Performance and Microstructural Evaluation of Rice Husk Ash–Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag–CFBC Fly Ash Mixtures Produced as an Eco-Cement
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 34, Issue 3
Abstract
This study was designed to evaluate the performance and microstructure of eco-cements containing rice husk ash (RHA), ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), and circulating fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) fly ash (CFA). Eco-cement samples with a water to () mass ratio of 0.40 were prepared with four mass percentages of 0%, 15%, 30%, and 45% and three mass percentages of 10%, 20%, and 30%. The compressive strength performance and overall quality [tested using ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV)] of the eco-cements were found to be significantly and differently affected by the percentages of RHA, GGBFS, and CFA used. Although CFA was found to reduce compressive strength and UPV at early ages of curing, CFA enhanced these values at later ages and promoted the development of the eco-cements due to the increased formation of hydration products [ettringite (AFt), C─ S─ H, and C─ A─ S─ H], as identified using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analyses. The incorporation of more RHA was found to reduce the compressive strength and UPV values of the eco-cements. The compressive strength values of the eco-cements at 28 and 91 days were in the ranges of 20.4–39.1 and , respectively, whereas the UPV values of all eco-cements at 28 and 91 days were in the ranges of 2,897–3,368 and , respectively. The RHA-free eco-cement activated by 20% CFA had the highest compressive strength and UPV values at all curing ages. The substitution of GGBFS with 15%–45% RHA can be used to produce eco-cements used in mortar/concrete with various requirements such as low to medium strength and low cost.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the Vietnam National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) under Grant No. 107.99-2018.300. The authors thank Hoang-Anh Nguyen and Bich-Quyen Thi Tran at Can Tho University for their valuable assistance provided during the experimental works.
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Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 34 • Issue 3 • March 2022
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© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 28, 2020
Accepted: Jul 21, 2021
Published online: Dec 28, 2021
Published in print: Mar 1, 2022
Discussion open until: May 28, 2022
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