Research on the use of Ferro-Chrome slag in civil engineering applications

Sultan Qaboos University, Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, Al-Khod, Oman

Abstract

Over recent decades there has been rapid increase in the industrial waste materials and by-products yields due to the progressive growth rate of population, development of industry and technology and the growth of consumerism. With the growing environmental pressures to reduce waste and pollution, Intensive research studies have been conducted to explore all suitable reuse methods. Wastes such as construction waste, blast furnace, steel slag, coal fly ash and bottom ash have been approved in many places as alternative materials in bridges, roads, pavements, foundations and building construction. The use of industrial solid waste as a partial replacement of raw materials in construction activities not only saves landfill space but also reduces the demand for extraction of natural raw materials. Ferrochrome slag is a by-product from the production of chrome. There are environmental and economic advantages in seeing slags as a potentially useful resource rather than as waste products. Slag management at ferrochrome producing companies has been influenced by the limited space available and financial cost implications of the slag dumps. Internationally, e.g. South Africa, India, Norway, Turkey, East Europe, China, Sweden and USA, ferrochrome slag is used commercially in the road and construction Industries. This material is being used for road construction, as aggregates in concrete industry, brick manufacturing, and in pavement construction as engineering fill and has recently been tried in cement. This paper presents an overview of the recent advances of the use of ferrochrome slag in various civil engineering applications such as road construction, and cement and concrete industries.