Feasibility Assessment of Incorporating Copper Slag as a Sand Substitute to Attain Sustainable Production Perspective in Concrete

Abstract

Motivated by the sustainable production perspective, a laboratory testing program is exercised to ascertain the feasibility of utilizing copper slag in place of the natural fine aggregate in concrete. Totally, fifteen concrete mixtures were prepared to incorporate copper slag in place of the fine aggregate in concrete. e attributes of concrete specimens made with varying proportions of copper slag were compared (ranging from 0% to 100% substitution) at a w/c ratio of 0.44, and the optimum percentage of copper slag was decided. e w/c ratio in the mix containing optimum copper slag percentage was then varied (from 0.42 to 0.36) to examine the influence of the change in the quantity of available water on the strength attributes of concrete. Concrete specimens were assessed for workability, density, compressive strength, flexural strength, and split tensile strength. SEM images and X-ray diffractograms of concrete specimens were also studied. e results obtained indicated a significant increase in workability and a small rise in the bulk density of concrete. e study concludes that substituting 60% sand with copper slag results in better compressive strength compared to control concrete and can be improved further by reducing the w/c ratio in the mix.

Effect of Partial Substitution of Fine Aggregate with Copper Slag on Mechanical and Durability of High Performance Concrete-A Review

“…The compressive strength of the concrete generally showed increase up to the 50% substitution of copper slag but reduced significantly due to increase in the free water demand remained in the mix in excess to the required for the hydration of cement paste as shown in the Figure 6. 47,50 Figure 6.Relationship between slump and strength of HPC 47 Some researchers have also shown that Compressive strengths after 7, 28, 90 days of curing periods showed the downfall as the percentage of copper slag increased 40 contradicting previous studies of. 47,50 Concrete blends with 60% of copper slag resulted in the compressive strength equivalent to the strength of the controlled mix with hundred percent of fine aggregates.…”

“…47,50 Figure 6.Relationship between slump and strength of HPC 47 Some researchers have also shown that Compressive strengths after 7, 28, 90 days of curing periods showed the downfall as the percentage of copper slag increased 40 contradicting previous studies of. 47,50 Concrete blends with 60% of copper slag resulted in the compressive strength equivalent to the strength of the controlled mix with hundred percent of fine aggregates. 45 A rapid decline in compressive strength was noted down with 80%-100% copper slag substitution as compared to controlled blend.…”

“…42 A noteworthy fall in water demand was observed due to the presence of copper slag as a fine aggregate in concrete with enhanced workability. 50 Concretes with mineral admixtures such as Silica fume, Fly ash, Metakaolin etc. showed less slump at low w/b ratios of 0.25 and the same is improved for higher w/b ratios like 0.35.…”

“…The strength of concrete at 70% substitution remains same to that of controlled concrete. 50 The decrease of the w/c ratio is a key factor in the rise of the compressive strength of mineral admixed concretes rather than its substitution with cement. Mineral admixtures such as J. Adv.…”

Strength and Durability Characteristics of Cement-lime Mortars with Fly Ash and Slag as Aggregate Substitutes

“…Keeping the above facts in mind, the research team focused on using slag and fly ash for the substitution of ordinary sand. Both of the waste materials are commonly available in industrialized countries and are partially used for cement production [23] and for the creation of ordinary concrete [24,25].…”