A study on the durability of structural concrete incorporating electric steelmaking slags

The durability of structural concrete mixes prepared with electric steelmaking aggregates is tested for use in normal and aggressive environments. Samples of “pumpable” and “self-compacting” concrete mixes are shown to have good physical characteristics, mechanical properties and dimensional stability. The mixes were subjected to severe freezing-thawing and drying-wetting tests up until deterioration, to assess their resistance to inland environments. Real immersion in the tidal zone of a harbor and laboratory tests on reinforcement bar corrosion were also performed to evaluate the quality and utility of this sort of concrete in marine environments. The behavior of the mixes in these exposure tests was satisfactory, confirming their suitability for use in structural applications exposed to different environments.