Properties of Gypsum Mortars Dosed with LFS for Use in the Design of Prefabricated Blocks

Abstract

The aim of the present investigation is to determine the suitability of gypsum mortars with mineral additions of ladle furnace slags (LFS) for use in the manufacture of prefabricated blocks. Different dosages of gypsum mortars are designed, and the corresponding tests for their characterization are performed, with the objective of determining their properties, in both the fresh and the hardened state, in accordance with applicable standards. A suitable dosage is then chosen, bearing in mind the optimization criterion on the use of waste in gypsum mixtures, seeking a balance between the quantity of slag that is used and the quality of its properties. Completing the study, a series of complementary tests are performed related to its behaviour in the presence of heat, fire, and both thermal and acoustic transmission. The results showed that the gypsum mortar designs presented similar properties to the conventional mortars and can be approved for use in construction, either as gypsum mortars or as raw material for the manufacture of prefabricated blocks, in compliance with the requirements established in current European standards. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.