Author(s)

D. Maharaj, A. Mwasha

Abstract

This paper compares the compressive and tensile strengths of concrete made with natural aggregates and electric furnace steel slag. This comparison was conducted in order to examine the effectiveness of using by-products in making concrete production more sustainable. As such, electric arc furnace slag was utilized as a coarse aggregate in concrete mixtures. The physical characteristics of the natural aggregates and the electric arc furnace slag were analysed. Conventional concrete mixtures using natural aggregates and electric arc furnace steel slag were prepared. This was done for water to cement ratios of 0.4, 0.45 and 0.5 respectively. A comprehensive evaluation of the compressive and tensile strengths of the concrete specimens was done for the respective water to cement ratios. Blended cement and ordinary Portland cement were used in the concrete mixtures. For both types of cement used, the concrete made with the electric arc furnace steel slag exhibited higher compressive and tensile strength values. The highest compressive and tensile strength values were 80.5MPa and 4.77MPa respectively. These values were attained when the electric arc furnace steel slag was used as a coarse aggregate with the ordinary Portland cement for 0.4 water to cement ratio.

Keywords

concrete, electric arc furnace slag, aggregates, cement, compressive strength, tensile strength