Properties of Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) using Steel Slag (SS) Aggregate

Abstract

The selection of construction material for a specific application primarily depends on its ability to withstand the applied load. Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC), typically used for pavement construction, is a stiff, zero-slump concrete placed and compacted carefully using a vibratory roller. Its prime advantages include high construction speed, low cost, and better performance with minimum maintenance. The concept of sustainable construction materials always guides us to reduce the pressure on natural resources and optimized the use of construction materials. Steel slag (SS) is a byproduct produced during steel purification from scrap materials. This study incorporated SS in RCC production to reduce stockpiling and improve sustainability in the construction sector by using a byproduct/waste material replacing natural aggregates. The experimental works include the evaluation of the physical, chemical & mechanical properties of steel slag aggregate. Initially, Vebe consistency and then compressive, tensile and flexure strength characteristics of RCC incorporating different compositions (viz. 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%) of SS was evaluated. From the soil compaction approach, the mix proportion was determined using the obtained optimum moisture content and maximum dry density of the mixture. Two different strength class samples were prepared with different cement content viz. 13% and 14%. The results were compared with the strength characteristics of RCC prepared with natural (control) and SS aggregates. The experimental results showed that up to 30% replacement of SS gives results compared to conventional RCC with natural aggregate. Furthermore, with this replacement rate, there is no need to trade off strength for economic gains.