Fracture toughness evaluation of fibre-reinforced concrete manufactured with siderurgic aggregates

Steel production in electric arc furnaces generates a principal waste stream in the form of Electric Arc Furnace Slag (EAFS), also known as “black slag”. The well-researched and advantageous properties of EAFS guarantee its successful use as aggregate in the manufacture of concrete (CEAFS). In contrast, fiber-reinforced concrete is widely employed, especially in concrete pavements and slabs, for improved cracking resistance and “ductile” post-cracking behavior. In this research, the toughness and ductile behavior of these fiber-reinforced CEAFS is tested with various methods, using different types of (metallic and synthetic) fibers in EAFS mixes. The metallic fiber concretes showed better results than the fiber concretes in terms of toughness, first-crack strength, limit of proportionality, and post-cracking behavior. The recycling process of EAFS makes a relevant contribution to the circular economy and therefore to global sustainability.