From NORM by-products to building materials

Abstract

Within this chapter, four main groups of construction materials that allow the reuse of large quantities of by-products are considered: (1) those based on Portland cements (both as cement itself and as concrete), (2) those based on the alkali activation of different industrial products (mainly ground-granulated blast-furnace slag and fly ash), (3) ceramics and glass-ceramics, and (4) gypsum, in particular phosphogypsum. Particular emphasis is placed upon the types of by-product that could be used in the preparation of these construction materials and on the technical and chemical aspects that govern the reuse. For each by-product a separate section deals on (1) the technical (and chemical) aspects of the use as a construction material and on (2) the resulting radiological properties of the construction material. The considered by-products themselves and their radiological properties are discussed more in detail in Chapter 6.