High-Performance Concrete Incorporating Locally Available Industrial By-Products

Abstract

This paper presents the concept of industrial symbiosis in which four industries available locally (steel plant, thermal power plant, aluminum plant, and stone quarry) are connected with the concrete industry. By-products generated by these industries (slag, fly ash, red mud, and quarry dust) were activated with a small amount of clinker to form four concrete mixes. The heat of hydration and the autogenous shrinkage were monitored on the fresh concrete mixes. The chloride migration and electrical resistivity of the concrete were measured at different concrete ages over 91 days. Drying shrinkage was monitored for 56 days, and compressive strength was tested after 28 and 91 days. The concrete prepared with a high volume of fly ash, slag, red mud, and quarry dust had very low chloride migration coefficients and less drying shrinkage compared to concrete prepared with ordinary cement. The synergetic beneficial effect of these by-products is explained by their complementary chemistry and particle-size distribution.