UTILIZATION OF BY-PRODUCED SULFUR FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF UNMODIFIED SULFUR CONCRETE

摘要

In the last decades the availability of sulfur has considerably grown in many countries. This is mainly due to the current environmental restrictions regarding the petroleum and gas refining processes, which limit the maximum quantity of sulfur present at combustibles. Extremely large quantities of sulfur are thus obtained as a by-product of these processes, together with coal processing and refining of copper in the mining sector. The development of new applications for sulfur becomes fundamental. Sulfur concrete has a relatively simple composition and manufacture, and very interesting characteristics and properties. Its extremely high corrosion resistance, mechanical strength and fast hardening, make it a high performance material suitable for several applications, especially the ones in which other materials, fail. A simple formulated sulfur concrete, made with unmodified sulfur, has been manufactured and tested to demonstrate the feasibility of its utilization. Its microstructure has been studied and its appropiate mechanical and environmental properties have been assured. Finally, several applications for sulfur concrete have been proposed. It has been proved that the use of unmodifed sulfur concrete can not be ruled out as it was in the past, as an interesting construction alternative in areas where high level technology is not available.