Evaluation of granulated foundry slag in self-compacting concrete

Abstract This study proposes a new use for granulated slag foundry: its application as a viscosity modifier in self-compacting concrete. During the production of cast iron, one of the main waste products coming from the granulate is slag. The large volume generated is a problem for the foundry industry, which incurs in high costs to carry out its disposal properly. This is the kind of waste that presents pozzolanic activity and, therefore, can be used as a substitute for Portland cement. However, the building industry has not yet taken advantage of this waste property, since other pozzolanic materials are still more traditional (fly ash, blast furnace slag, among others). Due to their high fluidity in self-compacting concretes, segregation problems are commonly reported. The use of cast granulated slag as a viscosity modifier, minimizing its segregation potential, was evaluated in this study. The results show that this waste makes it possible to obtain self-compacting concretes with adequate viscosity. In addition, it improved mechanical and durability properties, making feasible the use of this residue for the proposed ends.