Improving Durability and Strength of Plain and Reinforced Concrete Structure with addition of Ground Granulated

Blast Furnace Slag.

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION
In the production of cement the limestone and clay is heated to a high temperature of 1500 C in
a kiln then these material fused and form clinker which further crushed to form cement. Thus this
process is very costly and emit large amount of fly ash and carbon dioxide to the environment.
Thus in geopolymer concrete the use of GGBS as the binder replaces the cement thus it is a key
for the sustainable development.
GGBS is used to make durable concrete structures in combination with ordinary portland
cement and/or other pozzolanic materials. GGBS has been widely used in Europe, and
increasingly in the United States and in Asia (particularly in Japan and Singapore) for its
superiority in concrete durability, extending the lifespan of buildings from fifty years to a
hundred years.[2]
Two major uses of GGBS are in the production of quality-improved slag cement, namely
Portland Blastfurnace cement (PBFC) and high-slag blast-furnace cement (HSBFC), with GGBS
content ranging typically from 30 to 70%; and in the production of ready-mixed or site-batched
durable concrete.
Concrete made with GGBS cement sets more slowly than concrete made with ordinary Portland
cement, depending on the amount of GGBS in the cementitious material, but also continues to
gain strength over a longer period in production conditions. This results in lower heat
of hydration and lower temperature rises, and makes avoiding cold joints easier, but may also
affect construction schedules where quick setting is required.
Use of GGBS significantly reduces the risk of damages caused by alkalisilica reaction (ASR),
provides higher resistance to chloride ingress reducing the risk of reinforcement corrosion
and provides higher resistance to attacks by sulfate and other chemicals.

In the manufacture of pig iron the haematite and limestone are heated then limestone break and
form quick lime with the liberation of carbon dioxide .Thus this quick lime react with impurities
sand form slag which is known as GGBS.
Geopolymer concretes which are ideal for building and repairing infrastructures and for casting
units, because they attain high early strength and their setting times can be controlled by adding
superplasticizer.
The geopolymer can attain high early strength, and have low shrinkage, freeze-thaw resistance,
sulphate resistance and corrosion resistance.
Department of Civil Engineering , SRMGPC , LUCKNOW

Improving Durability and Strength of Plain and Reinforced Concrete Structure with addition of Ground Granulated
Blast Furnace Slag.

CHAPTER II
PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

PROJECT OBJECTIVE

In this project the experimental investigation is done on use of Ground Granulated Blast Furnace
Slag (GGBS) in concrete making.
The project aim is to use GGBS in place of OPC and compare its properties with the normal
concrete.
In the production of cement the limestone and clay is heated to a high temperature of 1500 C in
a kiln then these material fused and form clinker which further crushed to form cement. Thus this
process is very costly and emit large amount of fly ash and carbon dioxide to the environment.
Thus in geopolymer concrete the use of GGBS as the binder replaces the cement thus it is a key
for the sustainable development.
The GGBS react with sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate to form calcium silicate. Thus
calcium silicate act as binder and bind the coarse sand and coarse aggregate. When calcium
silicate is formed the heat is evolved as the reaction is exothermic. So initial heat is not required
to start the polymerization process.

Department of Civil Engineering , SRMGPC , LUCKNOW

Improving Durability and Strength of Plain and Reinforced Concrete Structure with addition of Ground Granulated
Blast Furnace Slag.

CHAPTER III
LITERATURE REVIEW
Ground granulated blastfurnace slag (GGBS) is a by-product from the blast-furnaces used to
make iron. These operate at a temperature of about 1,500 degrees centigrade and are fed with a
carefully controlled mixture of iron-ore, coke and limestone. The iron ore is reduced to iron and
the remaining materials form a slag that floats on top of the iron. This slag is periodically tapped
off as a molten liquid and if it is to be used for the manufacture of GGBS it has to be rapidly
quenched in large volumes of water. The quenching, optimises the cementitious properties and
produces granules similar to a coarse sand. This 'granulated' slag is then dried and ground to a
fine powder.

Production and composition:

The chemical composition of a slag varies considerably depending on the composition of the raw
materials in the iron production process. Silicate and aluminate impurities from
the ore and coke are combined in theblast furnace with a flux which lowers the viscosity of the
slag. In the case of pig iron production the flux consists mostly of a mixture
of limestone and forsterite or in some cases dolomite. In the blast furnace the slag floats on top
of the iron and is decanted for separation. Slow cooling of slag melts results in an unreactive
crystalline material consisting of an assemblage of Ca-Al-Mg silicates. To obtain a good slag
reactivity or hydraulicity, the slag melt needs to be rapidly cooled or quenched below 800 C in
order to prevent the crystallization of merwinite and melilite. To cool and fragment the slag a
granulation process can be applied in which molten slag is subjected to jet streams of water or air
under pressure. Alternatively, in the pelletization process the liquid slag is partially cooled with
water and subsequently projected into the air by a rotating drum. In order to obtain a suitable
reactivity, the obtained fragments are ground to reach the same fineness as Portland cement.
The main components of blast furnace slag are CaO (30-50%), SiO2 (28-38%), Al2O3 (8-24%),
and MgO (1-18%). In general increasing the CaO content of the slag results in raised
slag basicity and an increase incompressive strength. The MgO and Al2O3 content show the same
trend up to respectively 10-12% and 14%, beyond which no further improvement can be
obtained. Several compositional ratios or so-called hydraulic indices have been used to correlate
slag composition with hydraulic activity; the latter being mostly expressed as the
binder compressive strength.

Department of Civil Engineering , SRMGPC , LUCKNOW

Improving Durability and Strength of Plain and Reinforced Concrete Structure with addition of Ground Granulated
Blast Furnace Slag.

The glass content of slags suitable for blending with Portland cement typically varies between
90-100% and depends on the cooling method and the temperature at which cooling is initiated.
The glass structure of the quenched glass largely depends on the proportions of network-forming
elements such as Si and Al over network-modifiers such as Ca, Mg and to a lesser extent Al.
Increased amounts of network-modifiers lead to higher degrees of network depolymerization and
reactivity.
Common crystalline constituents of blast-furnace slags are merwinite and melilite. Other minor
components which can form during progressive crystallization
are belite, monticellite, rankinite, wollastonite andforsterite. Minor amounts of reduced sulphur
are commonly encountered as oldhamite.

TYPICAL CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

Calcium oxide: 40%
Silica:
35%
Alumina:
13%
Magnesia:
8%

TYPICAL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Colour:
off-white
Specific gravity: 2.9
Bulk density:
1200 kg/m3
Fineness:
>350m2/kg

GGBS has been widely used in Europe, and increasingly in the United States and in Asia
(particularly in Japan and Singapore) for its superiority in concrete durability, extending the
lifespan of buildings from fifty years to a hundred years.
Most projects in Dublin's Docklands, including Spencer Dock, are using GGBS in subsurface
concrete for sulfate resistance.
GGBS is also routinely used to limit the temperature rise in large concrete pours. The more
gradual hydration of GGBS cement generates both lower peak and less total overall heat than
Portland cement. This reduces thermal gradients in the concrete, which prevents the occurrence
of microcracking which can weaken the concrete and reduce its durability, and was used for this
purpose in the construction of the Jack Lynch Tunnel in Cork.

Department of Civil Engineering , SRMGPC , LUCKNOW

Improving Durability and Strength of Plain and Reinforced Concrete Structure with addition of Ground Granulated
Blast Furnace Slag.

CHAPTER IV
THEORY (PROJECT METHODOLOGY)

MATERIAL COLLECTION
SAND,CEMENT,AGGREGATES,BLAST FURNACE SLAG etc

MATERIAL TESTING
FINENESS,SOUNDNESS,CONSISTENCY,WATER ABSORBTION,SPECIFIC GRAVITY,AGGREGATE CRUSHING
AND IMPACT VALUE etc

RESULT AND ANALYSIS

INTERPRETATION AND FINAL CONCLUSION

Department of Civil Engineering , SRMGPC , LUCKNOW

Improving Durability and Strength of Plain and Reinforced Concrete Structure with addition of Ground Granulated
Blast Furnace Slag.

In this experiment the GGBS is used as the binder in place of cement in concrete. The GGBS
react with the bases and form calcium silicate which act as the binder to the coarse sand and
coarse aggregate.The variation in the amount of sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate is done in
concrete and their effect on compressive strength and tensile strength is noted down.

GGBS cement can be added to concrete in the concrete manufacturer's batching plant, along with
Portland cement, aggregates and water. The normal ratios of aggregates and water to
cementitious material in the mix remain unchanged. GGBS is used as a direct replacement for
Portland cement, on a one-to-one basis by weight. Replacement levels for GGBS vary from 30%
to up to 85%. Typically 40 to 50% is used in most instances.

FOLLOWING TESTS ARE PERFORMED :

1. Material Testing: Materials that are to be used: Sand, Cement, Aggregates and Grou
nd Granulated Blast Furnace Slag.

Testing of Sand: The following tests will be conducted:

Particle Size Distribution
Optimum Moisture Content and Maximum Dry Density (Proctors
Compaction Test)
Bulking of Sand
Water Absorption
Specific Gravity

Testing of Cement: The following tests will be conducted:

Fineness
Soundness
Consistency
Initial and Final Setting Time
Specific Gravity
Compressive Strength of Cement

Department of Civil Engineering , SRMGPC , LUCKNOW

Improving Durability and Strength of Plain and Reinforced Concrete Structure with addition of Ground Granulated
Blast Furnace Slag.

Testing of Aggregates: The following tests will be conducted:

Sieve Analysis
Water Absorption
Aggregate Impact Value
Aggregate Crushing Value
Aggregate Abrasion Value
Specific gravity
Bulk density

Testing of Blast Furnace Slag:

Water absorption
Specific Gravity
Water absorption
Particle size distribution
Bulk density

2. Test of Concrete Block: Concrete mixed with Ground-Granulated Blast Furnace

slag will be cast into cubes of 150 mmX150mmX150mm size of different proportions
and following tests will be conducted :

Compressive Strength Test: Cubes are tested with a compression testing

machine with a compressive force of 1000 kN at different specified number of
days.
Water Absorption Test: Concrete blocks are subjected to water absorption test .

3. Cost Estimation: In this cost of different cube blocks of different proportion is

determined.

Department of Civil Engineering , SRMGPC , LUCKNOW

Improving Durability and Strength of Plain and Reinforced Concrete Structure with addition of Ground Granulated
Blast Furnace Slag.

CHAPTER V
MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS

1.Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag

2. Coarse sand :
The most common constituent of sand is silica, usually in the form of quartz, which is
chemical inert and hard. Hence used as a coarse sand in concrete.

3. Coarse aggregate:
The coarse aggregate are used are crushed stone ranging from 10mm to 20mm.Thus it is
necessary to do the sieve analysis. Sodium hydroxide and Sodium silicate are commercially
available in market in pellets form.

4. Ordinary Portland Cement

Department of Civil Engineering , SRMGPC , LUCKNOW

Improving Durability and Strength of Plain and Reinforced Concrete Structure with addition of Ground Granulated
Blast Furnace Slag.

CHAPTER VI
ADVANTAGES OF PROJECT

Durability:
GGBS cement is routinely specified in concrete to provide protection against both
sulphate attack and chloride attack. GGBS has now effectively replaced sulfate-resisting
Portland cement (SRPC) on the market for sulfate resistance because of its superior
performance and greatly reduced cost compared to SRPC.
To protect against chloride attack, GGBS is used at a replacement level of 50% in
concrete. Instances of chloride attack occur in reinforced concrete in marine
environments and in road bridges where the concrete is exposed to splashing from road
de-icing salts.
The use of GGBS in such instances will increase the life of the structure by up to 50%
had only Portland cement been used, and precludes the need for more expensive stainless
steel reinforcing.

Appearance:
In contrast to the stony grey of concrete made with Portland cement, the near-white color
of GGBS cement permits architects to achieve a lighter colour for exposed fair-faced
concrete finishes, at no extra cost. To achieve a lighter colour finish, GGBS is usually
specified at between 50% to 70% replacement levels, although levels as high as 85% can
be used. GGBS cement also produces a smoother, more defect free surface, due to the
fineness of the GGBS particles. Dirt does not adhere to GGBS concrete as easily as
concrete made with Portland cement, reducing maintenance costs. GGBS cement
prevents the occurrence of efflorescence, the staining of concrete surfaces by calcium
carbonate deposits. Due to its much lower lime content and lower permeability, GGBS is
effective in preventing efflorescence when used at replacement levels of 50% to 60%.

Department of Civil Engineering , SRMGPC , LUCKNOW

Improving Durability and Strength of Plain and Reinforced Concrete Structure with addition of Ground Granulated
Blast Furnace Slag.

STRENGTH:
Concrete containing GGBS cement has a higher ultimate strength than concrete made
with Portland cement. It has a higher proportion of the strength-enhancing calcium
silicate hydrates (CSH) than concrete made with Portland cement only, and a reduced
content of free lime, which does not contribute to concrete strength. Concrete made with
GGBS continues to gain strength over time, and has been shown to double its 28-day
strength over periods of 10 to 12 years.

OTHER BENEFITS:
The increase in the content of bases increase both compressive as well as tensile
strength.
The setting time is very short so it is necessary to add superplasticizer to delay
the setting time.
The bases are very harmful they can cause blindness.

Department of Civil Engineering , SRMGPC , LUCKNOW

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Improving Durability and Strength of Plain and Reinforced Concrete Structure with addition of Ground Granulated
Blast Furnace Slag.

REFERENCES

U.S. Federal Highway Administration. "Ground Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag".

Retrieved 2007-01-24.

Civil and Marine Company. "Frequently Asked Questions". Retrieved 2007-01-24.

EnGro Corporation Ltd. "Ground Granulated Blastfurnace Slag (GGBS)". Archived

from the original on 2007-01-22. Retrieved 2007-01-24.

Construct Ireland. "Ground Granulated Blastfurnace Slag (GGBS)". Retrieved 2008-0221.

Ecocem. "Ground Granulated Blastfurnace Slag (GGBS)". Retrieved 2013-05-27.

Department of Civil Engineering , SRMGPC , LUCKNOW

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