Steel scale waste as component in mortars production: An experimental study

• In the present paper the production of mortars added with waste and milled steel scale (SSW) is described.
• Milled SSW is added in different proportions.
• All materials prepared displayed high compression strength and low water absorpion after 28 d of curing.
• SSW containing samples showed greater apparent density with respect to the reference composition.
• Samples containing 5 and 10% additions of SSW displayed higher thermal conductivity with respect to the reference composition.
• The results obtained on SSW containing materials are explained in terms of residual total porosity of the hardened materials.

The present research reports on the results of some experiments dealing with the recycling of steel scale waste in the production of mortars. Materials were prepared mixing a commercial CEMII/B-LL cement, a steel scale waste, a commercial natural aggregate, superplasticizer and water. Natural aggregate was replaced with different proportions (5, 10, 20, 30 and 40 wt%) of steel scale waste. Water absorption, apparent density, compression strength and thermal conductivity were measured after 28 d of curing. After curing, all hydrated materials displayed: good compressive strength and low water absorption; increased apparent density with steel scale addition; improvement of thermal conductivity in materials containing up to 10 wt% steel scale addition.