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CEMENTITIOUS MATERIALS

Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS) for concrete

Ground-granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS or GGBFS) is obtained by quenching molten iron slag (a by-product of iron and steel-making) from a blast furnace in water or steam, to produce a glassy, granular product that is then dried and ground into a fine powder.

GGBS (Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag) is a cementitious material whose main use is in concrete and is a by-product from the blast-furnaces used to make iron. Blast-furnaces operate at temperatures of about 1,500°C and are fed with a carefully controlled mixture of iron ore, coke and limestone.

GGBFS Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag possess properties similar to that of cement thus is a probable replacement for it. The impact that GGBFS has on concrete properties like hydration, setting time, workability, compressive strength, flexural strength, micro-structure, modulus of elasticity and durability is canvased.

Fly Ash for Concrete

Fly ash is a fine powder that is a byproduct of burning pulverized coal in electric generation power plants. Fly ash is a pozzolan; a substance containing aluminous and siliceous material that forms cement in the presence of water. When mixed with lime and water, fly ash forms a compound similar to Portland cement. This makes fly ash suitable as a prime material in blended cement, mosaic tiles, and hollow blocks, among other building materials. When used in concrete mixes, fly ash improves the strength and segregation of the concrete and makes it easier to pump.

Fly Ash can be a cost-effective substitute for Portland cement in many markets. Fly ash is also recognized as an environmentally friendly material because it is a byproduct and has low embodied energy, the measure of how much energy is consumed in producing and shipping a building material. By contrast, Portland cement has a very high embodied energy because its production requires a great deal of heat. Fly ash requires less water than Portland cement and is easier to use in cold weather.

Other benefits of Fly Ash include:

Micro Silica

Micro Silica is a mineral admixture composed of very fine solid glassy spheres of silicon dioxide. Frequently called silica fume, Micro Silica is a by-product of the industrial manufacture of ferrosilicon and metallic silicon in high temperature electric arc furnaces.

Micro Silica in concrete contributes to strength and durability two ways: as a pozzolan, provides a more uniform distribution and greater volume of hydration products and as a filler, decreases the average size of pores in the cement paste.

Micro Silica reduces the rate of carbonation, decreases permeability to chloride ions, and imparts high electrical resistivity. Therefore micro silica concrete can be expected to be strongly protective of reinforcement and embedment.

Daylight distributes FERROGLOBE Company's micro silica in big bags which is a key component in high-performance concrete, refractories, oil & gas well cements and building materials like fiber cement in big bags to its customers in Iraq