Tensile Strain Hardening Behavior of PVA Fiber-Reinforced Engineered Geopolymer Composite
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 27, Issue 10
Abstract
This paper is aimed to improve the mechanical properties (namely compressive and tensile strengths) of a recently developed fly ash-based engineered geopolymer composite (EGC) with relatively low-concentration activator combinations. In this regard, four different activator combinations (including two Na-based solutions and one K-based activator solution, and one lime-based activator combination in the form of powder) were used to develop the fly ash-based EGCs exhibiting strain hardening behavior under uniaxial tension. Randomly oriented short polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers (2% v/v) were used to reinforce the relatively brittle low-calcium (Class F) fly ash-based geopolymer matrix. The matrix and composite properties of the developed fly ash-based EGCs [including workability of the fresh matrix, density, compressive strength, matrix fracture properties (comprising elastic modulus, fracture toughness, and composite crack tip toughness), and uniaxial tensile behavior] were evaluated. A counterpart conventional engineered cementitious composite (ECC) with a water-to-cement ratio corresponding to the activator solution to fly ash ratio of the EGCs was also made for comparison. Experimental results revealed that in fly ash-based EGCs, the use of Na-based activator combination composed of 8.0 M NaOH solution (28.6% w/w) and solution (71.4% w/w) with a ratio of 2.0 is highly beneficial in terms of lower cost, higher compressive strength, higher matrix fracture properties, and superior uniaxial tensile behavior compared to the other three activator combinations.
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Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge Kuraray Co. Ltd. of Japan for supplying the PVA fibers used in the research reported in this paper. The first author would like to acknowledge the financial assistance in terms of SUPRA-Ph.D. scholarship from Swinburne University of Technology. The authors also acknowledge the assistance of the Smart Structures Laboratory staff of Swinburne University of Technology during the experimental work of the research reported in this paper.
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Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 27 • Issue 10 • October 2015
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© 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 4, 2014
Accepted: Nov 11, 2014
Published online: Jan 6, 2015
Discussion open until: Jun 6, 2015
Published in print: Oct 1, 2015
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