Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Fracture Behavior of Particle-Reinforced Alkali-Activated Slag Mortars
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 31, Issue 5
Abstract
This paper presents fracture responses of alkali-activated slag (AAS) mortars with up to 30% (by volume) of slag being replaced by waste iron powder that contains a significant fraction of elongated iron particles. The elongated particles act as microreinforcement and improve the crack resistance of AAS mortars by enlarging the fracture process zone (FPZ). An enlarged FPZ signifies increased energy dissipation, which is reflected in a significant increase in crack growth resistance as determined from R-curves. Fracture responses of notched AAS mortar beams under three-point bending are simulated using the extended finite-element method (XFEM) to develop a tool for direct determination of fracture characteristics such as crack extension and fracture toughness in particulate-reinforced AAS mortars. Fracture response simulated using the XFEM framework correlates well with experimental observations. The comprehensive fracture studies reported here provide an economical and sustainable means of improving the ductility of AAS systems, which are generally more brittle than their conventional portland cement counterparts.
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Acknowledgments
The authors sincerely acknowledge support for this study from the National Science Foundation (CMMI: 1353170) and the College of Engineering and Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Rhode Island. The contents of this paper reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and accuracy of the data presented herein, and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the National Science Foundation; nor do the contents constitute a standard, specification, or a regulation. We gratefully acknowledge the use of facilities in the Laboratory for the Science of Sustainable Infrastructural Materials (LS-SIM) and the LeRoy Eyring Center for Solid State Sciences (LE-CSSS) at Arizona State University. Raw materials provided by Holcim US, Schuff Steel, and Iron Shell LLC are acknowledged.
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Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 31 • Issue 5 • May 2019
Copyright
©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Jul 15, 2018
Accepted: Oct 17, 2018
Published online: Mar 4, 2019
Published in print: May 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Aug 4, 2019
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