POSCO announced on the 18th that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korea Expressway Corporation Road Traffic Research Institute, the Korean Society of Construction and Recycling Resources, and Hyundai Steel to utilize steel byproducts in highway construction and realize a circular economy.
This agreement is designed to enhance cooperation, including the establishment of quality standards for steel slag aggregates through collaborative research and technology exchange among the four parties, to enable the use of metallurgical slag in asphalt concrete paving for highways.
POSCO and Hyundai Steel will derive quality assurance measures and points for improvement for steel slag used in asphalt concrete, while the Road Traffic Research Institute will assist in revising road paving standards, and the Korean Society of Construction and Recycling Resources will work on the Ministry of Environment's institutional improvements regarding the use of steel slag.
Steel slag is a representative byproduct of the steelmaking process, which occurs when impurities from molten iron are removed and the composition is finely adjusted. It is a valuable alternative resource with higher strength compared to natural aggregates such as natural gravel and sand, though it has been used primarily as a base aggregate for fill in road construction.
However, as the demand for asphalt paving has increased due to abnormal temperatures and the rise in heavy vehicle traffic, the scarcity of natural aggregates has prompted attention to asphalt paving using steel slag. The use of steel slag in asphalt paving is also a measure to increase the lifespan of roads and reduce maintenance expenses.
This year, POSCO has begun applying steel slag to asphalt paving for the first time, expanding the use of steel slag as coarse aggregate for asphalt concrete. Furthermore, building upon this cooperation, they expect to secure stable quality and production of steel slag aggregates, allowing for the increased use of steel slag in future highway constructions and road maintenance.
Cho Nam-min, president of the Korea Expressway Corporation Road Traffic Research Institute, noted, “Highway construction considering the environment is now establishing itself as a necessity rather than a choice,” and added, “We will actively collaborate with academics and the private sector to develop highway construction technologies that consider the environment.”
Cho Kyung-seok, head of the Environmental and Energy Planning Division at POSCO, said, “POSCO is making efforts to realize a circular economy by setting resource utilization goals for byproducts generated during the steel production process,” and added, “We will enhance the quality of steel slag and increase its added value through continuous research and development.”