Radiological protection and mechanical properties of concretes with EAF steel slags

• Strength of Concretes with EAF slags is higher than that of conventional concrete.
• Small attenuation difference between concretes with EAF slags and those with barite.
• Attenuation of concretes with EAF slags is valid for radiological protection.
• The friability of barite compromises the mechanical properties of concrete.

The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the behavior of concretes with EAF slags with structural responsibility exposed to gamma radiation. Six mixes were designed: four concretes made with EAF slags, one conventional concrete, and one heavyweight concrete with barite aggregates. Tests were performed to assess properties such as occluded air, density, compressive strength, modulus of elasticity and gamma rays attenuation (μ). The mechanical properties of concretes with EAF are similar or higher than the measured for conventional concretes and, in all cases, are significantly higher than the obtained for concretes with barite. Although the attenuation coefficients of the concretes with EAF slags are lower than that of concrete with barite, the differences in terms of the equivalent wall thickness are relatively small. Such results support the use of EAF slags as a structural concrete with radiological protection capability.