Understanding Early Geopolymerization Process of Fly Ash–Based Geopolymer Paste Using Pattern Recognition
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 30, Issue 6
Abstract
This study investigates the geopolymerization process of fly ash–based geopolymer paste specimens using acoustic emissions; the activating solution is a combination of silica fume and sodium hydroxide, made with two different water:solid weight ratios (w/s), 0.30 and 0.35. The specimens are cured in ambient conditions (). The acoustic emission data are processed through pattern recognition (PR), and two clusters are identified and assigned to a specific mechanism depending on their characteristics. Results show that there is a predominant difference in the acquisition data between the two water:binder weight ratios. Pattern recognition shows that the greatest number of geopolymerization mechanisms, including dissolution of Si and Al atoms, forming bubbles, and microcrack initiation, occur at roughly the same time for the 0.3 w/s samples, whereas in 0.35 w/s samples the mechanisms occur sequentially. Final setting time of Vicat penetration tests, which assume a starting point of microcrack initiations, is 60 min after the test onset for 0.3 w/s ratio samples, whereas it occurs after approximately 600 min for 0.35 w/s samples. Microcrack initiation predicted by the pattern recognition technique coincides with the final setting times. Scanning electron microscope observations also coincide with the pattern recognition findings.
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Acknowledgments
This research is partially supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, and Office of Biological and Environmental Research under Award Number DE-SC-00012530.
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Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 30 • Issue 6 • June 2018
Copyright
©2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 8, 2017
Accepted: Nov 9, 2017
Published online: Mar 28, 2018
Published in print: Jun 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Aug 28, 2018
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