Chapter 12
Experimental Study on Compressive Strength of Copper Slag
Replaced Cement Concrete
G. L. Easwara Prasad, B. S. Keerthi Gowda, and R. Velmurugan
Abstract Utilization of industrial waste and secondary materials is very much encouraged in construction industry and
gaining importance. This concept supports in minimizing the environmental hazard and health problems. Copper slag is also
one of the material considered as an industrial waste which can be used in construction Industry contribute to the reduction in
consumption of natural resources. Many researchers have investigated the use of copper slag in the production of cement,
cement mortar and cement concrete as raw material for clinker and as a partial replacement for cement, coarse aggregate and
fine aggregate. The use of copper slag in cement and concrete extends potential environmental as well as economic benefits for
all related industries, particularly in areas where considerable amount of copper slag is produced.
In the present study experimental investigation has been carried out to identify the influence of Copper Slag (CS) on the
properties of concrete. Concrete cubes are made with 20%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50% and 55% replacement of fine
aggregate with copper slag. They were casted and the compressive strength of concrete cubes after 7 and 28 days of curing is
determined along with evaluation of workability of concrete. The results have shown that all mixes with different copper slag
yield increase in compressive strength than that of the control mix. The workability increased significantly as copper slag
percentage increased compared with the control mixture. A substitution of up to 40–55% copper slag as a replacement of fine
aggregate yielded good compressive strength compared with controlled concrete mix. The obtained results were compared
with those of control concrete made with ordinary Portland cement and river sand. Therefore, it is recommended that up to
40–55% (by weight of sand) of copper slag can be used as a replacement for fine aggregates in order to obtain concrete with
enhanced strength apart from minimizing environmental hazard.
12.1 Introduction
Concrete is abundantly used material in the world in majority of the construction industries. Aggregates is one of the main
constituents of concrete and occupies about 85% volume of concrete, in which fine aggregate (sand) is about 35% of volume
of concrete used in construction industry depending on different mix designs. Sand is the prime material used for preparation
of cement mortar and cement concrete and it plays major role in mix design. By considering environmental issues and aspects
of erosion of river beds, there is a huge scarcity of river sand. The non-availability or shortage of river sand will affect the
growth of construction industry; hence there is a need to find the new alternative material to replace river sand, such that
excess river bed erosion and harm to environment can be controlled. A review of the usage of copper slag is reported by Bipra
gorai et al. [1]. Many researchers are finding different materials for partial replacement of sand. Popular alternative substitutes
are copper slag (CS), GGBS (Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag) and M-sand (Manufactured sand), fly ash and so
on. Studies have been reported by various researchers to utilize alternative building materials from industrial by product/waste
for replacement of fine aggregates for specific requirements/application. Copper has higher density, copper slag is a waste
obtained during the smelting and refining of copper its utility for construction activity as a substitute material is reported in [2–
14]. The main objective of the present study is to determine the compressive strength of concrete cubes by partially replacing
G. L. Easwara Prasad (*)
Department of Civil Engineering, MITE-VTU, Moodabidri, Karnataka, India
B. S. Keerthi Gowda
Department of Structural Engineering, VTU PG Studies, Mysore, Karnataka, India
R. Velmurugan
Department of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
e-mail: ramanv@iitm.ac.in
© The Society for Experimental Mechanics, Inc. 2021
R. P. Singh, V. Chalivendra (eds.), Mechanics of Composite, Hybrid and Multifunctional Materials, Volume 6,
Conference Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Mechanics Series, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59868-6_12
81
Experimental Study on Compressive Strength of Copper Slag
Replaced Cement Concrete
G. L. Easwara Prasad, B. S. Keerthi Gowda, and R. Velmurugan
Abstract Utilization of industrial waste and secondary materials is very much encouraged in construction industry and
gaining importance. This concept supports in minimizing the environmental hazard and health problems. Copper slag is also
one of the material considered as an industrial waste which can be used in construction Industry contribute to the reduction in
consumption of natural resources. Many researchers have investigated the use of copper slag in the production of cement,
cement mortar and cement concrete as raw material for clinker and as a partial replacement for cement, coarse aggregate and
fine aggregate. The use of copper slag in cement and concrete extends potential environmental as well as economic benefits for
all related industries, particularly in areas where considerable amount of copper slag is produced.
In the present study experimental investigation has been carried out to identify the influence of Copper Slag (CS) on the
properties of concrete. Concrete cubes are made with 20%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50% and 55% replacement of fine
aggregate with copper slag. They were casted and the compressive strength of concrete cubes after 7 and 28 days of curing is
determined along with evaluation of workability of concrete. The results have shown that all mixes with different copper slag
yield increase in compressive strength than that of the control mix. The workability increased significantly as copper slag
percentage increased compared with the control mixture. A substitution of up to 40–55% copper slag as a replacement of fine
aggregate yielded good compressive strength compared with controlled concrete mix. The obtained results were compared
with those of control concrete made with ordinary Portland cement and river sand. Therefore, it is recommended that up to
40–55% (by weight of sand) of copper slag can be used as a replacement for fine aggregates in order to obtain concrete with
enhanced strength apart from minimizing environmental hazard.
12.1 Introduction
Concrete is abundantly used material in the world in majority of the construction industries. Aggregates is one of the main
constituents of concrete and occupies about 85% volume of concrete, in which fine aggregate (sand) is about 35% of volume
of concrete used in construction industry depending on different mix designs. Sand is the prime material used for preparation
of cement mortar and cement concrete and it plays major role in mix design. By considering environmental issues and aspects
of erosion of river beds, there is a huge scarcity of river sand. The non-availability or shortage of river sand will affect the
growth of construction industry; hence there is a need to find the new alternative material to replace river sand, such that
excess river bed erosion and harm to environment can be controlled. A review of the usage of copper slag is reported by Bipra
gorai et al. [1]. Many researchers are finding different materials for partial replacement of sand. Popular alternative substitutes
are copper slag (CS), GGBS (Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag) and M-sand (Manufactured sand), fly ash and so
on. Studies have been reported by various researchers to utilize alternative building materials from industrial by product/waste
for replacement of fine aggregates for specific requirements/application. Copper has higher density, copper slag is a waste
obtained during the smelting and refining of copper its utility for construction activity as a substitute material is reported in [2–
14]. The main objective of the present study is to determine the compressive strength of concrete cubes by partially replacing
G. L. Easwara Prasad (*)
Department of Civil Engineering, MITE-VTU, Moodabidri, Karnataka, India
B. S. Keerthi Gowda
Department of Structural Engineering, VTU PG Studies, Mysore, Karnataka, India
R. Velmurugan
Department of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
e-mail: ramanv@iitm.ac.in
© The Society for Experimental Mechanics, Inc. 2021
R. P. Singh, V. Chalivendra (eds.), Mechanics of Composite, Hybrid and Multifunctional Materials, Volume 6,
Conference Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Mechanics Series, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59868-6_12
81