The volume expansion of artificial road aggregates derived from steelmaking slags

The sustainability path that the steelworks has undertaken in recent years aims to enhance the value of slags derived from the production processes, transforming them into certified inert materials that can be used as artificial aggregates in various works of civil engineering. In the road construction sector, the use of artificial aggregates derived from electric arc furnace (EAF) slags is becoming a widespread practice both for unbound and bound mixtures, while the ladle furnace (LF) ones still play a marginal role and are more often used in the stabilization of clayey soils and as a substitute for lime. But, steel slags usually contain volumetrically unstable phases that makes them unsuitable for such purposes. Thus, the article analyzed the expansive behavior of EAF and LF artificial aggregates, both in the form of unbound granular mixes and cement-treated materials. The results showed that these materials represent with appropriate differences a new opportunity and alternative solution that have a potential use in the road sector, but must be properly pre-treated, especially when their application is expected in environments characterized by high moisture content and significant temperature changes