Design and properties of plaster mortars manufactured with ladle furnace slag

This study deals with the properties of a series of plasters containing different proportions of ladle furnace slag used as mineral aggregate. The tests characterise the influences of two admixtures: a superfluidifier to reduce the water absorption (SikaMix®) of mortar plaster and an adhesive emulsion to improve the surface adherence (SikaLatex®). The physical and mechanical results confirm the feasibility of employing ladle furnace slag as a mineral aggregate, which induces an increase in density, in vapour permeability and in porosity. The results highlight also a decrease of adherence, durability and mechanical strength, proportionally to the amount of plaster substituted by slag. Scanning electron microscopy imaging and elemental mapping show good interaction between the various constituents. The thermal degradation of the mixtures reflects an improvement in strength resistance in relation to temperature, as further slag is incorporated. The economical study suggests that these recycled materials are cost-effectively viable and may be applied as plaster mortars for use in masonry.