46th Engineers Day, September 15 The Institution of Engineers (India), A P State Centre

Studies on the Use of Granulated Blast Furnace Slag as Substitute for Fine Aggregate in Concrete

M V Seshagiri Rao, FIE, Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, JNTUH, Hyderabad.

Srinivasa Reddy V, MIE, Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, GRIET, Hyderabad. Suvarna Latha K , Research Scholar, Department of Civil Engineering, JNTUH, Hyderabad.

ABSTRACT Sustainability and resource efficiency are becoming increasing important issues within todays construction industry. The phenomenal rise in the construction activity in the last decade has contributed to the wide gap between the supply and demand of river sand. A lot of damage has been caused to the eco-systems by carrying out dredging operations on the sand beds leading to the depletion of ground water levels in the country. This paper reports the results of feasibility studies on the use of industrial waste by-product granulated blast-furnace slag (GBFS) as substitute for fine aggregate in concrete. GBFS is a product of the steel making process. Once scorned as a useless byproduct, it is now accepted and, often, preferred and specified as it is known to be a valuable material with many and varied uses. This paper presents result of an experimental investigation carried out to evaluate effects of replacing natural sand with GBFS on concrete strength properties. Performance of concrete in which natural sand was replaced with GBFS, by proportions 10%, 20 %, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60% and 70%, was compared to reference sample (0% replacement). According to the results, for higher replacements of sand by GBFS, the concrete become porous and has relatively low compressive strength. It was concluded that the granulated blast-furnace slag can be used as fine aggregate under some conditions. The study concluded that compressive strength of concrete improved almost all the percentage replacements of natural sand by GBFS. The strength improvements were notably noticed at 50% replacement level. Replacement of 50% natural sand by GBFS results in increase of 28.96 % in compressive strength, 12.32 % in split tensile strength and 16.70% in flexural strength. Keywords: Granulated blast furnace slag, sand substitute, alkali aggregate reactivity, slag concrete, frugal innovation, GBFS.
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46th Engineers Day, September 15 The Institution of Engineers (India), A P State Centre

INTRODUCTION It is accepted fact that sand plays a very important role in the production of concrete. The features of workability, strength and durability are directly dependent on the properties of the sand used in the making of concrete. According to industry reports, there is a major shift in the mindset of the construction industry towards exploring substitutes for river sand. Due to decline in the availability of river sand causes environmental degradation and a threat to the biodiversity, ban on sand mining is imposed by different states in India. The natural sand, which is available today, does not contain the fine particles, in proper proportion as required. Presence of other impurities such as coal, bones, shells, mica and silt etc makes it inferior for the use in cement concrete. In the present paper, Granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) as sand replacement in the production of concrete is studied for suitability as alternative for natural sand. A. GBFS as a substitute for natural sand A Frugal Innovation in Civil Engineering

Figure 1: Granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) as fine aggregate Blast Furnace Slag is formed when iron ore or iron pellets, coke and a flux (either limestone or dolomite) are melted together in a blast furnace. When the metallurgical smelting process is complete, the lime in the flux has been chemically combined with the aluminates and silicates of the ore and coke ash to form a non-metallic product called blast furnace slag. During the period of cooling and hardening from its molten state, granulated slag is rapidly cooled by large quantities of water to produce a sand-like granule conforming to Zone II which is best for concreting. If granulated slag is primarily ground into a powder to form GGBS (Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag), or Type S slag cement. It is also mixed with Portland cement clinker to make a blended Type 1S cement. GBFS fine aggregate has qualities like uniformity,

46th Engineers Day, September 15 The Institution of Engineers (India), A P State Centre

cubical shape, impurity free, gradation as per specification, makes it a superior alternative to natural river sand in the production of concrete. Advantages of GBFS 1. It has cubical particle shape which gives high compressive strength 2. It has internal gradation conforming to IS 383 Zone II Fine aggregate 3. Due to its surface texture there is reduction in moisture absorption/lower water cement ratio 4. higher resistance to an aggressive environments 5. Reduction in wastage and increase in economic value 6. Blast furnace slag fine aggregate does not contain materials that may affect the strength and durability of concrete, such as chlorides, organic impurities, clay and shells. 7. No alkali-aggregate reactivity is observed. Blast Furnace slag is a vesicular material with a non-interconnected void structure and high surface area which can hold moisture. Blast furnace slag does have a sulfur component depending on the slag source, water percolating through the slag may dissolve the sulfur and other basic minerals such as calcium. This may cause a rotten egg smell and a white precipitate formation called GNFS leachate which has no long term impact to the environment and can be likened to a swamp with decaying organic matter. All slags goes through a magnetic metal separation process to remove as much of the available metal left from the steel manufacturing process. The slag processor recycles the recovered metal to the steel mill process. GBFS has less than 1% iron oxide remaining in the aggregate. Replacing Portland cement with GGBS (ground granulated blast furnace slag) in concrete mixtures will also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions because the manufacture of Portland cement emits large amounts of CO 2. Highways built with slag not only resist wear but provide superior protection against skidding. Durability, fire resistance, strength and quality control all contribute to making GBFS a superior aggregate in any construction use. Blast Furnace slag offers versatility, high yield; bond and light weight reduce construction costs. Production of Blast furnace slag fine aggregate Slag only just removed from the blast furnace and in a molten state of approximately 1500C is injected with pressurized water, and when cooled rapidly it becomes granulated slag.

46th Engineers Day, September 15 The Institution of Engineers (India), A P State Centre

This granulated slag is then lightly crushed, granularized and regulated for grain shape, after which solidification-preventing agents are added, producing Blast furnace slag fine aggregate.

Figure 2: General Schematic view of Blast Furnace Slag Production Applications of GBFS The use of steel slag as an aggregate is considered a standard practice in many jurisdictions, with applications that include its use in granular base, embankments, engineered fill, highway shoulders, and hot mix asphalt pavement. Although the principal use of GBFS is in the manufacture of slag blended cement and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag, it can be used as lightweight aggregate where its high fire resistance and insulation properties make it an excellent aggregate for concrete and masonry units where high fire resistance is required. It can also be used in geo-polymer concrete, as an additive for glass manufacture, as a lightweight fill and in engineered fill applications. B. Emergence of other alternatives for natural sand 1. Manufactured Sand Across the World there is growing support for the increased use of manufactured sand used in the production of concrete. The properties of particle shape, consistent gradation and zero impurities are the reason for the preference by structural consultants and concrete technologists. The product is produced to IS 383 code standards. The manufactured sand must have cubical particles or spherical particles which can be generated only from V.S.I. Crushers. Sand manufactured from any other process/ machine can not have cubical shape.

46th Engineers Day, September 15 The Institution of Engineers (India), A P State Centre

2. Powdered glass In cities such as Hong Kong, which produce a considerable amount of glass waste, builders use powdered glass as a substitute for sand. Glass panes and bottles are broken, ground to a suitable size and processed. 3. Copper Slag Singapore, which is perpetually short of sand and depends on South-East Asian countries for it, is looking at copper slag, a by-product of copper production. In the U.S., furnace slag and moulding sand used in foundries are recycled and used as alternatives. Substitutes such as GBFS slag are right now in an experimental stage. EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GBFS) conforming to Zone II (It was collected from Visakhapatnam steel plant) is used as fine aggregate replacing sand in concrete. It is having high Silica content. It has a higher proportion of the strength enhancing Calcium Silicate Hydrates (CS-H). Determination of Alkali Aggregate Reactivity of GBFS IS 2386 part 7 -1963 covers a chemical method to determine the potential reactivity of aggregates with alkalis present in portland cement concrete as indicated by the amount of reaction during 24 h at 80C between 1M NaOH solution and the aggregate that has been crushed and sieved to pass a 300-micron IS sieve and be retained on a 150-micron IS sieve. The solution is then filtered and analyzed for the content of dissolved silica (S c) and reduction in alkalinity (Rc) both of which are plotted on a standard graph defining areas of innocuous, deleterious, and potentially reactive aggregates. Alkali-silica reaction (ASR) is a chemical reaction between alkali ions (Na + and K+) a hydroxide ions (OH-) in the concrete pore solution, generally derived from the portland cement, and silica (SiO2), generally occurring in the aggregate. The reaction produces a hydrous alkalisilica gel. Formation of the gel alone does not cause cracking, rather cracking occur when the gel adsorbs water and swells. The swelling causes expansion. It often results in pressures greater than the concrete can withstand and so produces cracks in the concrete. Aggregate reactivity depends directly on the alkalinity (typically expressed as pH) of the solution in the concrete pores. This alkalinity generally primarily reflects the level of water-soluble alkalis (sodium and

46th Engineers Day, September 15 The Institution of Engineers (India), A P State Centre

potassium) in the concrete. Innocuous aggregates show either little or no reduction in alkalinity or a very high reduction in alkalinity accompanied by little silica dissolution. TEST RESULTS AND DISUCSSIONS Table 1: Physical Properties of GBFS and Natural Sand Apparent specific gravity Water absorption Loose bulk density Compacted bulk density Porosity Aggregate Crushing Value (ACV) Aggregate Impact Value (AIV) Fineness Modulus GBFS 2.71 1.75% 1520 kg/m3 1793kg/m3 15.2% 34.5% 15.45% 2.65 Natural Sand 2.69 1.0% 1630 kg/m3 1800 kg/m3 14.5% 33.6% 16.22% 2.21

Table 2: Chemical Properties of GBFS Constituent Percent Sio2 34.4 Al2O3 21.5 Fe2O3 0.2 CaO 33.2 MgO 9.5 P2O5 0.54 SO3 0.66 Passing 90 micron 80% The above results revealed that its specific gravity, bulk density, porosity, water absorption, silt content, the impact value and the aggregate crushing value showed satisfactory performance.

Table 3: Particle Size Distribution for GBFS (Zone II) S.No IS Sieve Designation 1 2 3 4 4.75 mm(No.4) 2.36 mm(No.8) 1.18 mm(No.16) 600 (No.30) Percentage Passing of Zone II Sand Natural Sand GBFS 94.75 100 88.5 99.4 71.25 87.9 42.5 42.9 Grading Limits for Zone II Sand 90-100 75-100 55-90 35-59

46th Engineers Day, September 15 The Institution of Engineers (India), A P State Centre

5 300 (No.50) 6 150 (No.100)

120 100 Percentage Passing 80 60 40 20 0
0. 3

11.5 1.75

12.9 0

8-30 0-10

Particle Size Distribution of GBFS Fine Aggregate

6 2.3 8 1. 1

5 4. 7

0. 6

0 . 15 0

0.5

1.5

2.5 IS Seive Size

3.5

4.5

Figure 3: Gradation Curve of GBFS Fine aggregate Table 4: Workability Test Results % GBFS 0 Slump (mm) Compacting Factor 85 0.87

(Reference Mix) 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 The result of the workability tests presented

86 0.89 92 0.91 90 0.84 94 0.88 95 0.89 85 0.89 76 0.87 in Table indicates that an increase in percentage of

GBFS replacement does not affect workability slumps and compacting factors much. Table 5: Alkali Aggregate Reactivity by Chemical Method as per IS 2386 part 7 -1963 Reduction in alkalinity 23 millimoles/litre Silica dissolved 1 millimoles/litre As per IS 2386 part 7 -1963 - aggregate is determined to be innocuous in nature means not harmful for use in concrete (non reactive) Table 6: Strength Studies of Ordinary Grade (M20) GBFS Concrete Percentage replacement of natural sand by GBFS Compressive strength MPa Percentage increase w.r.t reference Split tensile strength MPa Percentage increase w.r.t reference Flexural Strength MPa Percentage increase w.r.t reference

46th Engineers Day, September 15 The Institution of Engineers (India), A P State Centre

mix 0%
(Reference Mix)

mix 2.03 2.11 2.14 2.22 2.23 2.28 2.22 2.04 3.94 5.42 9.36 9.85 12.32 9.36 0.49 5.81 5.86 5.99 6.21 6.45 6.78 6.5 6.21

mix 0.86 3.10 6.88 11.02 16.70 11.88 6.88

26.45 28.31 30.42 31.23 32.61 34.11 33.97 30.11

7.03 15.01 18.07 23.29 28.96 28.43 13.84

10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

In case of sand replaced GBFS concrete, an increase in the compressive strength of cement is observed to be nearly 29 % for 50% replacement of sand by GBFS in Ordinary (M20) grade concrete. It is observed that there is consistent increase in the strength of concrete when partial replacement of natural sand by GBS. The sharp edges of the particles in GBFS provide better bond with cement than rounded particles of natural sand resulting in higher strength up to optimum 50% replacement.
35 30 25 Strength( MPa) 20 Compressive Strength 15 10 5 0 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Percentage of natural sand replacement by GBFS Split Tensile Strength Flexural Strength

Figure 4: Variation of Strengths with percentage of replacements Therefore it is feasible to use GBFS as sand replacement as long as designer is aware of the effects of the different combinations on the hardened and rheological properties. GBFS generally offers higher compressive strengths than natural aggregates due to increased cement paste bond because of the angularity and vesicular surface area characteristics of slag. GBFS Concrete mixes revealed an increase of up to 28.96 % in compressive strength, 12.32 % in split tensile 8

46th Engineers Day, September 15 The Institution of Engineers (India), A P State Centre

strength and 16.70% in flexural strength as a result of replacement of natural sand by GBFS at 50% replacement due to optimum reaction with optimum filler capacity. CONCLUSIONS From the study of the technical feasibility of using GBFS as fine aggregate in the production of ordinary grade concrete. The following conclusions can be drawn: 1. 2. 3. 4. The research suggests the use of GBFS as fine aggregate in concrete production. The addition of GGBFS as sand replacement yielded an increased compressive, split tensile and flexural strengths by nearly 29%, 13% and 17 % respectively. The recommended percentage replacement of natural sand by GBFS is 50%. GBFS has a potential to provide alternative to natural sand and helps in maintaining the environment as well as economical balance. Non-availability of natural sand at reasonable cost, forces to search for alternative material. The GBFS is found to have good gradation and nice finish, which was lacking in natural sand. This had been resulted in good cohesive concrete. This GBFS fine aggregate is considered as an ideal for concrete. 5. In respect of the above conclusions, it could be said that granular slag replacement level of 50 % had increased the packing density of concrete which resulted in reduced w/c ratio, increased strength properties of concrete mix. The rough cubical particles of granular slag had also improved the bond and adhesion strength. One possibility is the utilization of industrial by-products and waste materials in making concrete, which will lead to a sustainable concrete design and a greener environment REFERENCES
1.

"Techniques for preventing solidification of blast furnace slag fine aggregate" Annual Collection of Papers on Concrete Engineering, Vol. 26, No.1, 2004 "Development of materials and processes used in solidification prevention for blast furnace slag fine aggregate for concrete"- Collection of Papers from the 140th Lecture by the Iron and Steel Institute of Japan, Vol. 13, No.4, p.851, 2000

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46th Engineers Day, September 15 The Institution of Engineers (India), A P State Centre 4.

I. Yuksel, O. Ozkan and T. Bilir, Use of Granulated Blast Furnace Slag in Concrete as Fine Aggregate, ACI Materials Journal, 2006, pp. 203-208. Nagraj, T. S., Proportioning concrete mixes with rock dust as fine aggregate, Civil Engineering and Construction Review, March 2000, pp. 27-31. Ilangovan, R.; Nagamani, K., and Kumarasamy, K., Studies on strength and behaviour of concrete by using crushed rock dust as fine aggregate, Civil Engineering and Construction Review, October 2006, pp. 924-932

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Isa Yuksel, Omer Ozkan, turhan Bilir. (2006), Use of granulated blast furnace slag in concrete as fine aggregate, ACI materials journal, May-June, pp 203-208. Isa yuksel, Ayten Genc, (2007), Properties of concrete containing non-ground ash and slag as fine aggregate, ACI materials journal, July-August, pp 397-403. L. Zeghichi, (2006), The effect of replacement of naturals aggregates by Slag products on the strength of concrete, Asian Journal of Civil Engineering (Building and Housing), 7, pp 27-35.

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