High temperature mechanical characterisation of an alumina refractory concrete for Blast Furnace main trough: Part I. General context

Blast Furnace main trough is an industrial structure submitted to severe high temperature cyclic loading applied on its inner lining made of refractory concrete. The attempt to increase the lifetime of such a structure by numerical simulation requires a proper experimental characterisation of all materials involved and particularly of the refractory concrete. The present paper exposes an analysis of the conditions required for an experimental setup in accountancy with the material working conditions. Then, the development of a performing high temperature mechanical testing device aimed at characterising the castable behaviour in its service conditions is introduced. In particular an original extensometer allowing high temperature direct measurement of the specimen height variation has been developed. Lastly, results of an uniaxiale compression test carried out at intermediate temperature are presented and discussed.