An overview of incorporating steel mill scale in the production of sustainable concrete

Abstract

The rise in construction and infrastructural development has severely impacted the level of natural source utilization employed in concrete production leading to an astronomical increase in the cost of construction, scarcity of materials and other environmental concerns. The need to preserve our natural resources while mitigating the cost of concrete production has therefore triggered the search for alternative concrete producing materials. In this review, a critical look at the potential of incorporating steel mill scale in concrete production has been examined. Literature analysed confirmed it's suitability as waste that can be employed in the production of sustainable concrete. It's pulverisation makes it suitable for cement replacement showing that it falls into the class C fly ash of low pozzolanity. The optimal level of steel mill scale replacement is between 10%-30%, although at 100% replacement steel mill scale concrete has been reported to outperform control specimens. Steel mill scale incorporation produces concrete with high specific gravity and consequently high density, improved mechanical, water absorption and durability properties while negatively impacting the workability of concrete. For a wider application, much research is required so as to raise awareness among construction professionals.