Sustainability in the built environment is of increasing importance, particularly inthe transportation sector. Slags from the iron and steel industries can be used in somecases to replace natural aggregates in construction. State DOT’s do not permit the use ofsteel slag, a by-product of the production of steel, as an aggregate in portland cementconcrete (PCC). However, that potential exists provided the expansive nature ofuntreated steel slag can be alleviated. In this study, a review of world-wide research andcase studies was undertaken. Although a few case studies and limited field applicationswere found, the vast majority of the research has been in the laboratory. Much of thiswork has shown that steel slag can be treated to be non-expansive and acceptable for usein PCC.It should be noted that when evaluating these research results, it is important tocarefully consider the properties of the slags used, which may differ significantly fromslags produced in the U.S. due to differences in sources or industrial processes. Whilethe various treatment processes discussed have shown various degrees of success inreducing the expansive nature of steel slag, there is variability in the properties of steelslag, current treatment processes are not uniformly adopted, testing has not beenperformed on a large enough scale, and the processes do not reduce all risk of volumeinstability. Hence, more study is needed, and therefore at this time the use of steel slag inrigid pavement applications is not recommended.
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