Fresh and Hardened Properties of High Performance Concrete with Weld Slag as Fine Aggregate

Abstract

This research centers on the incorporation of welding slag, the residue remaining after the welding process, as fine aggregates in the production of high-performance concrete with a compressive strength of 70 MPa. The chemical and physical characteristics of welding slag aggregates (WSA), such as chemical compositions, specific gravity, SEM images, XRD, and EDS analysis, were investigated. Additional investigations were carried out by substituting welding slag with standard sand at varying proportions (10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%). The fresh concrete characteristics, including the slump cone test, were evaluated for all blends. Additionally, the hardened properties, such as compressive strength, split tensile strength, flexural strength, Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity test (UPV), and water absorption test, were systematically assessed.