10th International Congress on Advances in Civil Engineering, 17-19 October 2012

Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

Effect of Steam Curing on the Properties of Slag-Cement

Concrete in Seawater Environment
R. Derabla1, M. L. Benmalek2, F. Sajedi3
1

Department of Civil Engineering, University of 20 August 1955, Skikda, Algeria, derabla_riad@yahoo.fr

Department of Civil Engineering, University of 8 May 1945, Guelma, Algeria, bmalek2@yahoo.fr
3
Department of Civil Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran, sajedi@iauahvaz.ac.ir
2

Abstract
This study deals with the use of ground granulated slag in substitution to cement (up to 40% of by weight) to
produce slag-cement concrete. The physical and mechanical properties (water absorption capacity, porosity and
compressive strength) of specimens prepared with elaborated cements was investigated under two curing
conditions, i.e. standard and steam curing and two storage environments as freshwater and seawater.
It was proved that using slag in substitution of cement leads to produce a heat-treated-concrete resistant to
chlorides and sulfates existing in the marine environment by either:
-

Combining 20% of slag, with the use of water reducing plasticizer admixture and w/c rate limited to 0.3, or

Using 40 % of slag, without admixture and a w/c slightly higher, equal to 0.5.

Keywords: slag, heat treatment, concrete, seawater, porosity

1 Introduction
The needs of the modern world demand to produce more, faster, sustainable and less costly, and such as the
concrete is the building material most used today, but requiring a long time to acquire its optimal capacities, we
have tried to accelerate his setting and his hardening to become compatible with the requirements of industrial
production. This objective can be obtained using heat treatment which occupies an important place among
various possible methods.
In order to minimize the final cost of cement, to reduce the energy consumption of its production (Trenkwalder
and Ludwig, 2001) and as a result the reduction of the environmental impacts and using rationally and
economically of local materials, we are usually directed towards the use of mineral additions. Among these
additions there is the blast furnace slag, but the rapid cooling which makes granulated confers its latent hydraulic
properties, which requires the use of an activating agent to ensure its hydration. Due to the latent hydraulic
reaction of slag, its incorporation into the cement leads to a decrease in mechanical performance especially at
early ages. To improve these performances, three methods of activation are usually followed as thermal
activation (Chabi et al., 2004) and (Sajedi. and Abdul-Razak, 2010), chemical activation (Gifford and Gillott,
1997) and (Rompaey, 2006) and (Sajedi. and Abdul-Razak, 2010), and mechanical activation (Sajedi, 2012).
The aspect of durability which has a great importance, especially for structures located in aggressive
environments containing sulphates and chlorides such as the marine environments; in case, we must establish a
concrete properly formulated and cured to make it as impermeable and as compact as possible in order to acquire
high resistance against seawater and therefore ensuring a longer life for the building works in question.

ACE2012
The approach taken in this work is to substitute part of cement with slag at levels of 0% for APC, 20% for CPC
and 40% for BFC. It will then make concretes that will be studied under different treatment conditions (standard
to 20 C and thermal with the cycle as shown in Figure 1) and storage conditions (freshwater and seawater) in
order to know the effect of the heat treatment and slag content on the physical and mechanical properties of
elaborated concretes. They are the porosity (P), the water absorption capacity (WAC) and the compressive
strength at the ages of 2, 7, and 28 days.

2 Raw materials
2.1 Aggregates
A crushed sand 0/4 and gravel with the fractions of 4/8, 8/16 and 16/25 from the quarry of COJAAL located at
Didouche Mourad (wilaya of Constantine) were used. The grain size distribution of aggregates used is presented
in Figure 2.
Sand0/4

Gravel4/8

Gravel8/16

Gravel16/25

100
90
80
)
(%

ze
is
r
e
d
n
u

70
60
50
40
30
20
10

Figure 1. Heat treatment cycle

0
0.063 0.125 0.25 0.5

6.3

10 12.5

14

16

20

25 31.5

sievesize(mm)

Figure 2. Granulomertric curves

The results of characterization tests, carried out in laboratory of COJAAL, are presented in Tables 1 and 2 as
below.
Table 1. Specification of sand according to XP P 18-545

Sable 0/4

Sand
equivalent
%
49

Methylene
Blue
%
1.00

Fineness
modulus
%
2.98

Absolute
Density
g/cm3
2.84

Coefficient of
absorption
%
1.16

Table 2. Specification of gravels according to XP P 18-545

G 4/8
G 8/16
G 6/25

Los
Angeles
%

Micro
Deval
%

26

13

Aplatissement
%
7
5
6

Absolute
Density
g/cm3
2.71
2.73
2.73

Coefficient of
absorption
%
2.00
1.98
1.95

2.2 Admixture
A water reducer plasticizer (VISCOCRETE 3045) was used as an admixture. It is based on polycarboxylates
modified, no chlorinated (Cl- ions content 0.1%) and ready to use it in mixes in conformity with NF EN 934-2.

R. Derabla, M. L. Benmalek, F. Sajedi

2.3 Cement
Three types of cement were used as an artificial Portland cement (APC CEM I 42.5) sulphate-resisting (C3A: 2.8
to 3.2%) of the cement factory of M'Sila, a compound Portland cement (CPC 42.5) containing 20% of slag
produced by the cement factory of Hdjar Soud, and a blast furnace cement (BFC) containing 40% of slag, which
was prepared by adding 20% of slag to the second type of cement, CPC 42.5.
The chemical and mineralogical compositions of the three cements used are presented in Tables 3 and 4
respectively:
Table 3. Chemical Composition of APC, of CPC and of slag
SiO2
Al2O3
Fe2O3
CaO
MgO
K2O
Na2O
SO3
Free CaO
ClInsoluble Residues
Loss on ignition

APC
21.94 0.14
3.78 0.05
4.82 0.01
63.11 0.21
2.12 0.02
0.46 0.01
0.17 0.02
1.87 0.03
0.915 0.010
0.01773 0.00079
0.89 0.15
1.370 0.004

CPC
22 - 28
5-6
3 - 3.6
55 - 65
1-2
0.3 - 0.6
0.1 - 0.16
1.8 2.5
0.8 1.8
0 0.1
-

Slag
34.41
8.17
4.15
40.69
0.10
0.10
0.89
0.36
-

Table 4. Mineralogical Composition of cements

APC
CPC
BFC

Clinker %
95
75
55

Gypsum %
5
5
5

Slag %
0
20
40

C4AF %
13 - 15

C3A %
2.8-3.2

C2S %
17- 21

C3S %
55- 59

9 - 13

8 - 12

10- 25

55- 65

2.4. Slag
The granulated slag of the blast furnaces of El Hadjar (wilaya of Annaba) was used after it was crushed to the
fineness of 3138 cm2/ g (similar to CPC) using a laboratory-type ball mill in the laboratory of Civil Engineering
at the University of Annaba. Its chemical compositions are given in Table 3 as mentioned above.
The activity index, i.e. Mb, determined using the following formula (1), indicates that it is basic (Dreux and
Festa, 1998):

Mb =

%CaO+ %MgO
= 0,96 1
%SiO2 + %Al2 O3

(1)

3 Concrete mix design

Two mixes design of concrete determined using the method of Dreux-Gorisse were made, the dosages are
presented in Table 5. To achieve the envisaged test program, six concrete mixes were prepared by the use of the
three types of cement (APC, CPC and BFC) and the two mixes design as mix design 1 with w/c = 0.5 and mix
design 2 with w/c = 0.35+ admixture. The study examined the influence of storage medium (freshwater and
seawater) and the heat treatment process for 2, 7 and 28 days.

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Table 5. Concrete mix design
Cement
(kg)
375
400

Dosage
Mix design 1
Mix design 2

S 0/4
(kg)
757
681

G 4/8
(kg)
128
144

G 8/16
(kg)
478
491

G16/25
(kg)
534
527

Water
(l)
192
140

Admixture
(%)
2.0

w/c
0.5
0.35

Slump
(mm)
80
180

4 Results and discussion

4.1. Physical properties
To determine the porosity (equation 2) and the WAC (equation 3) of the concrete specimens (reference and heat
treated concretes) at the age of 28 days, specimens were weighed after drying and total elimination of moisture
(an oven dried at 105 C) and then immersion in water up to saturation.

P(%) =
WAC =
msat:
mdry:
V a:

msat mdry
Vt

msat mdry
mdry

100

(2)

100%

(3)

mass of specimen saturated with water

mass of dried specimen
apparent volume of specimen

The values of P and WAC are presented on in Figure 3 and 4 as below.

14
12

(*)=(w/c)
Adm=Admixture

P(%)
Reference(Seawater)

Heattreated(Seawater)

Reference(Freshwater)

Heattreated(Freshwater)

WAC(%)
Reference(Seawater)

Heattreated(Seawater)

Reference(Freshwater)

Heattreated(Freshwater)

(*)=(w/c)
Adm=Admixture

10
4

8
3

6
2

4
1

2
0

APC(0.5)

APC(0.35+Adm)

CPC(0.5)

CPC(0.35+Adm)

BFC(0.5)

BFC(0.35+Adm)

APC(0.5)

Figure 3. Porosity of concretes

APC(0.35+Adm)

CPC(0.5)

CPC(0.35+Adm)

BFC(0.5)

BFC(0.35+Adm)

Figure 4. WAC of concretes

4.1.1. Effect of storage medium

- The concretes stored in fresh water have a higher porosity than those stored in seawater.
- The concrete based on APC has a lower porosity in seawater because of its nature (Sulfate resisting cement)
and its characteristics (permeability and better resistance in aggressive environments containing sulphates).
- The incorporation of 20% slag makes the concrete (based on CPC and with admixture) having a porosity less
than that containing 40% of slag, and consequently more resistant to penetration of chlorides and sulfates. This
result was also obtained by (Jau and Tsay, 1998) and (Binici et al., 2008) who estimated that 20% of slag in
concrete is an optimum against chloride penetration especially in the marine environment.

R. Derabla, M. L. Benmalek, F. Sajedi

4.1.2. Effect of mix design

The use of plasticizer water reducer (case of mix design 2) is very beneficial. According to (Markestad, 1986)
the water-reducer admixture is responsible for 60% or more of the gain of strength at 28 days, and in our case it
has allowed to obtain porosity rate lower than that of made without admixture (case of mix design 1). This
finding is even more significant with more slag which reduces the diameter of continuous pores (Aldea et al.,
2000).

4.1.3. Effect of heat treatment process

In fresh water, the porosity is higher in reference concretes than in heat treated concretes for both the APC and
CPC, as well as for the BFC with mix design 1. This result is the opposite of concrete obtained with BFC mix
design 2 duo to the slag needs more water and time to react.
In seawater, the porosity is higher in reference concretes than in heat treated concretes for the two mixes design
with the APC and CPC with mix design 1, but the opposite for the remaining. This allows to conclude that 20%
of slag with sufficient water (w/c = 0.5) is more advantageous for a heat-treated concrete intended to be used in
marine environments.
According to the results obtained for the porosity and the WAC, a proper relationship can be seen between P and
WAC as a high porosity corresponds to a high WAC relating to the same reasons mentioned as above.

4.2. Compressive strength

The compressive test was carried on cubic specimens of concrete with side lengths of 150 mm. The influence of
the factors studied is discussed at the ages of 2, 7 and 28 days.

4.2.1. Effect of heat treatment process

4.2.1.1. Concrete based on APC
It can be seen from the Figure 5 that, on the one hand, the concretes prepared with mix design 2 were able to
acquire the highest strength by the two modes of treatment (standard and thermal) and in the two storage
medium because of the use of the plasticizer water-reducing which helped to limit the amount of mixing water
(w/c), and on the other hand has the highest steamed concrete strength at early ages compared to the reference
concrete, allowing a fast demoulding at short term and consequently a high productivity. This strength gain is
even more important when the temperature is higher, but at long term, the reference concrete has higher strength
since the negative effect of heat treatment appears at this stage; here is discussed about the porosity which
increases due to evaporation of water, of course, whenever the sealing conditions are not adequate (loss of
moisture).
At long term (28 days and above), the loss of strength of heat treated concretes compared to the reference
concrete are predictable; in this research they are within 5 and 8 %.

ACE2012

Figure 5. Compressive strength of concretes based on APC

4.2.1.2. Concrete based on CPC

The results relating to mechanical activation are presented in Figure 6. The strengths are the highest for the
specimens prepared with mix design 2, and the heat treatment of concrete allows having excellent values mainly
at early ages.

Figure 6. Compressive strength of concretes based on CPC

In the long terms, it may be noted that:
- In fresh water: the strength of steamed concrete (w/c=0.35+admixture) exceeds that of the reference concrete
with a gain nearby 9.5%. This represents an excellent result compatible with that obtained by (Baoju et al.,
2001). ]. The strength of the heat treated concrete (w/c= 0.5) has a loss of 3.2% compared to the concrete without
using treatment.
- In sea water: the loss of strength of steamed concrete with admixture is of about 4.1%. It is practically nil for
the concrete made with the use of second mix design.

4.2.1.3. Concrete based on BFC

Similar to the two previous cases, at early ages, the steamed concrete is always predominant, beyond it can be
said that (Figure 7):
- In standard medium: The strength of steamed concrete containing admixture is higher as 11.2%, probably due
to the high slag content in BFC, i. e. 40%.
- In the marine environment: the strength of the heat treated concrete (without admixture) substantially increases
until it reaches the strength of reference concrete with admixture, it can be explained by the beneficial effect of

R. Derabla, M. L. Benmalek, F. Sajedi

high replacement level of slag and its good response with temperature (thermal activation) in seawater. This was
expected due to good behavior of slag and its high affectivity in aggressive environments such as in sea water
(chlorides, sulfates), when it was subjected to thermal activation.

Figure 7. Compressive strength of concretes based on BFC

4.2.2. Effect of slag

4.2.2.1. Concrete made with mix design 1
For the reference concrete, from the early ages, the higher strength is related to the concrete based on APC
followed by the concrete based on CPC, but with time increasing, the strength of the concrete based on BFC
increases considerably (Figure 8). Globally, using CPC, interesting compressive strengths at 28 days are reached.
By using heat treatment and a sufficient amount of mixing water, the concrete based on BFC stored in seawater
presents the strength results of 28-day greater than of based on APC and on CPC. This result shows once again
the contribution of the slag in the marine environment as affirmed by (Binici et al., 2008) and in the field of
acceleration of concrete hardening using heat treatment process which joins the opinion of the authors (Yazici,
2010).

Figure 8. Compressive strength of concretes made with mix design 1

4.2.2.2. Concrete made with mix design 2

For the reference concrete, at 28 days, the strengths of the fluid concretes based on APC and on CPC which are
stored in seawater are much higher than those stored in the fresh water (Figure 9).

ACE2012

Figure 9. Compressive strength of concretes made with mix design 2

For the heat-treated concrete and as noted above, the slag concretes have more reactions using heat treatment
(activation), but with the use of water reducing admixture and a w/c = 0.35, concrete steamed elaborated with
CPC has generally the highest resistant, and hence the most economical. This is in accordance with the results
obtained by other researchers (Binici et al., 2008), (Jau and Tsay, 1998) and (Aldea et al., 2000).

5 Conclusions
The concrete made with mix design 2 gave better results using heat treatment especially at early ages, where the
strengths can reach 55% of the strength of reference concrete at 28 days, the increase of slag increases the
compressive strength of concrete subjected to heat treatment with a gain of around 11%.
These promising results allow us to demould the formwork of concrete elements quickly (after some hours),
reinforced or pre-stressed concrete (especially in precast industry), resulting in a gain of time, money and high
productivity.
Using slag, it is possible to make a heat-treated concrete, resistant to marine salts by combining 20% of slag with
an w/c limited to 0.35 and the use of a water-reducing plasticizer, or with 40% of slag and a w/c limited to 0.5.
A microscopic study and extended for maturities greater than 28 days (90 days and above) can probably clarify
the effectiveness of steel waste more, i. e. slag, thermally activated in aggressive environments, especially in
seawater.

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