Slag cement fit for local builders

Engineers have been told that slag cement can add to a building’s life span and in the process save them money as well. The point was made at  a recent symposium at the UWI, St Augustine, titled,  “Attributes and Benefits of Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS) in concrete production in the Caribbean.” It was hosted by the Faculty of Engineering, in conjunction with the Engineering Institute. Over 200 engineers and students attended to hear a lecture on the merit of the product  from Henry B Prenger of International Cement Manufacturers’ La Farge, the world’s largest manufacturer of cement. Prenger indicated that when constructing structures, particularly of a mass concrete variety, slag cement was increasingly the material of choice for engineers and contractos around the world. These structures show increased strength, durability, lower permeability and lower heat of hydration and resistance to sulphate attack. Given Trinidad’s situation, he indicated that the product was particularly well suited either to structures being funded by government or private construction. Therefore, he said, it was hard to think of any reason why the product would not be more widely used.

He noted further that where slag cement’s pricing structure was concerned it would be hard to justify not using it, as it is virtually the same price as ordinary Portland Cement. This can give buildings a much longer life than they are currently getting, Prenger said. Attention was also drawn to the environmental benefits of the product, another major advantage, as compared to the harmful effects specifically on the planet’s “ozone layer” on continuing existing cement practices. Harricrete Limited, the only local supplier of Slag cement noted that enquires received after the conference, especially from government ministries, indicated that engineers were receptive to the idea. The company further noted that it has had to establish a special “slag hotline” to deal with the influx of customer inquiries, especially from members of the public.