Durability of Electric Arc Furnace slag concrete

Electric Arc Furnace slag (EAF) is a by-product of steel production in electric arc furnace. Its physical and mechanical properties make it a suitable material for producing heavyweight concrete. Its use seems adequate in many fields, and particularly they can be employed for coastal protection, both in onshore and offshore field applications. Accordingly, durability against chloride penetration is a problem of great concern for this type of application. In this work the results of an experimental campaign about EAF concrete durability are shown. Four concrete mixtures have been produced, two including only traditional aggregates and two with EAF slag as replacement of the coarse fraction. After a preliminary mechanical characterization, durability against chloride penetration has been evaluated. Results demonstrate that the use of EAF slag as coarse recycled aggregate improves not only concrete strength and weight, but also durability-related properties are enhanced in chlorides-exposed environment.