MF 182-6 [PROPERTIES AND USES OF TROW AND STEEL SLAGS D. Ws Levis, National Slag Aasoctatton Presented at Syaposiim on Slag. National Institute For Transport And Road Research, South Africa February 23, 1982 Slage from the iron and steel industries are soaetines erroneously classified, and often locked upon, as induserial vaste materials. In actual fact, these byproducts are valuable ‘and extrenely versatile construction materials, ‘The Blatory of slag use in road bullding dates back to the tine of the Homan Expire, soae'2000 years ago, vhen broken slag fron the ‘crude iron-aaking forges of that era vere uued in base construction, Applications were quite ‘sporadic until the laat century, when large quantities began to be used for a number of pur~ poses. In relatively recent yearo, the need for savimm utilization and recycling of by™ produces and recovered wante materials for econosic and environmental reasons hae led £0 For'd developoent of slag ue{Iization. Tn gone areas, nearly all of the tron and steel elags St ow being used, and use 19 rapidly groving 1m miny others. This discussion will briefly cover the coupost:ion, properties, and uses of iron blast~ furnace slags and of stecimaking olags. The nafor basis vill naturally be the experience developed in the United States, vith mention of the uses in other countries. Although other lage are sonetines used, only the major slags produced by the iron and stecl industries vill be contidered, {RON BLAST-FURNACE SLAG Blast-furnace slag is defined by the Auerican Society for Testing and Meteriels ao "the non-setallic product consisting essentially of silteates and alunino-etlicetes of calcium and Other bases, that 1a Seveloped in a molten condition simultaneously with iron An a blast fur~ hace." The blast furnace {e the primary means for reducing iron oxides to molten, metallic, iron, Tt 1s continuously charged with iron oxide sources (ores, pellets, winter, etc), fx stone (Linestone and dolomite), aad fuel (coke). Molten tron collects in the bottom of the furnace and the Liquid-elaz floats on it, Hoth are periodically tapped from the furnace. ‘The aiag consists primarily of the impurities from the {zon ore (chiefly aflica and alunins) combined with calcium and magneaiun oxides from the flux atone, Sulfur and ash that ‘may cone from the coke Will also be contained in the slag, which cones from the furnace a5 9 Liquid ae tenperatures abcue 1500°C, Tt 1s a nan-nade molten rock, similar in many respects to'voleante lavas. (Chidntesl and Mineralogie Conposteton Chesical analyses of blast-furnace élage'aeval:y show that the four major oxides (Lise, magnesia, silica and alumina) make up about 95% of the total, Minor elenents include aulfur, Aron, mangenese, alkalis, ond trace anounts of several others. Most of the blast-furnace ‘slags produced in the United States have compositions within the ranges shown here: Gamatitvent ‘Weight percent isnt eno) oe LIBRARY Siltee (0108) Bee ASTRALIAN STEEL MILL Sunina (41709) 7 £0 16 ‘SERVICES Sulfur (S) ler Tron Oxide (Fe9°) Oo. to 1.5 PLEASE RETURN Hengenese Oxia G0) 022 t0 1.0 os vocaow Ol a}ajorsty (elon ranges is loge produced An other nations also seem 0 fall sn, or near, these com ‘Tho chemical composition of the slag 1s dependent spon the composition of the avaflable \ ores, flux stones, and fuels, and on che proportions required for effictent furnace ‘ations. The blast furnace must be charged with uniform raw materials Lf the tron prom vi'{s to be consistent in quality. This procedure aleo insures uniformity An the compost ‘of the #lag, and as a result the composition of slag fron a given source varies vithin ielvely narrov Hintts. Greater variations, as shovm in the overall ranges above, may be "9 between sources whore different rau materials sre being used. Slag that ts cooled rapidly after energing fron the furnace tends to for a glassy, non realline material. Slover cooling leads to crystallisation of a number of mineralay the common ones are shown in the folloving table? iberal tormte sipraates 2eao-m90-240 Seatac} mentee JESSIE, oan east soe 8h, cece Jeso-ntasto mae ees Melilite, the nae applind t0 any of the continuous aertes of solld solutions formed by ‘anite and gehlenite, 2 che soet comon mineral in lag. The other minerals are present ibsent depending upon relative proportions of the major oxides in che slag; nose slags ‘ain not nore than’ four of the minerals. The mineral dicaleiun aflicate nay fore in slope vin Mme, and case disincegration upon cooling by 4 volune increase when changing fron ‘eryetalline form to another, The sulfur in slov-cooled slag ususlly appeara ee sulfides lalciun, fon and manganese. ‘the chemical couposition of blast-furnace alag ie + significant factor in the potential ‘ornance of granulated material in cementitious wes. For chesicel uses, auch am a Taw wial for manufacture of glass or mineral vool insulation and for ageicuitural applica i8, the chenteal composition ie quite inortant. While of lesser importance in aggregate ','the chentcai composition docs directly affect the slap viscosity snd the rate of crya= ‘ization during conling, and thereby influences the sorceity and the character and size of ieole a the solidified lag, The #lag processor stance control the shenteel cempontetony In” dependent upon the available rev materials and requirenente for an efficient iron ‘ig operation, he can only modify the elag properties to a linited extent by changing ing conditions. le 4s fortunate, therefore, that tie range of lap compositions arso- ‘ed with good ton production are all useful constrastion materiale, although varying 10 Heal properties. Nongtheless, chore are factors of performince as related to composition that should be dened. As noted previously, slow-cooled, high-lime slags nay fora éicaiclia silicate undergoes a volune increase on cooling. to anbient cemperatures. This reaulte in the ting” or "falling" of the slag, Literally reducing Le toa powder. Compositional chenges bbe readily made to avoid euch problene, which are basically of concern only to the prom wes whose potential product 1 destroyed. Experience indicates that disintegration will ir, in susceptible slags, prior to construction vse and ia not a problen for the wltiaate «| Rapid cooling also obviates any problens in slags destined for cenentitious of chemi ‘nes by preventing cryseallization of the diesleiun etlicate, Tron unsoundness 1s » rarely encountered probles that has been reported in Burope- 8 Nigh in tron oxides may, with appropriate levels of other conatituents, form compounds ill readfly react with water, with resultant disintegration of the slag. In slags with A ranges of fron contents, {t is not a problem: im ethers it is exsily detected by ie ing the slag in water, + 2sulfur hae Long been Looked upon, as an undesirable component, erinarity becuse of sus tet age Tetction or aosther "iz possible” oF “eight cana # problem’ of some Kine. tone that one eect Carrelacion of aulfar content sich performance seene ‘co erist. Some sree reac ee’ ctopounda from uncoated slag doce occur. The leachates are not polgonous eo ees paly under poor drainage conditions, and are tenporary or transient in ex ARTO, eee ot affects, unpleasant. odors from stagnant vater in slag f4L18_or bases once. rie sunce” category and are avoidable by proper design considerations. yotzal Properties Blast-furnaée slag {= tapped from huuttons The conditions of cooling cor sattey and size of gas dabbles thac can escape befo ut ity and eco futhin the Limite inposed ty the particular chenical composition, She se Slah 9084 sont dceeraine the cryetalline structure and the density end porosity of the olin covmdeat upon the cooling methods exployed, any of three distinctly different types *Broquce may be made from the solten blast-furnace clas. the furnace as 4 Liquid, which contains gases held in cttol both the growth of mineral crystals and the we being Erapped by solidification of Air-cooled blast-furnace olag 19 peraitted to solidify under’ the prevatling ataospher te wee ee Tea pleadjacent, Co, the furnace, 2 fm one sone atatance avay to vhicy 2 ae ese args ladles, After solidification, the cooling aay be accelerated ce TIMeBOTNee produce erecking, and fectlieate digging of the slag- The product is pr0~ a rye oa iene in natures sith a cellular or vesicular structure reaulting from hub guinaathy Cry that were dtecolved in the polten olag. After cooling, the elag 1 dus, 2a of sted" scecene! ro the desired sizes, Metallic iron in the elag ie renoved by pover‘ut fynct an the Erushing and acreering plant ‘the alr-codted slag cevahés to angular, roughly cubteal particles with pitced qurfaccs. cele bad te geovided with efther hydraulic cenente or bituainous binder matorisl=, seeltent bor! (fiction walues and particle interlock provide excellent stability shen used igh internal. frtctscl Gpecitte gravity and unit weight are dependent upon grading end part ‘chout Cements ele trices contrin aore internat cells of vesicules and have 9 lover bull desist? GRE Lintae Stree may have bulk densities as much as 20 percent lover then natural scotty aa tite the sone gradations, while tho fise nateriel, (passing a 4.75 sm eteve) £6 raeregates With Chcural wand in denoity. The aggregate 8 highly resistant co weathering ¢f— early edits ey got readily polish to. produce slippery eurfaces- The air-cooled slap coarse sec od oe" Sunny claseltied with crushed otones and gravels as "normal weight” oE6¢e sae aac Gee ured for ail types of conatruction applications, just as the natural 25 meee TnL Neuter, dine weighe saving tm the case nF slag becones 4 significant factor to son applications. Gahitaced blastcfdmnace slag ts produced by quickly quenching (ch{lling) the solten stay SEES F Ginseys geanclat product. The most common process is quenching with wacety las fo Predses imation of air and water may be used. Very Itetle mineral crystallization ba oe oe cone sary ‘vapid cooling process. The granulated slag may vary fron a friable. cakes Putte seesceure to anally sand-size praine resembling a dense glass, depending vov BeuTcheateal composition, eemperature at che tine of quenching, and che cooling race, “thé by leiaas contaiss the sabe ukjor oxides ee does porttand cement, but wich consis erably Hittevcat proportions of Lime ané ailjca, Like portland cement, {¢ has excellent hy ee eererert ee andy with « sultable activator (such as calctun hydroxide) will eet tn 2 arate Ehebers Granulaeed shape may be crushed, graded oF ground for spectfte applications. Hapandad blast-furnace slag (a1s0 called "foamed slag") results from trestnent of writen cuig MESSE RTTEG quantities of weer, Leos than that Fequired for granulation, A number Pe sTiGha uachine procestes have Been developed to conbine the nolten slag vith ates or OE Pe Oe Sad'air or steam, The resulting product is more cellular of vesicular in nature Teen eee eéeooled elage, and ts much Lighter in wait vetght. Variations in the anout of cea tee erg peocesa used control the cooling rate, and can Fesult in product vartations 2