Development and Characterization of Fly Ash–Slag Blended Geopolymer Mortar and Lightweight Concrete
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 30, Issue 4
Abstract
A synopsis of an experimental program on the development of a sustainable fly ash–slag blended geopolymer mortar (GPM) and lightweight geopolymer concrete (LGPC) is presented. Geopolymer mortar mixes were prepared incorporating industrial by-products and sustainable desert dune sand to study the effect of different mixing variables, including binding materials, curing temperature, and alkaline activator solution composition and content, on the rheological and mechanical performance. Optimum mix designs were then formulated into producing LGPC samples with different binding materials and curing temperature. Lightweight geopolymer concrete specimens exhibited a brittle behavior with a weakened structure due to low-strength lightweight aggregates. Lightweight geopolymer concrete made with dune sand and a fly ash to slag ratio of resulted in the highest compressive strength when cured for 24 h at 60°C. Microstructure characterization of LGPC specimens was also conducted. Scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry showed the coexistence of an aluminosilicate hydrate geopolymer gel and aluminum-modified gel as the main polymerization reaction products in an amorphous geopolymeric microstructure.
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Acknowledgments
Financial support for this study was provided by the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) under Grants 31N249 and 31N241. Participation of students and assistance of laboratory staff at UAEU is gratefully acknowledged. Ashtech International supplied the fly ash and Emirates Cement Factory provided the ground-granulated blast-furnace slag used in the study.
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Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 30 • Issue 4 • April 2018
Copyright
©2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: May 16, 2017
Accepted: Sep 19, 2017
Published online: Jan 17, 2018
Published in print: Apr 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Jun 17, 2018
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