimens increased rapidly as the curing temperature rose. The development of dryiing shrinkage deformatian can be efficiently controlled with the aid of aluminum tape sealing as compared with the unsealed specimens, especially when the curing temperature is below 60℃ , although it will increase dramatically when the curing temperature is elevated to above 90%＂ . Polymer coating on concrete specimens showed a similar effect on the control of drying shrinkage as the sealing operation with aluminum tape.

Compressive strength and stability of sustainable self-consolidating concrete containing fly ash, silica fume, and GGBS

This paper presents the findings of an experimental program seeking to understand the effect of mineral admixtures on fresh and hardened properties of sustainable self-consolidating concrete （SCC） mixes where up to 80% of Portland cement was replaced with fly ash, silica fume, or ground granulated blast furnace slag. Compressive strength of SCC mixes was measured after 3, 7, and 28 days of moist curing. It was concluded in this study that increasing the dosage of fly ash increases concrete flow but also decreases segregation resistance. In addition, for the water-to-cement ratio of 0.36 used in this study, it was observed that the compressive strength decreases compared to control mix after 28 days of curing when cement was partially replaced by 10%, 30%, and 40% of fly ash. However, a fly ash replacement ratio of 20% increased the compressive strength by a small margin compared to the control mix. Replacing cement with silica fume at 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% was found to increase compressive strength of SCC mixes compared to the control mix. However, the highest 28 day compressive strength of 95.3 MPa occurred with SCC mixes in which 15% of the cement was replaced with silica fume.