Mechanical and durability characteristics of concrete containing induction furnace steel slag as an alternative to coarse aggregates

Abstract

One of the greatest issues in today's world is the elimination of industrial disposal materials. To solve this problem, recycling waste has become a necessity in many countries according to regulations. Induction furnaces are systems where the heat is generated by induced currents by the electromagnetic field. Every production cycle, the system generates 15% of by-products as slag. In the present study, induction furnace steel slags are replaced with coarse aggregate at the ratios of 0, 50, and 100% in concrete samples with 150×150×150 mm size. The Los Angeles abrasion test, compressive strength test, and density calculations were made. Samples were also subjected to electronic and optical systems such as SEM, EDX, and XRD to determine the surface and microanalysis. This experimental study shows that utilizing induction furnace steel slag increased the physical and mechanical properties of concrete. The addition of these slags in concrete will allow the efficient usage of natural resources as well as the production of economical concrete. Due to their composition, the slags have high abrasion resistance and density compared to ordinary aggregates. For this reason, increasing the ratio of steel slags in concrete may result in the formation of heavy concrete.