Evaluation of strength and durability properties of fly ash-based geopolymer concrete containing GGBS and dolomite

Abstract

Ordinary Portland cement is a construction material that is widely utilized all over the world. Aside from deforestation and fossil fuel combustion, the cement manufacturing industry contributes significantly to carbon dioxide emissions, which questions the viability of using Portland cement (PC) in concrete construction. Therefore, finding an alternative to the existing one becomes crucial. Geopolymer concrete (GPC) is a relatively advanced and innovative form of concrete that can be prepared without the use of PC. The present research emphasizes the assessment of the strength and durability of GPC containing fly ash (FA), ground-granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), and dolomite as binders. The control mix consists entirely of FA as a binder, while five additional mixes are prepared by replacing 20% FA with either GGBS or dolomite or in varying combinations. The slump test is used to assess the workability of the concrete. Key mechanical properties such as compressive strength and split tensile strength are also determined, along with non-destructive tests including ultrasonic pulse velocity and electrical resistivity. To assess GPC durability, initial surface absorption and capillary suction absorption tests are conducted at various curing ages. The findings demonstrate that incorporating GGBS and dolomite into FA-based GPC results in notable improvements in both strength and durability. However, this enhancement reduces the workability compared to the control mix. The addition of GGBS and dolomite yields remarkable enhancements in compressive strength, showing an impressive surge of up to 67%, and a substantial reduction in initial surface absorption, up to 65%, as compared to the control mix over a period of 56 days. The most favorable results in terms of both strength and durability are achieved when FA is replaced with 20% of GGBS. Also, the mix containing a combination of 10% GGBS and 10% dolomite yields comparable results to the mix with 20% GGBS, making it a cost-effective alternative.

Keywords

Fly ash / GGBS / Dolomite / Alkaline activators / Geopolymer concrete

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