Flowability, Strength, and Water Absorption of Mortars Containing Fly Ash and WRA Having Varying Main Chain Lengths
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 35, Issue 4
Abstract
Within the scope of this study, the effect of the main chain length of polycarboxylate-based water-reducing admixture (WRA) on the fresh properties, compressive strength, and water absorption of mortar mixtures containing fly ash was investigated. Three WRAs with the same structure but different main chain lengths and resultantly different molecular weights were used. Effects of the admixtures on the properties of cementitious systems with 0, 15, 30, and 45 wt.% fly ash were investigated. Irrespective of the fly ash substitution level, the fluidity of the mixtures was improved when the admixture main chain length was increased up to a certain level. Possibly beyond a certain main chain length, the entanglement of too large main chains of the polymer to each other reduced the electrostatic effect of the polymer. Thus, the flow properties of the mixtures were affected negatively. The side chain molecular weight (length) of the admixtures was fixed (). However, the molecular weight of the admixtures was adjusted as 24, 48, and by changing the main chain length of the polymer. The admixture with molecular weight showed the best performance in terms of mortar fresh properties. However, the change in the length of the main chain of admixture did not have a considerable effect on the compressive strength and water absorption of the mortar. In addition, apart from the WRA admixture property, time-dependent flow and permeation properties of the mixtures were affected negatively by the increase in fly ash substitution level.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
Acknowledgments
The authors appreciate the contributions of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) and Bursa Uludag University Science and Technology Centre (BAP) under Grant Nos. 219M425, AYP(MH)-2016/16, DDP(MH)-2018/9, and DDP(MH)-2019/15. In addition, the second author would like to acknowledge the scholarship provided by TUBITAK under Grant No. 217M408 during his Ph.D. study. The authors would also like to thank Polisan Construction Chemicals Company and Bursa-Beton Ready Mixed Concrete authorities for their kind assistance in providing the cement, aggregate, and WRA as well as determining their properties.
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Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 35 • Issue 4 • April 2023
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© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Dec 29, 2021
Accepted: Aug 3, 2022
Published online: Jan 31, 2023
Published in print: Apr 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Jun 30, 2023
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