摘要: |
Phosphogypsum is a by-product of the fertilizer industry, specifically the production of phosphoric acid from phosphate rock. It is produced in large quantities and generally disposed of by stockpiling in large stacks. An alternative to disposal is reuse as a construction material in some form. One such process to convert phosphogypsum to a usable product is the Davy McKee-Florida Institute of Phosphate Research thermal conversion sulfur recovery process, in which sulfur contained in the phosphogypsum is recovered and a slag aggregate by-product is produced. This study centers around the possible utilization of phosphogypsum-based slag aggregate as a substitute for coarse aggregate in portland cement concrete for highway construction. The physical properties of the slag aggregate, such as specific gravity, unit weight, gradation, and absorption, were determined for use in concrete mix design. The durability behavior of the slag aggregate was also explored, exclusive of cold weather performance, which would require further research if the aggregate were exported to northern climates. On the basis of the physical characteristics of the aggregate, a concrete mixture was developed and tested in both the fresh and hardened states. The specific properties evaluated were workability, unit weight, air content, and yield of the fresh concrete along with strength and deformation characteristics of the hardened concrete. The compressive strength, flexural strength, splitting tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, and Poisson's ratio results indicated that the slag aggregate performed well as a coarse aggregate in portland cement concrete and should perform satisfactorily in a highway pavement system. |