Cements and concretes using ground granulated blast-furnace slag

The Russian cement industry is increasing the share of Portland cement production without mineral additives every year, reducing the consumption of granulated blast-furnace slag. This prompted the emergence of a relatively new product - ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS), supplied directly to consumers of Portland cement, who use it as a component of cement in construction and engineering. The main manufacturer in Russia is Mechel-Materials LLC (Chelyabinsk). This enterprise conducts quality control at all stages of production: when receiving liquid blast-furnace slag, its granulation, and its fine grinding. The article provides information about the production technology of GGBS at this enterprise. Based on a literature review, it was established that GGBS gives cements and concretes several important advantages. However, studies of the influence of granulated slag on other important characteristics of cements and concretes are limited in the literature. Information on the influence of separately ground domestic granulated blast-furnace slag is even more limited. In this regard, a study was carried out on the influence of the ratio of GGBS and Portland cement on the construction and technical properties of the resulting cements and concretes. All tests were carried out in accordance with the current Russian standards. The test results show that the GGBS under study makes it possible to obtain cements and concretes with improved quality indicators: durability, cost, and environmentally sustainable development.