Impact of Curing Temperature on the Compressive Strength of Cement Mortars Incorporating Electric Arc Furnace Slag

Abstract

To reduce the environmental impact of the cement industry and lower production costs, researchers have explored using by-product materials, such as fly ash, silica fume, and slag, as partial replacements for Portland cement in concrete production. This experimental study investigates how curing temperatures (20, 40, and 60°C) affect compressive strength of cement mortars that incorporate electric arc furnace slag (EAFS) at varying levels (0, 10, 20, and 30% by weight). The compressive strength of mortar specimens was evaluated at 3, 7, 28, 56, and 90 days. Additionally, ultrasonic pulse velocity tests were conducted on the mortar specimens. The results showed that the performance of electric arc furnace slag is quite sensitive to temperature changes. Overall, the compressive strength of the mortars improved over time, and both the amount of slag used and the curing temperature played significant roles in the rate of strength development.