Copper slag: a sustainable alternative for rigid pavement construction
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21703/0718-2813.2025.38.3637Keywords:
Copper slag, Cementitious material, Concrete pavements, DurabilityAbstract
This article investigates the use of copper slag (CS), a massive waste product of the mining industry, as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) in concrete mixes for potential pavement applications, evaluating its mechanical properties and durability against aggressive agents. Experimentally, it was observed that replacing up to 20% (volume) of the cement with CS does not significantly reduce flexural and tensile strength (FT), and that 10% CS increases long-term FT strength (360 days) by 3.3% compared to the reference concrete (without CS). Furthermore, a reduction in water penetration depth of 36% and 38% was recorded at 28 and 90 days, respectively. It is concluded that CS has potential use in concrete mixes for pavements, with adequate structural performance and a lower environmental impact, although further specific pavement studies are needed to validate these findings.
References
Aghaeipour, A. and Madhkhan, M. (2020). Mechanical properties and durability of roller compacted concrete pavement (RCCP) – a review. Road Materials and Pavement Design 21(7), 1775–1798. https://doi.org/10.1080/14680629.2019.1579754
ACI PRC-211.1 (2022). Standard practice for selecting proportions for normal, heavyweight, and mass concrete. American Concrete Institute, Detroit MI, USA.
Arredondo, P.W.C., Silva, Y.F., Araya-Letelier, G. and Hernández, H. (2024). Valorization of recycled aggregate and copper slag for sustainable concrete mixtures: mechanical, physical, and environmental performance. Sustainability 16(24), 11239. https://doi.org/10.3390/su162411239
ASTM C293 (2016). Standard test method for flexural strength of concrete (using simple beam with third-point loading. ASTM International, West Conshohocken PA, USA, https://doi.org/10.1520/C0293_C0293M-16
ASTM C494 (2019). Standard specification for chemical admixtures for concrete. ASTM International, West Conshohocken PA, USA, https://doi.org/10.1520/C0494_C0494M-19
ASTM C39 (2021). Standard test method for compressive strength of cylindrical concrete specimens. ASTM International, West Conshohocken PA, USA, https://doi.org/10.1520/C0039_C0039M-21
ASTM C150 (2022). Standard specification for Portland cement. ASTM International, West Conshohocken PA, USA, https://doi.org/10.1520/C0150_C0150M-22
Barros, K.S., Vielmo, V.S., Moreno, B.G., Riveros, G., Cifuentes, G. and Bernardes, A.M. (2022). Chemical composition data of the main stages of copper production from sulfide minerals in Chile: a review to assist circular economy studies. Minerals 12(2), 250. https://doi.org/10.3390/min12020250
Burbano-Garcia, C., Silva, Y.F., Araya-Letelier, G. and González, M. (2025). Hydration kinetics and mechanical performance of cement pastes with copper slag as supplementary cementitious material. Journal of Building Engineering 112, 113673. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2025.113673
Chen, W., Li, B. and Xu, Y. (2023). Recycled aggregate concrete for pavement rapid repair. In Multi-Functional Concrete with Recycled Aggregates. Woodhead Publishing Series in Civil and Structural Engineering, Y. Xu and R. Jin (eds.), 251–265. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-89838-6.00010-4
de Pedro, J.P.Q., Lagao, J.A.T. and Ongpeng, J.M.C. (2023). Life cycle assessment of concrete using copper slag as a partial cement substitute in reinforced concrete buildings. Buildings 13(3), 746. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13030746
Dhir, R.K., de Brito, J., Mangabhai, R. and Lye, C.Q. (2017). Introduction. In Sustainable Construction Materials: Copper Slag, Elsevier, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-100986-4.00001-8
DS148 (2004). Aprueba reglamento sanitario sobre manejo de residuos peligrosos. Decreto Supremo 148. Diario Oficial de la República de Chile, Ministerio de Salud, Santiago, Chile.
EPA (1992). Method 1311: Toxicity characteristic leaching procedure. Test methods for evaluating solid waste, physical/ chemical methods (SW-846). US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington DC, USA.
GCCA (2024). Concrete future - roadmap to net zero. Cement and Concrete around the World. Global Cement and Concrete Association, London, UK.
He, R., Zhang, S., Zhang, X., Zhang, Z., Zhao, Y. and Ding, H. (2021). Copper slag: The leaching behavior of heavy metals and its applicability as a supplementary cementitious material. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering 9(2), 105132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2021.105132
Juenger, M.C.G., Snellings, R. and Bernal, S.A. (2019). Supplementary cementitious materials: New sources, characterization, and performance insights. Cement and Concrete Research 122, 257–273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2019.05.008
Karim, R., Islam, Md. H., Datta, S.D. and Kashem, A. (2024). Synergistic effects of supplementary cementitious materials and compressive strength prediction of concrete using machine learning algorithms with SHAP and PDP analyses. Case Studies in Construction Materials 20, e02828. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2023.e02828
Mahajan, D.S. and Muhammad, S. (2024). Assessment of the viability of pozzolanic activity of copper slag for use as supplementary cementitious material in ordinary Portland cement. Journal of Building Engineering 83, 108375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2023.108375
MINVU (2018). Código de normas y especificaciones técnicas de obras de pavimentación. Estándares Técnicos de Construcción. División Técnica de Estudio y Fomento Habitacional. Ministerio de Vivienda y Urbanismo, Santiago, Chile.
Moura, W.A., Gonçalves, J.P. and Lima, M.B.L. (2007). Copper slag waste as a supplementary cementing material to concrete. Journal of Materials Science 42(7), 2226–2230. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-006-0997-4
Najimi, M. and Pourkhorshidi, A.R. (2011). Properties of concrete containing copper slag waste. Magazine of Concrete Research 63(8), 605–615. https://doi.org/10.1680/macr.2011.63.8.605
Shi, C., Meyer, C. and Behnood, A. (2008). Utilization of copper slag in cement and concrete. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 52(10), 1115–1120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2008.06.008
Silva, Y.F., Burbano-Garcia, C., Araya-Letelier, G. and Izquierdo, S. (2025a). Sulfate attack performance of concrete mixtures with use of copper slag as supplementary cementitious material. Case Studies in Construction Materials 22, e04846. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2025.e04846
Silva, Y.F., Burbano-Garcia, C., Rueda, E.J., Reyes-Román, A. and Araya-Letelier, G. (2025b). Short- and long-term mechanical and durability performance of concrete with copper slag and recycled coarse aggregate under magnesium sulfate attack. Applied Sciences 15(15), 8329. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15158329
USGS (2020). Copper statistics and information. Statistics and information on the worldwide supply of, demand for, and flow of the mineral commodity copper. United States Geological Survey, USA.
Wang, D., Wang, Q. and Huang, Z. (2020). Reuse of copper slag as a supplementary cementitious material: Reactivity and safety. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 162, 105037. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.105037
Wang, Y., Yuan, Z., Yang, J., He, Y., He, X., Su, Y. and Strnadel, B. (2023). Utilization of ultra-fine copper slag to prepare ecofriendly ultrahigh performance concrete by replacing silica fume. Construction and Building Materials 406, 133476. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.133476
Yaseen, N., Alcivar-Bastidas, S., Irfan-ul-Hassan, M., Petroche, D.M., Qazi, A.U. and Ramirez, A.D. (2024). Concrete incorporating supplementary cementitious materials: Temporal evolution of compressive strength and environmental life cycle assessment. Heliyon 10(3), e25056. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25056
Yepes, V. (2023). El hormigón para pavimentos de hormigón en carreteras. Poli Blogs. Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, España.
Zeyad, A.M., Shubaili, M. and Abutaleb, A. (2023). Using volcanic pumice dust to produce high-strength self-curing concrete in hot weather regions. Case Studies in Construction Materials 18, e01927. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2023.e01927
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
