The Effect of Waste Steel Grit Modified Cement-Based Mortars on Mechanical and Physical Performance After Thermal Exposure

Abstract

In this study, the reuse potential of industrial waste steel grit in cement-based mortars and its contribution to physical and mechanical performance under high-temperature conditions were investigated. For this purpose, mortar specimens containing 0, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20% steel grit, based on the total mixture mass, were prepared and exposed to temperatures of 20, 300, 600, and 900 °C for 3 hours after a 28-day curing period. Unit weight, ultrasonic pulse velocity, compressive strength, flexural strength, splitting tensile strength, and dynamic modulus of elasticity of the specimens were determined. The results show that increasing temperature reduces physical and mechanical performance across all series; however, the addition of steel grit limits these losses to a certain extent. The highest compressive and flexural strengths were obtained in specimens containing 10% steel grit, whereas 20% steel grit content provided the highest values in splitting tensile strength. The high density of steel grit increased the unit weight; in addition, high grit ratios helped maintain higher levels of ultrasonic pulse velocity and dynamic modulus of elasticity, especially at elevated temperatures. In general, the use of waste materials such as waste steel grit in the production of mortar and concrete can be considered an alternative approach to improve the physical and mechanical performance of cement-based materials under ambient and elevated-temperature conditions while contributing to industrial waste recycling.

Keywords

• Mortar
• Steel Grit
• Sustainability
• Mechanical Performance
• Thermal Exposure.

References

1. V. Shobeiri, B. Bennett, T. Xie, and P. Visintin, “A comprehensive data driven study of mechanical properties of concrete with waste-based aggregates: Plastic, rubber, slag, glass and concrete,” Case Stud. Constr. Mater., vol. 20, Art. no. e02815, Jul. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.cscm.2023.e02815.
2. S. Dias, J. Almeida, A. Tadeu, and J. de Brito, “Alternative concrete aggregates—Review of physical and mechanical properties and successful applications,” Cem. Concr. Compos., vol. 152, Art. no. 105663, Sep. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2024.105663.
3. B. Fernandes, H. Carré, J.-C. Mindeguia, C. Perlot, and C. La Borderie, “Effect of elevated temperatures on concrete made with recycled concrete aggregates—An overview,” J. Build. Eng., vol. 44, Art. no. 103235, Dec. 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.jobe.2021.103235.
4. J. P. B. Vieira, J. R. Correia, and J. de Brito, “Post-fire residual mechanical properties of concrete made with recycled concrete coarse aggregates,” Cem. Concr. Res., vol. 41, no. 5, pp. 533–541, May 2011, doi: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2011.02.002.
5. M. J. Terro, “Properties of concrete made with recycled crushed glass at elevated temperatures,” Build. Environ., vol. 41, no. 5, pp. 633–639, May 2006, doi: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2005.02.018.
6. S. Li, J. Zhang, G. Du, Z. Mao, Q. Ma, Z. Luo, Y. Miao, and Y. Duan, “Properties of concrete with waste glass after exposure to elevated temperatures,” J. Build. Eng., vol. 57, Art. no. 104822, Oct. 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.jobe.2022.104822.
7. D. Wu, Z. Mao, J. Zhang, S. Li, and Q. Ma, “Performance evaluation of concrete with waste glass after elevated temperatures,” Constr. Build. Mater., vol. 368, Art. no. 130486, Mar. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.130486.
8. A. M. Marques, J. R. Correia, and J. de Brito, “Post-fire residual mechanical properties of concrete made with recycled rubber aggregate,” Fire Saf. J., vol. 58, pp. 49–57, May 2013, doi: 10.1016/j.firesaf.2013.02.002.

9. T. Ozbakkaloglu, L. Gu, and A. Gholampour, “Short-term mechanical properties of concrete containing recycled polypropylene coarse aggregates under ambient and elevated temperature,” J. Mater. Civ. Eng., vol. 29, no. 10, Art. no. 04017191, Oct. 2017, doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0002046.
10. J. R. Correia, J. S. Lima, and J. de Brito, “Post-fire mechanical performance of concrete made with selected plastic waste aggregates,” Cem. Concr. Compos., vol. 53, pp. 187–199, Oct. 2014, doi: 10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2014.07.004.
11. I. I. Mohammed, N. A. Nariman, P. Shakor, O. Ismail, and K. Rizgar, “Post-fire mechanical properties of concrete incorporating waste EPS (Styrofoam) as aggregate replacement,” CivilEng, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 359–372, Mar. 2023, doi: 10.3390/civileng4020021.
12. S. D. Kore and A. K. Vyas, “Impact of fire on mechanical properties of concrete containing marble waste,” J. King Saud Univ. Eng. Sci., vol. 31, no. 1, pp. 42–51, Jan. 2019, doi: 10.1016/j.jksues.2017.03.007.
13. H. Bilal, M. Yaqub, S. K. U. Rehman, M. Abid, R. Alyousef, H. Alabduljabbar, and F. Aslam, “Performance of foundry sand concrete under ambient and elevated temperatures,” Materials, vol. 12, no. 16, Art. no. 2645, Aug. 2019, doi: 10.3390/ma12162645.
14. A. K. Tiwary, S. Singh, R. Kumar, J. S. Chohan, S. Sharma, J. Singh, C. Li, R. A. Ilyas, M. R. M. Asyraf, and M. A. Malik, “Effects of elevated temperature on the residual behavior of concrete containing marble dust and foundry sand,” Materials, vol. 15, no. 10, Art. no. 3632, May 2022, doi: 10.3390/ma15103632.
15. H. M. Najm, O. Nanayakkara, M. Ahmad, and M. Sabri, “Mechanical properties, crack width, and propagation of waste ceramic concrete subjected to elevated temperatures: A comprehensive study,” Materials, vol. 15, no. 7, Art. no. 2371, Mar. 2022, doi: 10.3390/ma15072371.
16. H.-Y. Fang, F.-L. Liu, and J.-H. Yang, “High-quality coarse aggregate recycling from waste concrete by impact crushing,” J. Mater. Cycles Waste Manag., vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 887–896, May 2020, doi: 10.1007/s10163-020-00984-w.
17. A. Bakis and S. K. Arman, “Usability of waste steel grits in concrete pavement,” J. Wuhan Univ. Technol. Mater. Sci. Ed., vol. 37, no. 2, pp. 248–255, Apr. 2022, doi: 10.1007/s11595-022-2524-0.
18. H. K. Patil and A. K. Dwivedi, “Rheology of self-compacting concrete nanocomposites,” Int. J. Recent Technol. Eng., vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 544–557, Jul. 2019, doi: 10.35940/ijrte.B1603.078219.
19. R. T. Lermen, M. B. Prauchner, R. de Almeida Silva, and F. T. Bonsembiante, “Using wastes from the process of blasting with steel shot to make a radiation shield in mortar,” Sustainability, vol. 12, no. 16, Art. no. 6674, Aug. 2020, doi: 10.3390/su12166674.
20. C. Qi, C. E. Weinell, K. Dam-Johansen, and H. Wu, “A review of blasting waste generation and management in the ship repair industry,” J. Environ. Manage., vol. 300, Art. no. 113714, Dec. 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113714.
21. P. Helincks, W. de Corte, J. Klusák, V. Boel, and G. de Schutter, “Experimental investigation of the influence of the bond conditions on the shear bond strength between steel and self-compacting concrete using push-out tests,” Key Eng. Mater., vols. 525–526, pp. 205–208, Nov. 2012, doi: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.525-526.205.
22. W. De Corte, P. Helincks, V. Boel, J. Klusak, S. Seitl, and G. De Schutter, “Generalised fracture mechanics approach to the interfacial failure analysis of a bonded steel-concrete joint,” Frat. Integrità Strutt., vol. 11, no. 42, pp. 147–160, Oct. 2017, doi: 10.3221/IGF-ESIS.42.16.
23. P. R. Costa, D. V. Vieira, V. K. Naccache, K. R. Ferreira, and S. Priszkulnik, “Evaluation of X-ray spectra transmitted by different concrete compositions,” Radiat. Phys. Chem., vol. 116, pp. 349–354, Nov. 2015, doi: 10.1016/j.radphyschem.2015.03.040.
24. C.-Y. Lee and S.-R. Wang, “Analysis of resistance characteristics of conductive concrete using press-electrode method,” Int. J. Environ. Earth Sci., vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 7–10, 2010.
25. C.-Y. Lee and S.-R. Wang, “Application of four-electrode method to analysis resistance characteristics of conductive concrete,” Int. J. Environ. Earth Sci., vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 11–15, 2010.
26. M. L. Allan and S. P. Kavanaugh, “Thermal conductivity of cementitious grouts and impact on heat exchanger length design for ground source heat pumps,” HVAC&R Res., vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 85–96, Apr. 1999, doi: 10.1080/10789669.1999.10391226.
27. H. Li, J. Yu, Q. Liu, Y. Li, Y. Wu, and H. Xu, “Induction heating and healing behaviors of asphalt concretes doped with different conductive additives,” Adv. Mater. Sci. Eng., vol. 2019, Art. no. 2190627, Apr. 2019, doi: 10.1155/2019/2190627.
28. D. L. Buruiana, M. Bordei, I. Diaconescu, and A. Ciurea, “Recycling options for used sandblasting grit into road construction,” in Recent Researches in Energy, Environment and Landscape Architecture. WSEAS Press, 2011, pp. 172–178.
29. Methods of Testing Cement—Part 1: Determination of Strength, TS EN 196-1, Turkish Standards Institution, Ankara, Türkiye, 2016.
30. Testing Hardened Concrete—Part 6: Tensile Splitting Strength of Test Specimens, TS EN 12390-6, Turkish Standards Institution, Ankara, Türkiye, 2024.
31. Standard Test Method for Pulse Velocity Through Concrete, ASTM C597-16, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, USA, May 2016, doi: 10.1520/C0597-16.
32. Q. Zhang and G. Ye, “Dehydration kinetics of Portland cement paste at high temperature,” J. Therm. Anal. Calorim., vol. 110, no. 1, pp. 153–158, Oct. 2012, doi: 10.1007/s10973-012-2303-9.
33. G. A. Khoury, “Effect of fire on concrete and concrete structures,” Prog. Struct. Eng. Mater., vol. 2, no. 4, pp. 429–447, Oct. 2000, doi: 10.1002/pse.51.
34. O. Arioz, “Effects of elevated temperatures on properties of concrete,” Fire Saf. J., vol. 42, no. 8, pp. 516–522, Nov. 2007, doi: 10.1016/j.firesaf.2007.01.003.
35. Y.-F. Chang, Y.-H. Chen, M.-S. Sheu, and G. C. Yao, “Residual stress–strain relationship for concrete after exposure to high temperatures,” Cem. Concr. Res., vol. 36, no. 10, pp. 1999–2005, Oct. 2006, doi: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2006.05.029.
36. V. Kodur, “Properties of concrete at elevated temperatures,” ISRN Civ. Eng., vol. 2014, Art. no. 468510, Mar. 2014, doi: 10.1155/2014/468510.