Determination of the Chemical, Physical and Mechanical Characteristics of Electric Arc Furnace Slags and Environmental Evaluation of the Process for Their Utilization as an Aggregate in Bituminous Mixtures

Abstract

Road construction is an activity that demands a significant amount of aggregates for bituminous mixtures. In addition, these aggregates must be of a suitable quality for use, even more so on high traffic roads. In response to this problem, and in order to avoid the extraction of new raw materials, research is being carried out using industrial waste as a substitute for conventional aggregates. In this way, the extraction of raw materials is reduced and landfilling of waste is avoided. However, these wastes must have certain properties and environmental advantages over natural aggregates. Otherwise, the use of waste would not be environmentally beneficial but would be more damaging to the environment. For this reason, this research evaluates the viability of using electric arc furnace slag as aggregates for bituminous mixtures, the main objectives being the determination of the characteristics of the by-product, the particularities and the critical points to be taken into account for its subsequent use in mixtures. At the same time, the environmental advantages of treating this waste to obtain a usable aggregate are evaluated in comparison with the processing of a natural aggregate. The results showed that electric arc furnace slags have a suitable chemical composition and excellent physical and mechanical properties for use in bituminous mixtures, even on high traffic roads. At the same time, it was determined that their use produces a considerable reduction in environmental afflictions. Therefore, it could be affirmed that the use of electric arc furnace slags in bituminous mixtures is recommendable as a way to develop more sustainable materials for construction.

Modeling of Non-Ferrous Metallurgy Waste Disposal with the Production of Iron Silicides and Zinc Distillation

“…Industrial waste located in dumps and containing in its chemical composition heavy non-ferrous metals and various compounds of silicon, calcium, aluminum and iron has a negative impact on the environment from the point of view of ecology, in particular on public health, flora and fauna [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. However, based on its chemical composition, it is valuable and can serve as a secondary technogenic raw material for various kinds of industries, for example in the metallurgical, construction, chemical and other industries [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 …”

“…However, based on its chemical composition, it is valuable and can serve as a secondary technogenic raw material for various kinds of industries, for example in the metallurgical, construction, chemical and other industries [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 ]. Thus, in Kazakhstan, in the process of extracting non-ferrous metals at a number of plants, since the 1920s and up to the present, in a number of areas, in particular, in the east Kazakhstan and Turkestan regions, there is a significant amount of clinker waste from the cultivation of various raw materials, which is now stored in dumps, occupying fertile lands and polluting the soil, surface and groundwater, the atmosphere, penetrating animal and human organisms through the migration of heavy metals along the food chain [ 9 ,…”

Substitution of Fossil Coal with Hydrochar from Agricultural Waste in the Electric Arc Furnace Steel Industry: A Comprehensive Life Cycle Analysis

“…Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a standardized framework for assessing the environmental impacts of a product or process at every stage of its life cycle, from manufacture to disposal. Despite the several studies dealing with the environmental impact of steel production [13][14][15], there is a lack of LCA studies on the use of biocarbon in the EAF steelmaking process [16][17][18]. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive assessment of the environmental impacts of steel produced using electric arc furnaces that employ pulverized hydrochar as charged and injected material as a substitute for fossil coal.…”

Petrographic and Physical-Mechanical Investigation of Natural Aggregates for Concrete Mixtures

“…For all these reasons, a correct assessment of the medium- and long-term effects is necessary to verify the suitability of the materials both at the delivery of the work and after periods of exposure to the mechanical stresses imposed by anthropogenic activities [ 18 ] and to the chemical-physical variations that may be imposed on the environment [ 19 ].…”