The use of blast furnace slag as a supplementary cementitious material

Abstract

Waste material recycling in mortar production not only provides a promising resource for producing high-quality mortar, but it also aids in properly addressing the waste disposal issue. This study investigates the potential of utilizing blast furnace slag wastes as a supplementary cementitious material in blended cement-based mortars. The experimental program includes investigation of compressive strength of cement-based mortar composites contained different types and percentages of slag wastes. The mortar specimens were prepared and cured following related international standards. After curing, the compressive strengths of the tested specimens were assessed and compared with control specimens. The influence of the chemical composition of the investigated slag types on the resulted strength of the blended cement mortar was also discussed. Results of this study revealed that the chemical compositions of the raw slag wastes have significant effects on the pozzolanic activity of the produced slag. Slag samples contained higher percentages of calcium oxides present the most promising results regarding the production of supplementary cementitious material.