Multi-fiber reinforced ettringite-based composites from industrial side streams

The development of high-performance cementitious composites from industrial side streams, which has both economic and environmental benefits, is of high demand. Ladle slag is a promising by-product from the steelmaking industry, which can form an ettringite-based binder. This experimental investigation focuses on the mechanical properties of different hybrid and mono fibers reinforced by ettringite-based binders from the ladle slag. The experimental results reveal that fibers greatly enhance the mechanical properties of the developed mixtures. The composites exhibit strain-hardening behavior with multiple cracks under flexural and tensile loading. In addition, the compressive strength of the composites can be 130% higher than the plain materials. To attain a balance between mechanical and economic aspects, a multi-criteria ranking method was used to evaluate 12 different mixtures. The ranking method suggests that a polypropylene micro fiber reinforced composite is the best mixture. The study recommends the efficient use of this industrial by-product for valuable applications in the construction industry. (C) 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).