Activation of Blast Furnace Slag with Soda Production Waste
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 32, Issue 1
Abstract
Although the absence of portland cement (PC) in alkali-activated slag (AAS) lowers its carbon footprint, conventional alkaline activators like sodium silicate are expensive and have large environmental impacts. Soda solid waste (SSW) is an alkaline waste of the glass industry, and its disposal poses environmental problems. This study investigated the use of SSW to activate ground slag at 60°C–120°C. Strength development of mortars and heat evolution of pastes were evaluated. Hydration products were studied using X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis. Strength gain, rapid in the first 3–7 days, is attributed to formation of amorphous phases and partly crystalline calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H). Increasing SSW content causes a weaker and broader rate of heat evolution peak in the first few hours and evolves greater total heat in the first day. SSW-activated slag pastes evolve significantly less heat up to 7 days than a typical room-temperature-cured PC paste but similar when heat is normalized by compressive strength. Mortars containing 40% slag and 60% SSW reach after 7 days of curing at 120°C.
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Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 32 • Issue 1 • January 2020
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©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Aug 13, 2018
Accepted: Jun 28, 2019
Published online: Oct 19, 2019
Published in print: Jan 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Mar 19, 2020
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