Blast furnace slag binder properties activation by lime production waste

Resumo

Blast furnace slag under study has manifested unequivocal binding properties. They were activated
by grinding and by adding of lime production waste and compared with ungrounded fraction 3mm. The activation efficiency of grinded slag was observed only during the first 90 days and of
ungrounded slag – during 2 years. Uniaxial resistance strength of the materials on the 90th days
varied from 0.83 till 5.07 MPa, during one year it increased till 7.46 – 16.00 MPa and during 6
years – till 12.48 – 20.40 MPa. The strengthening of the slag is ascribed to the appearance of new
amorphous formations, which transform into a stone-like condition over time. The only new crystal
formations, detected over a 6-year-long hardening process, were various crystalline carbonates in
such small amounts that they cannot be responsible for the materials’ highly significant strength.
Their long-term properties allow these types of slag to be used as concrete-like or binder
construction materials.