SCOPE OF REPLACING FINE AGGREGATE WITH COPPER SLAG IN CONCRETE- A REVIEW

International Journal of Technical Research and Applications e-ISSN: 2320-8163,
www.ijtra.com Volume 3, Issue 4 (July-August 2015), PP. 44-48
44 | P a g e
SCOPE OF REPLACING FINE AGGREGATE WITH
COPPER SLAG IN CONCRETE- A REVIEW
Pranshu Saxena, Ashish Simalti
Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, IFTMU, Moradabad, U.P.
Assistant Professor and Head of the Department, Department of Civil Engineering, IFTMU, Moradabad, U.P.
thesaxenas1@gmail.com
ABSTRACT- In the present scenario carbon emission and sand
mining are major concern due to its hazardous effect to
environment and making serious imbalance to the ecosystem.
Various studies have been conducted to reduce severe effect on
environment, using byproducts like copper slag as partial
replacement of fine aggregate. Different researchers have also
revealed numerous uses of copper slag as a replacing agent in
determining the strength of concrete. A comprehensive review of
studies has been presented in this paper for scope of replacement
of fine aggregate from copper slag in concrete.
Key Words: Copper slag, Fine aggregate, Review, Replacement,
Concrete, Strength.
I. PREAMBLE
Copper slag is one of the materials that can be considered
as a waste material which could have a promising future in
construction industry as partial or full substitute of any two
either cement or aggregates. It is an industrial by-product
material produced during the copper smelting and refining
process of manufacturing of copper which can be used for a
surprising number of applications in the building and
industrial fields. This material represents a popular alternative
to sand as a blasting medium in industrial cleaning. Using
blasting or high-pressure spraying techniques, companies are
using copper slag to clean large smelting equipment or
furnaces .Material like copper slag can be used as one which
can reduce the cost of construction. Here an attempt has been
made to compile the various studies done on the replacement
of copper slag in fine aggregate to judge the strength of
concrete.
The by-product discharged from the copper
manufacturing industry is called as slag. About 2.2 tones of
copper slag result in every ton of copper production
(Chockalingam et al., 2013). Approximately 24.6 million tons
of slags are generated from the world copper industry (Gorai
et al, 2003). Nataraja et al., 2014 revealed the various regions
of copper slag generation depicted in Table 1.
Table 1. Copper slag generation in various regions
Regions Copper slag generation/annum
in million ton
Asia Europe
5.56
7.26
North
America
5.90
Europe 5.56
South
America
4.18
Africa 1.23
Oceania 0.45
II. PRODUCTION OF COPPER SLAG
Copper slag is a by-product obtained during the matte
smelting and refining of copper. To produce every ton of
copper, approximately 2.2–3.0 tons copper slag is generated as
a by-product material. Utilization of copper slag in
applications such as Portland cement substitution and/or as
aggregates has threefold advantages of eliminating the costs of
dumping, reducing the cost of concrete, and minimizing air
pollution problems (Kharade et al., 2013). The researchers
depicted the physical and chemical properties of copper slag
given in Table 2 and Table 3, respectively.
Figure 1: Flow chart of the pyrometallurgical copper process by Zander and Friedrich

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Table 2. Physical properties of copper slag (Chockalingam et al., 2013))
Physical Properties Brinda et al, (2010),
Brinda and Nagan,(2010)
Brinda and Nagan(2011)
Particle shape Irregular
Appearance Black & glassy
Type Air cooled
Specific gravity 3.91,3.68
Percentage of voids 43.20%
Bulk density 2.08 g/cc, 1.70 to 1.90 g/cc
Fineness modulus of copper slag 3.47
Angle of internal friction 51° 20’
Particle size 0.075 mm to 4.75 mm
Hardness Between 6and 7
Table 3. Chemical properties of copper slag
III. USES OF COPPER SLAG
The proper disposal as well as management of the copper
slag, is been required to make the environment pollution free.
Therefore, reusing it helps in the protection of surrounding as
well as in a stable management. There are various uses of
copper slag such as: it is used in blended cement, in
replacement of concrete and sand both, in production of
cement clinker. Its acts as resistant for corrosion and also
reduce seismic force as well as earth pressure.
The figure 1 depicted the pictorial representation of
copper slag which can be used up in different field. It is been
used in abrasive tools, in roofing granules in tiles and glass
manufacturing copper slag is also used in cutting the tools and
in pavement.
Figure 1. Pictorial representation of copper slag used in relevant field (Nataraja et al., 2014)
Relevant studies have been carried out on the possibilities of replacing the copper slag and reusing it. The findings of the
earlier workers with their conclusions are been summarized in the tabular form for quick understanding of the reviewer (Table 4).
Chemical Component Chemical Component (%)
SiO2 25.85
Fe2O3 68.29
Al2O3 0.22
CaO 0.15
Na2O 0.58
K2O 0.23
LoI 6.59
Mn2O3 0.22
TiO2 0.41

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Table 4. The various research findings with their conclusions done by different experts
S.No. Authors Experiment Conclusion
1. Srinivas and Muranal (2015) Study of the properties
of concrete containing
copper slag as a fine
aggregate.
The researchers concluded that the workability was
increase up to 31.57 for 100% replacement of copper
slag as a fine aggregate. The maximum compressive
strength of concrete increases up to 8.63% for 20%
replacement of fine aggregate. They also revealed
that 40% of the copper slag can be replaced which is
greater than the target strength.
2. I. J. Karthick & S. Suriya
Prakash (2014)
Experimental Study
on strength
characteristics on M2O
Concrete with Partial
Replacement of
Cement With Fly ASH
and Replacement of
Fine Aggregate with
Copper Slag
Various proportions of copper slag replacement with
sand (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% & 50%) and partial
replacement of fly ash with cement 30% in concrete
revealed that the compressive strength of concrete
cubes with 40% replacement of fine aggregate with
copper slag shows an increase of 15% when
compared to the normal concrete cube. Similarly,
there was increased in the split tensile strength of
concrete with 40% replacement of fine aggregate
with copper slag shows an increase of 34% when
compared to conventional concrete.
3. T. Ch. Madhavi (2014) Copper Slag In
Concrete As
Replacement.
The researchers found in his experiment that the
copper slag is an industrial waste which can be used
as a replacement for cement and sand and helps in
increasing the mechanical properties of concrete. The
use of copper slag can be done up to 30% exceeding
it’s used beyond 50% decrease the strength.
4. Arivalagan. S (2013) Experimental Study
on the Flexural
Behavior of
Reinforced Concrete
Beams as
Replacement of
Copper Slag as Fine
Aggregate
In this investigation replacement of fine aggregate
with copper slag was done to depict the compressive
strength of cubes, flexural strength of beams and split
tensile strength of cylinders. The copper slag was
added with sand to find out the results of concrete
proportion ranging from 5, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and
100%. The maximum (35.11 Mpa) compressive
strength was obtained in 40% replacement. The
results also revealed the effect of copper slag on RCC
concrete elements which shows increment in all
compressive strength, split tensile, flexural strength
and energy absorption characters. The results also
depicts the value of slump which lies between 90 to
120 mm and the flexural strength of beam and also
get increased by (21% to 51%) due to the
replacement of copper slag.
5. Kharade et al., 2013 An experimental
investigation of
properties of concrete
with partial or full
replacement of fine
aggregate through
copper slag.
They investigated that the copper slag does not have
tendency of absorbing the water in large proportion
and hence the percentage of copper slag in concrete
mix increases, the workability of concrete too
increase. The result of their paper revealed that when
fine aggregate was replaced by 20% copper slag,
compressive strength of concrete increased by 29% at
28 days. When replacement of copper slag was done
up to 80% the strength increases, but if this
replacement of copper slag was done up to 80% the
strength increases beyond 80%, the strength directly
gets decreased. It was also observed that the strength
at 100% replacement was reduced by 7% at 28 days.
At last, the workers observed that the flexural as well
as compressive strength was increased due to the
high toughness property of copper slag.

47 | P a g e
6. R. R. Chavan & D.B.
Kulkarni (2013)
Performance of copper
slag on strength
properties as partial
replace of fine
aggregate in concrete
mix design.
In the experiment work M25 grade concrete was used
and tests were conducted for various proportions of
copper slag replacement with sand of 0 to 100% in
concrete. The obtained results were compared with
those of control concrete made with ordinary
Portland cement and sand shows that the Maximum
Compressive strength of concrete increased by 55%
at 40% replacement of fine aggregate by copper slag,
and up to 75%replacement, concrete gain more
strength than control mix concrete strength. It is
observed that, the flexural strength of concrete at 28
days is higher than design mix (Without replacement)
for 20% replacement of fine aggregate by Copper
slag, the flexural strength of concrete is increased by
14%. Compressive strength and flexural Strength is
increased due to high toughness of Copper slag.
7. Brindha and Nagan (2011) Durability of copper
slag admixed concrete.
The strength of concrete increases with respect to the
percentage of slag added by weight of fine aggregate
up to 40% of additions and 15% of cement.
8. Najimi et al (2011) The performance of
copper slag contained
concrete in sulphate
solution.
The study of Najimi et al in 2011 year depicted that
when replacement of copper slag was done then there
was improve in concrete resistance against sulphate
attack.
9. Mosafa Khanzadi and Ali
Behnood (2009)
“Mechanical
properties of high-
strength concrete
incorporating copper
slag as coarse
aggregate”
The investigation revealed the effects of replacing
limestone coarse aggregate by
copper slag coarse aggregate on the compressive
strength, splitting tensile strength and rebound
hammer values of high-strength concretes are
evaluated in this work. Use of copper slag aggregate
showed an increase of about 10–15% compressive
strength and an increase of 10–18% splitting tensile
strength when compared to limestone aggregate
indicating that using copper slag as coarse aggregate
in high-strength concrete is suitable.
10. Byung Sik Chun et
al (2005)
Evaluated the
applicability of copper
slag as a substitute for
sand of sand
compaction pile
method
The strength of composite ground was compared and
analyzed by monitoring the stress and ground
settlement of clay, sand compaction pile and copper
slag compaction pile
11. Ke Ru Wu et al
(2001)
The effect of copper
slag in coarse
aggregate
type on mechanical
properties of
high-performance
concrete.
They revealed that if we select high strength
aggregate with low brittleness then manufacturing of
high strength concrete with lower brittleness can be
made.
12. Ayano et al (2000) The effects of using
several types of slag
on
mortar and concrete
reactions, reinforcing
steel corrosion,
abrasion, workability
and slump, shrinkage,
and freezing and
thawing characteristics
The researcher depicted that the strength, durability
and setting time of the concrete mixtures get
increased when it was made up with the use of
copper slag.

48 | P a g e
IV. CONCLUSION
In the present scenario, the use of copper slag is
increasing day by day both in research as well as in the
construction companies. Since, the physical and mechanical
properties of copper slag have maximum advantages.
Therefore, replacement or reuse of it can be done in several
manners. Keeping in mind about the rapid urbanization in the
country, the safe disposal and judicial resource management is
the important issue which can be balanced by the reuse of slag.
The well defined scope in the future studies of copper slag is
that it can also be replaced by cement and fine aggregate very
easily and has an application in concrete as a admixture.
Maximum compressive, tensile and flexural strength is
obtained when copper slag is replaced with fine aggregate up
to 40%. With such important properties of copper slag, further
research is advised to analyze the scope of replacement
extensively.
REFERENCES
[1]. Ayano Toshiki, Kuramoto Osamu, and Sakata Kenji. 2000.
“Concrete with copper slag fine aggregate”, Society of
Materials Science, Vol. 49, pp. 1097-1102.
[2]. Arivalagan. S (2013):“Experimental Study on the Flexural
Behaviour of Reinforced Concrete Beams as Replacement of
Copper Slag as Fine Aggregate" Journal of Civil Engineering
and Urbanism Volume 3, Issue 4(176-182).
[3]. Brindha, D and Nagan, S. “Utilization of copper slag as a
partial replacement of fine aggregate”.2010. International
Journal of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Vol.3, No.4, pp:
579-585.
[4]. Brindha, D and Nagan, S. 2011. “Durability studies on copper
slag admixed concrete”, Asian Journal of Civil Engineering
(Building and housing), Vol.12, No.5, pp: 563-578.
[5]. Byung Sik Chun, Du Hee Park, and Hun Chul Jung. 2005 “A
Study on the Application of Copper Slag as a Sand Substitute
of Sand Compaction Pile”, proceedings of 15th international off
shore and polar Engineering conference.
[6]. Chockalingam, M., Jayagnesh, D., Vijayaraghavan, J. and
Jegan, J. 2013. Scope for resue of copper salg in concrete. A
Review. 2013. International Journal of Civil Engineering and
Technology (IJCIET). Vol.4, Issue 6.pp.89-100.
[7]. Gorai, B. and Jana, R.K.2002. “Premchand. Characteristics and
utilization of copper slag”,Resources Conservation and
Recycling, Vol. 39, pp. 299-313.
[8]. I. J. Karthick (2014): “Experimental Study on Strength
Characteristics on M2O Concrete with Partial Replacement of
Cement with Fly ASH and Replacement of Fine Aggregate
with Copper Slag” Vol. 1, Issue 1(26-29).
[9]. Khanzadi, M and Behnood, A. 2009 “Mechanical properties of
high-strength concrete incorporating copper slag as coarse
aggregate”, “Construction and Building Materials, Vol. 23,
2183–2188.
[10].M. Najimi, J. Sobhani and A. R. Pourkhorshidi (2011)
“Durability of copper slag contained concrete exposed to
sulphate attack”. Construction and Building Materials
25(2011)1895-1905.
[11].Madhavi, T.Ch. 2014. Copper slag in concrete as replacement
material. International Journal of Civil engineering and
technology (IJCIET). Vol.5, Issue, 3, pp.327-332.
[12].Naganur, J. and B. A. Chethan. 2014. Effect of copper slag as a
partial replacement of fine aggregate on the properties of
cement concrete. International Journal of Research (IJR). Vol-
1, Issue-8.
[13].Nataraja, M.C., Chandan, G.N. and Rajeeth, T. J. 2014.
Concrete mix design using copper slag as fine aggregate.
International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology
(IJCIET). Vol 5, Issue 9, pp.90-99.
[14].R R Chavan& D B Kulkarni (2013) : “Performance of Copper
Slag on Strength properties as Partial Replace of Fine
Aggregate in Concrete Mix Design” International Journal of
Advanced Engineering Research and Studies.
[15].Zander, M. and Friedrich, B. 2011. Improving copper recovery
from production slags by advanced stirring methods.
Proceeding of EMC.

SCOPE OF REPLACING FINE AGGREGATE WITH COPPER SLAG IN CONCRETE- A REVIEW

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SCOPE OF REPLACING FINE AGGREGATE WITH COPPER SLAG IN CONCRETE- A REVIEW