SLAG

Stony/glass like waste matter separated from metals during the smelting or refining of ore.

Introduction:

Slag is usually a mixture of metal oxides and silicon dioxide. However, slags can contain metal sulfides and elemental
metals.

The primary components of iron and steel slag are limestone (CaO) and silica (SiO 2). Other components of blast
furnace slag include alumina (Al2O3) and magnesium oxide (MgO), as well as a small amount of sulfur (S), while
steelmaking slag contains iron oxide (FeO) and magnesium oxide (MgO).

The slag consists primarily of the silica and alumina from the original iron ore combined with calcium and magnesium
oxides from the flux stone. It comes from the furnace as a liquid at temperatures about 2700 ⸰ F, resembling a molten
lava.

Types of Slag:

Three types of slag are;

 Blast furnace slag

 Basic oxygen furnace slag
 Electric arc furnace slag

The so-called steel slag or steelmaking slag refers to basic oxygen furnace slag and electric arc furnace slag.

GROUND GRANULATED BLAST FURNACE SLAG

Ground-granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS or GGBFS) is as indicated by the name is a blast furnace slag, obtained
by quenching molten iron slag (a by-product of iron and steel-making) from a blast furnace in water or steam, to
produce a glassy, granular product that is then dried and ground into a fine powder.

The categorization of GGBFS is based upon particle size i.e.

 4000 cm2/g
 6000 cm2/g

Properties:

 Particle Size ranges from 10µm - 45µm i.e. 500m2 /Kg Blaine surface area.
 Non-metallic hydraulic cement
 Specific Gravity: 2.85-2.95
 Usual replacement range is 20% - 60%

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  Greater durability

Advantages:

Listed below are some of the advantages of using GGBFS as a cementitious material.

 Cementitious Properties.
 Controls the alkali Silica reactivity.
 Less permeable and more durable.
 Smoother concrete finishing.
 Shields from Chlorides and Sulphate attack.
 Suitable for construction of highway structures, off shore structures, Radiation Shield structures,
 Makes the construction more Economical and Eco Friendly
 Used in the manufacturing of Portland Blast Furnace Cement (PBFC) and High Slag Blast Furnace Cement
(HSBFC).
 LEEDS certified construction material.

As the results of simple simulation based on one-dimensional Fick's second low, it is expected that steel bars in
concrete containing large percentage of slag will not corrode for 100 years.

Disadvantages:

 Achieves strength at a lower rate than OPC making it difficult to increase construction pace.
 While exposed to De Icing the percentage cannot be more than 50%.

Governing Standards:
 PS 1631-1984(R), Portland-Blast Furnace Cement
 IS 455:1989, Specification for Portland slag cement
 IS 12089:1987, Specification for granulated slag for manufacture of Portland slag cement
 ASTM C 989, Ground-iron Blast-furnace Slag for Use in Concrete and Mortars.
 AASHTO M 302, Standard Specification for Slag Cement for Use in Concrete and Mortars
 ACI 233R, Slag Cement in Concrete and Mortar

Manufacturers:

 Thatta Cement Company

 Dewan Cement Ltd
 Power Cement Ltd

Mostly Slag cement is imported Bangladesh and China.*