Influence of environmental conditions on concrete manufactured with recycled and steel slag aggregates at early ages and long term

S. Aparicio, M.G.Hernández, J.J.Anaya
Construction and Building Materials, Volume 249

This paper presents the influence of environmental conditions on behaviour of concrete manufactured with recycled or steel slag aggregates. These materials were monitored during 270 days, approximately, by means of wireless sensor networks and a specific set of sensors, designed and fabricated to monitor internal temperature and humidity at different positions, as well as internal strain. In addition, ultrasonic velocity was monitored during early ages. For that purpose, different mixes have been analysed and tested under similar conditions. At early ages, it was found that the hydration process is accelerated adding recycled aggregates and delayed for steel slags, but the highest compressive strength values after 28 days of curing, were reached for steel slag aggregates and these values increase with the percentage of replacement. At long term, all mixes except the mixes with only steel slag aggregates have lost more RH than in normal concrete. The shrinkage in concrete with recycled aggregates or with only steel slags is higher than the observed in normal concrete.

Funding

This work was supported by Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad of Spain in the Call Retos-Colaboración 2015 [RTC-2015-3185-4 (MAPMIT)] and in the Call Retos Investigación [BIA2016-77992-R]. Both projects were co-funded by the European Union through FEDER funds under the objective of promoting the technological development, innovation and high quality research.