Table of Contents

Abstract............................................................................................................................................

Introduction......................................................................................................................................

Synthesis of Literature.....................................................................................................................

Sustainability...............................................................................................................................

Practices of Managing the By-products of Steel Production.......................................................

The management of Steel Slag....................................................................................................

Properties of Steel Slag................................................................................................................

The Advantages of the Use of Steel Slag in Concrete.................................................................

The Disadvantages of the Use of Steel Slag in Concrete............................................................

Conclusion and Recommendations..................................................................................................

References......................................................................................................................................10
 Abstract

Concrete is one of the materials commonly used in the construction industry. It is a

universal material that is usable in different environments, including in water, underground,
on dry land, and in both cold and hot climatic areas. The use of concrete in construction is
beneficial in that it is possible to alter its properties on the basis of the construction project
requirements. This paper explores the use of steel slag in concrete mixtures as a sustainable
way of using the waste products of the production of steel. It considers the properties of steel
slag and the benefits that it offers when used in concrete. It also explores some of the
disadvantages that are associated with the use of steel slag in concrete. Based on the
information synthesized in the literature review for the paper, recommendations are made for
the use of steel slag concrete in construction.

1
 Introduction

Concrete is one of the materials commonly used in the construction industry. It is a

universal material that is usable in different environments, including in water, underground,
on dry land, and in both cold and hot climatic areas. The use of concrete in construction is
beneficial in that it is possible to alter its properties on the basis of the construction project
requirements. There are three main components in concrete, which are water, binder, and
filler. For the filler, natural aggregate is commonly used. However, it is possible to use steel
slag as a replacement for natural aggregate in concrete (Tangadagi et al. 2020). This presents
an opportunity to recycle industrial waste slag, which is important in environmental
sustainability. Steel slag is an inevitable byproduct of crude steel production. The disposal of
steel slag as waste results in wastage of the resource, ecological destruction, and
environmental pollution. If steel slag is used in concrete, there will be ecological benefits
(Chunlin et al. 2011). Without a proper means of using industrial waste, it can cause a lot of
distress on the environment and lead to an increase in the amount of toxins in the atmosphere
(Khunte 2018). Rapid industrialization leads to an automatic increase in industrial waste,
some of which has extractable economic value. Therefore, correctly managing such waste can
ensure environmental sustainability (Khunte 2018). Globally, the production of steel produces
large amounts of slag. The sustainable management of steel slag is important to realize the
three pillars of sustainability, which are people, planet, and profit. Sustainable management is
proactive and not reactive in that it aims at mitigating environmental pollution and
degradation. The use of steel slag in concrete provides an opportunity for sustainable
management of the waste from the production of steel and plays an important role in the
desire of businesses to grow while simultaneously creating opportunities for the protection of
resources and the conservation of the environment (Smol 2015).

2
 Synthesis of Literature

Sustainability

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization

(2021), sustainable development is that which meets the current needs of the people without
compromising the ability of generations that come in future to meet their needs (UNESCO
2021). Sustainable development has four dimensions that are intertwined; the environment,
culture, economy, and society. It is a paradigm for thinking of a future where societal,
environmental, and economic factors are balanced in pursuing an increased quality of life
(UNESCO 2021). The issue of sustainability is of great importance in our world today. There
are many resources that are getting depleted as the population of the world continues to
increase. The need for sustainable development is seen in the expansion of United Nations’
sustainability goals from 8 to 17 to encompass the sustainability goals of the world. These
goals capture such things as the sustainability of production practices, sustainable
industrialization, a detailed scope of workforce, and a fostering of innovation. This brings to
life the concept of sustainable business management through the adoption of practices that
will help in the elongation of the life cycle and product longevity. Sustainable development is
important in today’s world where the effects of environmental pollution are already being
witnessed. Sustainable practices are needed to ensure that the satisfaction of today’s needs
does not negatively impact the ability of future generations to satisfy their needs. Sustainable
businesses are those that manage the triple bottom line, which is the process through which
businesses manage their social, environmental, and economic risks, opportunities, and
obligations (Dyllick and Muff 2015). The triple bottom line consists of profits, people, and
planet.

Sustainable development in industries needs to focus on the broader aspects of the

environment, society, and the economy. There are different approached to helping a business
become more sustainable, which include environmental management style, stakeholder
engagement, lifecycle analysis, and reporting and disclosure (Dyllick and Muff 2015).
Sustainable businesses attract and retain workers with ease and face less reputation and
financial risks. They are also more adaptive to challenges in their environments through

3
innovative practices (Dyllick and Muff 2015). The triple bottom line is widely accepted as a
means to sustainability. In enhancing the performance of business, it takes into consideration
all the aspects of the environment, society, and economy. It is a unique framework due to the
fact that it takes into account all the pillars of sustainability. It plays an important role in
businesses that wish to be sustainable. In the steel industry, the three factors should be used to
generate a positive impact on the environment. The model encompasses the essence of
sustainability by measuring the impact that the activities of an organization have on the world
in terms of shareholder value and profitability, and its environmental, social, and human
capital.

Practices of Managing the By-products of Steel Production

According to the World Steel Association, the reuse of steel requires that steel that has
reached its end of life should not be re-melted but enter a new production phase. The United
States recycles about 33% of straight rail. 340,000 rail tons have been reused, resulting in a
carbon dioxide saving of close to 812,000 tons. The economic value of such a reduction in
carbon dioxide production has a high economic value. It can profit businesses through cost
reductions which would help businesses operate profitably in the steel industry. It is possible
to use steel scrap in the production of new steel, and the United States transferred into
recyclable streams over 475 tons of steel in 2008 (American Iron and Steel Institute 2021).

The management of Steel Slag

The various technologies that are used in the making of steel produce different slags. In
plants that make use of Blast furnaces, Air cooled slag is found. The slag is cooled with water
and is strong. In the construction industry, this type of slag is used in concrete for the
construction of roads and bridges. It contains no impurities. Another type of slag is granulated
blast furnace slag that is used in cement. It is also used in concrete and has a high durability,
making it important for use in the construction industry. Steelmaking slag has a high density
and is utilized in asphalt concrete. It has a high resistance, making it very good for reuse.
When steel slag is not used in concrete, most of the time it is put into landfills. The process is
usually expensive and can be hazardous to the environment (Lee et al. 2019). The reuse of
steel slag in concrete meets the three dimensions of profitability according to the triple bottom

4
line model which are profits, people, and planet. Concrete that is made by use of steel slag
decreases the amount of natural resources needed for the construction of various structures.
Sukesh et al. (2012) argue that the use of steel slag in concrete is one of the ways of being
economical in construction. One way in which the use of steel slag in concrete contributes to
sustainability is that it prevents the depletion of natural aggregate which is used in the making
of steel. Actual natural aggregate is scarce and difficult to find, making steel slag an
affordable and economical way. The use of steel slag, thus, contributed to the conservation of
resources and enhances environmental protection in addition to reducing the amount of waste
that would have been disposed into the environment (Sukesh et al., 2012). One property of
steel slag that makes the process of processing steel slag quite important. Ageing treatment
can be normal or accelerated. In normal treatment, the hydration reaction takes place naturally
where rain falls on the slag. In accelerated ageing, the hydration reaction is induced. The
content of lime in slag has to be lowered to normal levels for it to be used in concrete. Normal
ageing is slow and takes time while accelerated ageing is fast and more beneficial (Khunte
2018).

Properties of Steel Slag

Concrete that is made by use of slag cement has higher flexural and compressive
strengths as compared to concrete that is made by use of natural aggregate. The improvement
in strength makes it easier to realize concrete specified safety factors and provide a tool for
the optimization of concrete element deigns (Slag Cement Association 2021). The enhanced
material properties provided by steel slag allows for the optimization of concrete mix designs
by producers (Slag Cement Association 2021). The life cycle of the concrete also increases,
reducing the life cycle costs for owners. The improved flexural and compressive strength
contributed to by the use of slag cement makes concrete to have a lot of strength. The strength
of concrete increases with an increase in the percentage of steel slag used in it (Slag Cement
Association 2021). When normal cement reacts with water during the formation of concrete,
calcium silicate hydrate and calcium hydroxide are formed. Calcium silicate hydrate is the
glue that holds concrete together and provides strength. On the other hand, calcium hydroxide
is a product of the hydration of normal cement that makes no contribution to strength (Slag
Cement Association 2021). On the other hand, when steel slag cement is used in a concrete

5
mixture, it reacts with both water and calcium hydroxide and forms calcium silicate hydrate.
The additional calcium silicate hydrate that is produced enhanced the strength of the concrete
mixture.

Although steel slag cement contributes to increased strength in concrete, the

development of the strength is slower (Slag Cement Association 2021). When slag cement is
used, the early development of strength is slower than when normal cement is used. However,
the ultimate strength will be higher than that of normal cement. Therefore, in cases where
rapid development of strength is needed, concrete mixtures can be modified by use of
conventional technology such as the use of heated materials and accelerating admixtures (Slag
Cement Association 2021). The strength development of the mixture is influenced by various
factors such as the slag’s chemical composition, the temperature of the curing environment,
the proportion of slag in the concrete, the chemical composition of the cement used, the
fineness of the slag used, the concrete’s temperature, and the availability of a soluble alkali
(Slag Cement Association 2021). Flexural strength, which steel slag greatly contributes to, is
the modulus of rapture, and one of the most important factors in concrete pavement design.
The improvement in flexural strength is related to an increase in the density of paste and an
increased bond between the paste and the aggregate (Slag Cement Association 2021).

The Advantages of the Use of Steel Slag in Concrete

Making use of waste materials for useful purposes is one of the most innovative ways of
tackling environmental degradation issues (Karolina and Putra 2018). The use of steel slag is
concrete mixtures is in line with the triple bottom model of profit, people, and planet in that it
makes economic use of steel slag, a waste product in the production of steel, and allows it to
be used for financial gain. In terms of people, it contributes to health by reducing the
environmental hazards of improper disposal (Karolina and Putra 2018). It also conserves the
environment by protecting it from pollution. There has been a lot of experiments and research
aimed at improving the quality of concrete (Karolina and Putra 2018). The implementation
techniques and materials technology that have been obtained from the results of the
experiments are aimed at answering the increase in the demand for concrete and overcome the
problems that tend to occur during fieldwork.

6
 The use of steel slag in concrete mixtures is advantageous in that it increases the
strength of concrete and makes it ideal for the construction of high-rise buildings and other
types of buildings where concrete of high strength is needed (Karolina and Putra 2018).
Besides, the use of steel slag in concrete mixtures include the enhancement of the
compressive strength of concrete as a result of a tendency to slow the concrete’s development
of compressive strength (Karolina and Putra 2018). Steel slag in concrete also increases the
ration between compressive strength and flexibility of concrete. Other advantages that are
associated with the use of steel slag in concrete include an increase in the resistance of the
concrete to sulfate that is present in sea water, reductions in the variation of concrete’s
compressive strength, reduction in alkali-silica attack, and the enhancement of the durability
of the concrete as a result of changes in volume (Karolina and Putra 2018). Steel slag also
lowers temperature and reduced the heat of hydration, gives concrete a bright color and fixes
the final solution, and reduces attach by chlorides and porosity. Since steel slag is ground
finely, it is capable of filling all the pores with efficiency. This makes the workability of the
slag high and reduces bleeding. Economically, the production cost of concrete by the use of
steel slag is lower than with the use of Ordinary Portland Cement (Arij Global Trading 2021).

The Disadvantages of the Use of Steel Slag in Concrete

One of the disadvantages of the use of steel slag in concrete mixtures is the fact that the
development of strength tends to be slow (Arij Global Trading 2021). Therefore, steel slag
cannot be used in Reinforced Cement Concrete works. Besides, the setting time tends to be
high for steel slag, making steel slag cement not ideal for use in repair and emergency works.
Steel slag aggregates that are used in concrete have two main features that are of concern to
its use in construction (Arij Global Trading 2021). These properties are the high density of
particles and volume expansion. In the making of steel, a small percentage of magnesium and
calcium oxides is not dissolved and remains in the slag. The non-hydrated magnesium and
calcium oxides come into contact with moisture later, leading to the process of hydration.

The expansion of volume is primarily a result of the reaction between water and free
lime present in slag during the process of hydration, which leads to the formation of calcium
hydroxide (Qasrawi 2020). This causes a great increase in volume as a result of differences in
7
the specific density of the products of hydration. Such volume changes can take place either
in a few weeks after slag has been produced or take place many years later if initially, the slag
is protected from any contact with water (Qasrawi 2020). One of the methods that are used to
overcome the problem of expansion is the storage of steel slag for aging in stockpiles for
sometime, usually between four and six months, before it can be used. Another important
issue that needs to be put into consideration is the density of steel slag. Steel slag is heavier
than many types of natural rock such as limestone, basalt, or granite (Qasrawi 2020). As such,
any volume of concrete that is made by use of steel slag may need between 15% and 25%
greater tonnage than natural aggregates, which created economic disadvantages for steel slag
in applications in which the costs of transportation are of significance.

Conclusion and Recommendations

This paper explores the use of steel slag in concrete mixtures as a sustainable way of
using the waste products of the production of steel. It considers the properties of steel slag and
the benefits that it offers when used in concrete. It also explores some of the disadvantages
that are associated with the use of steel slag in concrete. From the literature review conducted,
the following recommendations are made:

i. The strength performance that is associated with steel slag concrete is almost similar

to that which is associated with the natural aggregate concrete. However, steel slag

concrete has more compressive strength and flexural strength. Therefore, steel slag

concrete is effective in construction (Chunlin et al. 2011).

ii. Since the characteristics of concrete made with Portland cement are less beneficial

than those of steel slag concrete, slag concrete should be put into consideration for

construction.

iii. The replacement of natural aggregates with steel slag increases up to a replacement of

40%, after which it decreases. Therefore, the steel slag used in concrete mixtures

should not exceed 40% of the components.

8
iv. Another finding that makes steel slag concrete more beneficial for use in construction

is the fact that it has increased workability due to the fact that slag is ground finely,

allowing it to fill pores efficiently.

v. It can be concluded that steel slag should be used as a partial replacement for Portland

cement to achieve better strength parameters.

9
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Institute". American Iron and Steel Institute, <https://www.steel.org/sustainability/>

(Mar. 12, 2021).

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Trading, <https://arijco.com/blast-furnace-slag/> (Mar. 12, 2021).

Chunlin, L., Kunpeng, Z., and Depeng, C. (2011). "Possibility of Concrete Prepared with

Steel Slag as Fine and Coarse Aggregates: A Preliminary Study". Procedia

Engineering, 24, 412-416.

Chunlin, L., Kunpeng, Z., and Depeng, C. (2011). "Possibility of Concrete Prepared with

Steel Slag as Fine and Coarse Aggregates: A Preliminary Study". Procedia

Engineering, 24, 412-416.

Dyllick, T., and Muff, K. (2015). "Clarifying the Meaning of Sustainable

Business". Organization & Environment, 29(2), 156-174.

Karolina, R., and Putra, A. (2018). "The effect of steel slag as a coarse aggregate and

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Materials Science and Engineering, 309, 012009.

Khunte, M. (2018). "Process Waste Generation and Utilization in Steel

Industry". International Journal of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems

Engineering, 3(1), 1.

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Lee, J., Choi, J., Yuan, T., Yoon, Y., and Mitchell, D. (2019). "Comparing Properties of

Concrete Containing Electric Arc Furnace Slag and Granulated Blast Furnace

Slag". Materials, 12(9), 1371.

Qasrawi, H. (2020). "Hardened Properties of Green Self-Consolidating Concrete Made with

Steel Slag Coarse Aggregates under Hot Conditions". ACI Materials Journal, 117(1).

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<https://www.slagcement.org/aboutslagcement/is-14.aspx> (Mar. 12, 2021).

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<https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/A-Study-of-Sustainable-Industrial-Wast-e-

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