International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET)

Volume 7, Issue 6, November-December 2016, pp. 282–289, Article ID: IJCIET_07_06_030

Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=7&IType=6
ISSN Print: 0976-6308 and ISSN Online: 0976-6316
© IAEME Publication

AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION ON COPPER

SLAG AS REPLACEMENT OF FINE AGGREGATE IN
CONCRETE
J. Anne Mary
Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering,
Vel Tech Dr. RR & Dr. SR University, Chennai, India

ABSTRACT
Worldwide the average consumption of sand for construction increases 40 billion tones
annually as sand is used as a conventional construction material. The large scale of extraction lead
to cause impact in marine and biodiversity, so there is an immediate attention to be taken in
construction industry to find an alternative construction material. The main objective of this
investigation is to compare the strength parameter and behavior of fresh and hardened concrete
with with conventional concrete and copper slag incorporated concrete in various percentages as
replacement of fine aggregate. Approximately 24.6 million tones of copper slag generated at every
year of copper production in worldwide (Gorai et al, 2003). The strength characteristics of copper
slag incorporated concrete was found out by replacement of 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100 %, out
of this 40% replacement gives highest compression strength at 28 days, more than 37.55 % higher
in Compression Strength and 5.3% higher in Split Tensile Strength and 40.72% in Flexural
Strength compare to conventional mix.
Key words: Copper Slag, Plasticizers, Ordinary Portland Cement.
Cite this Article: J. Anne Mary, An Experimental Investigation on Copper Slag as Replacement of
Fine Aggregate in Concrete. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology, 7(6),
2016, pp.282–289.
http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=7&IType=6

1. INTRODUCTION
In India, most of the Construction activities are made with concrete, as it is easily available concrete is
being used for all major construction like dams, towers, water tanks, houses, roadways, railway sleepers,
offshore structures, bridges, etc. In Concrete 25 - 40% of sand is used as fine aggregate, rapid increase of
using conventional construction activities lead to acute shortage of construction material. India demand
comparatively greater cost at around two or three times the cost of crusher. India has enormous growth in
steel and copper industry. Copper slag which is produced during Pyro-metallurgical production of copper
from copper ores contains material such as alumina, calcium oxide, silica etc. For every tonnage of metal
produced about 2.2 tones slag is generated. Disposal of such huge quantity of slag cause both
environmental and space problems. (Chockalingam et al, 2013) The use of copper slag in concrete
provides potential environment as well as economic benefits for all related industries ( Kharade et al,
2013).

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 An Experimental Investigation on Copper Slag as Replacement of Fine Aggregate in Concrete

2. EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION
Materials needed for concrete are Cement, Metakoalin, Ground Granulated Blast Furnance Slag, Rice
Husk Ash, Fine Aggregate (sand and copper slag), Coarse Aggregate (broken stone), super plasticizers and
water.

2.1. Materials Used

2.1.1. Cement
The cement used in this experimental work is Ordinary Portland Cement 53 grade confirming to IS 12269-
1987 was used for this investigation. The specific gravity is 3.12 and Blaine specific surface area is 2250
cm2/gm respectively

2.1.2. Fine Aggregates

• Natural Sand: Locally available river sand conforming to grading zone-II as per IS: 383-1970 dried, cleaned
is used respectively.
• Copper Slag: Copper slag is an individual by product material produce by copper smetting and refining
processes. This has similar property of sand, hence copper slag can be replaced for fine aggregate.
The physical Properties of natural sand and copper slag is as below.

Table 1 Physical Properties

Physical Properties Natural sand Copper Slag
Appearance Grainy and White Black and Glassy
Specific Gravity 2.78 3.47
Bulk Density 2.7 g/cc 2.08 g/cc
Water Absorption 2.3% 0.17%
Moisture Content 1.3% 0.1%

2.1.3. Coarse Aggregates

Locally available coarse aggregate from quarry was used with specific gravity 2.7 and water absorption is
0.3% and maximum size of 20 mm size aggregate.

2.1.4. Super Plasticizers

Super Plasticizers Conplast SP430 is used 1% by weight of cement for high workability in concrete.

2.1.5. Water
For the present research, potable water free from salts is used for concrete mixing and curing conforming
to the requirements of IS: 456-2000.

2.2. Mix Proportion and Mix Details

The mix proportions were calculated for M20, grade of concrete for w/c ratio of 0.50 respectively by using
IS-10262-2009 method of mix design. Keeping w/c ratio as constant for control mix and by 0, 20, 40, 60,
80 and 100 % replacements given in table 2.

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 J. Anne Mary

Table 2 Mix Proportion

W/ Ceme Fine Aggregate

Mi (kg/m3) Course Super
C nt Water
x Mix Designation Aggregat Plasticize
Ra (kg/m Natura Copper (kg/m3)
No 3 e (kg/m3) rs (kg/m3)
tio ) l Sand Slag
M1 CONVENTIONAL CONCRETE 0.5 384 794 0 1076 3.83 192
M2 80% OPC & 20% COPPER SLAG 0.5 384 635.2 158.8 1076 3.83 192
M3 60% OPC & 40% COPPER SLAG 0.5 384 476.4 317.6 1076 3.83 192
M4 40% OPC & 60% COPPER SLAG 0.5 384 317.6 476.4 1076 3.83 192
M5 80% OPC & 80% COPPER SLAG 0.5 384 158.8 635.2 1076 3.83 192
M6 100% COPPER SLAG 0.5 384 0 794 1076 3.83 192

3. TEST RESULTS
The test has conducted for fresh and hardened concrete for various mix from M1 to M6 results are listed
below.

3.1. Fresh Concrete

The tests of fresh concrete are Slump Cone test, Compaction Factor, Vee Bee Consistency and Flow
Table test for this investigation and the results are as follows

Table 3 Workability Test Results

Slump Compaction factor

Mix No Vee bee (sec) Flow (%)
(mm) (%)
M1 78 0.87 8.5 38
M2 80 0.86 9.4 35
M3 83 0.9 10 36
M4 84 0.83 9.8 34
M5 79 0.84 9.6 36
M6 76 0.85 10 34

86
84
82
Slump Value

80
78
76
74
72
M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6

Mix No

Figure 1 Variation in Slump

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 An Experimental Investigation on Copper Slag as Replacement of Fine Aggregate in Concrete

0.92
0.9
0.88

Compaction Factor
0.86
0.84
0.82
0.8
0.78
M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6

Mix No

Figure 2 Variation in compaction Factor

12
Vee Bee Consistency (Sec)

10
8
6
4
2
0
Mix No M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6

Mix No

Figure 3 Variation in Vee Bee Consistometer

40
35
30
Flow (%)

25
20
15
10
5
0
Mix No M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6

Mix No

Figure 4 Variation in Flow

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 J. Anne Mary

3.2. Hardened Concrete

The hardened concrete is tested after 7, 14,28 days for compression test, split tensile strength and Flexural
Strength and the dimensions are 150 mm cube, 150 x 300 mm of cylinder and 500 x 100 x 100 mm were
casted and the result are as follows.

Table 4 Compression test

Compression Strength (N/mm2 )

Mix No
7 Days 14 Day 28 Days
M1 16.55 19.31 24.51
M2 20 24.54 30.82
M3 21.80 28.60 33.70
M4 18.90 21.40 29.50
M5 16.30 19.61 24.63
M6 15.32 18.43 22.30

Table 5 Split Tensile Strength test

Split Tensile Strength (N/mm2 )

Mix No
7 Days 14 Day 28 Days
M1 1.6 1.93 2.45
M2 1.6 1.95 2.4
M3 1.8 2.0 2.5
M4 1.7 1.9 2.41
M5 1.6 1.82 2.38
M6 1.5 1.73 2.33

Table 6 Flexural Strength test

Flexural Strength (N/mm2 )

Mix No
7 Days 14 Day 28 Days
M1 2.2 2.9 3.43
M2 2.4 3.1 4.29
M3 2.73 3.4 4.82
M4 2.38 3.2 4.5
M5 2.2 2.8 4.1
M6 2.0 2.7 3.3

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 An Experimental Investigation on Copper Slag as Replacement of Fine Aggregate in Concrete

Compression Strength

Compression Strength
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6
7 Days 16.55 20 21.8 18.9 16.3 15.32
14 Day 19.31 24.54 28.6 21.4 19.61 18.43
28 Days 24.51 30.82 33.7 29.5 24.63 22.3

Figure 5 Compression Strength

Split Tensile Strength (N/mm2 )

Split Tensile Strength (N/mm2 )

3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
M1 M2 M3 M4 M5
7 Days 1.6 1.6 1.8 1.7 1.6
14 Day 1.93 1.95 2 1.9 1.82
28 Days 2.45 2.4 2.5 2.41 2.38

Figure 6 Split Test Strength.

Flexural Strength (N/mm2 )

Flexural Strength (N/mm2 )

6
5
4
3
2
1
0
M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6
7 Days 2.2 2.4 2.73 2.38 2.2 2
14 Day 2.9 3.1 3.4 3.2 2.8 2.7
28 Days 3.43 4.29 4.82 4.5 4.1 3.3

Figure 7 Flexural Strength

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 J. Anne Mary

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

• Copper slag is a very good alternative material for fine aggregate it can be replaced upto 40% with fine
aggregate so that it gives highest strength at 28 days compare to normal concrete with M20 mix.
• By replacing fine aggregate with 40% of copper slag gives the strength 37.55% , 10% and 40.72% more than
the reference with conventional concrete at 28 days for compression strength, split tensile strength and
flexural strength respectively.

5. CONCLUSION
• Alternative construction material is identified.
• By using copper slag as fine aggregate as we can make environment more sustainable.
• It contributes to natural sand conservation.

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