Effect of ground granulated blast furnace slag content on the physical and mechanical properties of high-strength mortar

Abstract

    While a large amount of industrial wastes is released during industrialization, a huge quantity of construction materials is consumed for urbanization, depleting natural resources gradually. Thus, the recycling of industrial wastes to replace traditional construction materials as well as create a new kind of material with superior features for the efficient use of resources is an urgent issue. In this study, ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), the solid waste from steel production, is used to partially replace cement in the production of high-strength mortar. Test results indicate that the workability of mortar increased while the unit weight of fresh mortar reduced with increasing GGBFS content. The compressive strength and flexural strength of the mortars increased while the water absorption of mortars decreased when replacing 15%÷30% cement by GGBFS. Furthermore, the
presence of GGBFS helped to reduce the drying shrinkage of the mortars. All mortars in this study showed high strengths (with compressive strength of above 85 MPa and flexural strength of above 13 MPa), which can be used for important projects with high requirements in terms of strength.