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Sample records for based geopolymer concretes

  1. Fracture behaviour of heat cured fly ash based geopolymer concrete

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sarker, Prabir K.; Haque, Rashedul; Ramgolam, Karamchand V.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► Fly ash geopolymer (GPC) can help reduce carbon footprint of concrete. ► Fracture behaviour of GPC as compared to OPC concrete was studied. ► Fracture energy of GPC was similar to that of OPC concrete. ► GPC showed higher fracture toughness than OPC concrete. ► Higher bond strength resulted in higher crack resistance of GPC. -- Abstract: Use of fly ash based geopolymer as an alternative binder can help reduce CO 2 emission of concrete. The binder of geopolymer concrete (GPC) is different from that of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete. Thus, it is necessary to study the effects of the geopolymer binder on the behaviour of concrete. In this study, the effect of the geopolymer binder on fracture characteristics of concrete has been investigated by three point bending test of RILEM TC 50 – FMC type notched beam specimens. The peak load was generally higher in the GPC specimens than the OPC concrete specimens of similar compressive strength. The failure modes of the GPC specimens were found to be more brittle with relatively smooth fracture planes as compared to the OPC concrete specimens. The post-peak parts of the load–deflection curves of GPC specimens were steeper than that of OPC concrete specimens. Fracture energy calculated by the work of fracture method was found to be similar in both types of concrete. Available equations for fracture energy of OPC concrete yielded conservative estimations of fracture energy of GPC. The critical stress intensity factor of GPC was found to be higher than that of OPC concrete. The different fracture behaviour of GPC is mainly because of its higher tensile strength and bond strength than OPC concrete of the same compressive strength.

  2. Self-compacting geopolymer concrete-a review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ukesh Praveen, P.; Srinivasan, K.

    2017-11-01

    In this construction world, Geopolymer concrete is a special concrete which doesn’t requires the Ordinary Portland Cement and also reduces the emission of carbon-dioxide. The Geopolymer Concrete is made up of industrial by-products (which contains more Silica and Alumina) and activated with the help of Alkaline solution (combination of sodium hydroxide & sodium silicate or potassium hydroxide & potassium silicate). The high viscosity nature of Geopolymer Concrete had the ability to fail due to lack of compaction. In improvising the issue, Self Compacting Geopolymer Concrete has been introduced. The SCGC doesn’t require any additional compaction it will flow and compacted by its own weight. This concrete is made up of industrial by-products like Fly ash, GGBFS and Silica Fume and activated with alkaline solution. The earlier research was mostly on Fly ash based SCGC. In few research works Fly ash was partially replaced with GGBS and Silica Fume. They evaluated the compressive strength of concrete with varying molarities of NaOH; curing time and curing temperature. The flexural behaviour of the concrete also examined. The Fly ash based SCGC was got high compressive strength in heat curing as well as low compressive strength in ambient curing. The presence of GGBS improves the strength in ambient curing. For aiming the high strength in ambient curing Fly ash will be completely replace and examine with different mineral admixtures.

  3. An Investigation of Bond Strength of Reinforcing Bars in Fly Ash and GGBS Based Geopolymer Concrete

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boopalan C.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Geopolymers are amorphous aluminosilicate materials. Geopolymers are binders formed by alkali activation of Geopolymer Source Materials (GSM using an alkaline activator solution. Concretes made using Geopolymer binders are excellent alternative to the Ordinary Portland Cement concretes from strength, durability, and ecological considerations. Especially, usage of industrial waste materials such as Fly Ash and Slags as GSMs considerably lower the carbon footprint of concrete and mitigate the damage due to the unscientific dumping/disposal of these materials. To use the Geopolymer concrete (GPC for reinforced structural members, the composite action of reinforcing bars with Geopolymer concrete i.e. the bond behaviour should be well understood. This paper describes the bond behaviour of 12mm and 16mm dia. bars embedded in Fly ash and GGBS based Geopolymer concrete and conventional Portland Pozzolana cement concrete specimens investigated using the pull-out tests as per Indian Standard Code IS:2770(Part-I; the bond stresses and corresponding slips were found out. The bond stress increased with increase in compressive strength. The peak bond stress was found to be 4.3 times more than the design bond stress as per IS:456-2000. The Geopolymer concretes possess higher bond strength compared to the conventional cement concretes.

  4. Performance of fly ash based geopolymer incorporating palm kernel shell for lightweight concrete

    Science.gov (United States)

    Razak, Rafiza Abd; Abdullah, Mohd Mustafa Al Bakri; Yahya, Zarina; Jian, Ang Zhi; Nasri, Armia

    2017-09-01

    A concrete which cement is totally replaced by source material such as fly ash and activated by highly alkaline solutions is known as geopolymer concrete. Fly ash is the most common source material for geopolymer because it is a by-product material, so it can get easily from all around the world. An investigation has been carried out to select the most suitable ingredients of geopolymer concrete so that the geopolymer concrete can achieve the desire compressive strength. The samples were prepared to determine the suitable percentage of palm kernel shell used in geopolymer concrete and cured for 7 days in oven. After that, other samples were prepared by using the suitable percentage of palm kernel shell and cured for 3, 14, 21 and 28 days in oven. The control sample consisting of ordinary Portland cement and palm kernel shell and cured for 28 days were prepared too. The NaOH concentration of 12M, ratio Na2SiO3 to NaOH of 2.5, ratio fly ash to alkaline activator solution of 2.0 and ratio water to geopolymer of 0.35 were fixed throughout the research. The density obtained for the samples were 1.78 kg/m3, water absorption of 20.41% and the compressive strength of 14.20 MPa. The compressive strength of geopolymer concrete is still acceptable as lightweight concrete although the compressive strength is lower than OPC concrete. Therefore, the proposed method by using fly ash mixed with 10% of palm kernel shell can be used to design geopolymer concrete.

  5. Workability enhancement of geopolymer concrete through the use of retarder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Umniati, B. Sri; Risdanareni, Puput; Zein, Fahmi Tarmizi Zulfikar

    2017-09-01

    Geopolymer concrete is a type of concrete manufactured without the addition of cement. In geopolymer concrete, along with an activator, cement as the concrete binder can be replaced by the fly ash. This will reduce global demand on cement, and therefore will reduce CO2 emission due to cement production. Thus, geopolymer concrete is commonly known as an eco-friendly concrete. Geopolymer concrete also offers a solution concerning with the utilization of the fly ash waste. However, despite of its environmental advantages, geopolymer concrete has a drawback, namelygeopolymer concrete set quickly, thus reducing its workability. This research aimed to increase the workability of geopolymer concrete by using retarder admixture (Plastocrete RT6 Plus). Retarder used varies within 0.2%, 0.4% and 0.6% of fly ash mass. As a control, geopolymer concrete without retarder (0%) were also made. Activator used in this research was Na2SiO3 mixed with NaOH 10 M solution, with ratio of 1:5. The results showed an optimum composition of geopolymer concrete with 0.6% retarder, where initial setting time occured after 6.75 hours, and the final setting time reached after 9.5 hours. Moreover, the slump of the geopolymer concrete was 8.8 cm, and the slump flow was 24 cm. The compressive strength of the geopolymer concrete at 28 days was 47.21 MPa. The experiment showed that the more retarder added, the setting time of the geopolymer concrete will be increased, thus increasing its workability.

  6. Effect of fire exposure on cracking, spalling and residual strength of fly ash geopolymer concrete

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sarker, Prabir Kumar; Kelly, Sean; Yao, Zhitong

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Fire endurance of fly ash geopolymer concrete has been studied. • No spalling in geopolymer concrete cylinders up to 1000 °C fire. • Less cracking and better fire endurance of geopolymer concrete than OPC concrete. • Geopolymer microstructure remained stable up to 1000 °C fire. - Abstract: Fly ash based geopolymer is an emerging alternative binder to cement for making concrete. The cracking, spalling and residual strength behaviours of geopolymer concrete were studied in order to understand its fire endurance, which is essential for its use as a building material. Fly ash based geopolymer and ordinary portland cement (OPC) concrete cylinder specimens were exposed to fires at different temperatures up to 1000 °C, with a heating rate of that given in the International Standards Organization (ISO) 834 standard. Compressive strength of the concretes varied in the range of 39–58 MPa. After the fire exposures, the geopolymer concrete specimens were found to suffer less damage in terms of cracking than the OPC concrete specimens. The OPC concrete cylinders suffered severe spalling for 800 and 1000 °C exposures, while there was no spalling in the geopolymer concrete specimens. The geopolymer concrete specimens generally retained higher strength than the OPC concrete specimens. The Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images of geopolymer concrete showed continued densification of the microstructure with the increase of fire temperature. The strength loss in the geopolymer concrete specimens was mainly because of the difference between the thermal expansions of geopolymer matrix and the aggregates

  7. The Effect of Corrosive Environment on Geopolymer Concrete Tensile Strength

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bayuaji Ridho

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This study has the purpose to explore the potential of geopolymer concrete tensile strength in particular on the effects of corrosive environments. Geopolymer concrete, concrete technology used no OPC that has advantages, one of which is durability, especially for corrosive seawater environment. In addition, geopolymer concrete with polymerization mechanism does not require large energy consumption or an environmentally friendly concept. Geopolymer concrete in this study is using a type C fly ash from PT. International Power Mitsui Operation & Maintenence Indonesia (IPMOMI Paiton. The type of alkaline activator used NaOH (14 molar and Na2SiO3. Coarse and fine aggregate used are local aggregate. Geopolymer concrete molded test specimen with dimensions of (10 × 20 cm cylinder, further heating and without heating, then maintained at room temperature and seawater up to 28 days. Then to determine the mechanical properties, the tensile strength testing is done with reference. This result of study indicates the curing of geopolymer concrete at 60 ° C for 24 hours to raise the tensile strength of geopolymer concrete.

  8. The Influence of Salt Water on Chloride Penetration in Geopolymer Concrete

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    Halim Like Novia

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the influence of chloride ion penetration in geopolymer concrete. Fly ash as based material for geopolymer concrete was used in this mixture. Fly ash was mixed with sodium hydroxide (NaOH 8 M and sodium silicate (Na2SiO3 as the alkali solution. The sizes of cylindrical specimens were prepared with a diameter of 100 mm and 200 mm high. Some specimens were immersed in salt water at a concentration of 3.5%, and other control specimens were cured in tap water for 30, 60, 90, and 120 days. The mechanical properties were determined with compressive test which was conducted at 28, 30, 60, 90 and 120 days. Some durability tests were performed for porosity, chloride penetration, and pH measurement. It was found that geopolymer concrete has higher compressive strength than concrete made with Ordinary Portland cement (OPC. However, chloride penetration in geopolymer concrete is higher than OPC. The pH measurement showed that geopolymer concrete has less pH than OPC concrete. The porosity of concrete has been found to influence chloride penetration and pH of concrete.

  9. Performance of steel wool fiber reinforced geopolymer concrete

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faris, Meor Ahmad; Abdullah, Mohd Mustafa Al Bakri; Ismail, Khairul Nizar; Muniandy, Ratnasamy; Ariffin, Nurliayana

    2017-09-01

    In this paper, performance of geopolymer concrete was studied by mixing of Class F fly ash from Manjung power station, Lumut, Perak, Malaysia with alkaline activator which are combination of sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate. Steel wool fiber were added into the geopolymer concrete as reinforcement with different weight percentage vary from 0 % - 5 %. Chemical compositions of Malaysian fly ash was first analyzed by using X-ray fluorescence. All geopolymer concrete reinforced with steel wool fiber with different weight percentage were tested in terms of density, workability, and compression. Result shows Malaysian fly ash identified by using XRF was class F. Density of geopolymer concrete close to density of OPC which is approximately 2400 kg/m3 and the density was increase gradually with the additions of steel fiber. However, the inclusions of steel fibers also shows some reduction to the workability of geopolymer concrete. Besides, the compressive strength was increased with the increasing of fibers addition until maximum of 18.6 % improvement at 3 % of steel fibers.

  10. Behavior of concrete cylinders confined by a ferro-geopolymer jacket in axial compression

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    Kothay Heng

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available It is beneficial to utilize geopolymers for their potential properties to rehabilitate concrete structures. These properties include high adhesion to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC concrete even at low degrees of interfacial roughness, high durability and good fire resistance. This paper introduces use of a ferro-geopolymer jacket to strengthen concrete columns. It is a kind of jacket constructed with a geopolymer mortar reinforced with a wire mesh. This study was conducted to investigate the behavior of concrete cylinders confined with a ferro-geopolymer jacket in axial compression. OPC concrete cylinders with 100 mm diameter and 200 mm height were fabricated. High calcium fly ash-based geopolymer mortar, activated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH and sodium silicate (Na2SiO3, cured at a temperature of 25 ºC was used. Ferro-geopolymer jackets with a25 mm thickness, were reinforced with 1, 2 and 3 layers of expanded metal mesh and cast around concrete cylinders. The study results revealed that the compressive load carrying capacity and axial stiffness of concrete cylinders were improved. A monolithic failure mode was obtained as a result of a strong adhesion between the geopolymer and the concrete core. Enhancement of compressive load carrying capacity of the jacketed concrete cylinders was caused by a combination of a confinement effect and the compressive load resistance of the jacket transferred from concrete core through bonding.

  11. Durability of Geopolymer Lightweight Concrete Infilled LECA in Seawater Exposure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Razak, R. A.; Abdullah, M. M. A. B.; Yahya, Z.; Hamid, M. S. A.

    2017-11-01

    This paper describes a development of lightweight concrete using lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA) in fly ash (FA) based geopolymer immersed in seawater. The objective of this research is to compare the performance of geopolymer concrete (GPC) with ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete infilled lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA) in seawater exposure. Geopolymer concrete is produced by using alkaline activator to activate the raw material, FA. The highest compressive strength of this study is 42.0 MPa at 28 days and 49.8 MPa at 60 days. The density for this concrete is in the range of 1580 kg/m3 to 1660 kg/m3. The result for water absorption is in the range of 6.82% to 14.72%. However, the test results of weight loss is in the range between 0.30% to 0.43%.

  12. Study on The Geopolymer Concrete Properties Reinforced with Hooked Steel Fiber

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdullah, M. M. A. B.; Tahir, M. F. M.; Tajudin, M. A. F. M. A.; Ekaputri, J. J.; Bayuaji, R.; Khatim, N. A. M.

    2017-11-01

    In this research, Class F fly ash and a mixture of alkaline activators and different amount of hooked steel fiber were used for preparing geopolymer concrete. In order to analyses the effect of hooked steel fiber on the geopolymer concrete, the analysis such as chemical composition of fly ash, workability of fresh geopolymer, water absorption, density, compressive strength of hardened geopolymer concrete have been carried out. Mixtures were prepared with fly ash to alkaline liquid ratio of 2.0 with hooked steel fibers were added to the mix with different amounts which are 1%, 3%, 5% and 7% by the weight of the concrete. Experimental results showed that the compressive strength of geopolymer concrete increases as the hooked steel fibers increases. The optimum compressive strength obtained was up to 87.83 MPa on the 14th day. The density of geopolymer concrete are in the range between 2466 kg/m3 to 2501 kg/m3. In addition, the workability value of geopolymer without hooked steel fibers is 100 mm while the workability value of geopolymer with hooked steel fibers are between 60 mm to 30 mm.

  13. Optimum Mix for Pervious Geopolymer Concrete (GEOCRETE Based on Water Permeability and Compressive Strength

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    Abdulsalam Arafa Salaheddin

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The production of ordinary Portland cement (OPC consumes considerable natural resources and energy, and it also affects the emission of a significant quantity of CO2 in the atmosphere. This pervious geopolymer concrete study aims to explore an alternative binder without OPC. Pervious geopolymer concretes were prepared from fly ash (FA, sodium silicate (NaSiO3, sodium hydroxide (NaOH solution, and coarse aggregate (CA. The effects of pervious geopolymer concrete parameters that affect water permeability and compressive strength are evaluated. The FA to CA ratios of 1:6, 1:7,1:8, and 1:9 by weight, CA sizes of 5–10, 10–14, and 14–20 mm, constant NaSiO3/NaOH ratio of 2.5, alkaline liquid to fly ash (AL/FA ratios of 0.4, 0.5, and 0.6, and NaOH concentrations of 8, 10, and 12 M were the pervious geopolymer concrete mix proportions. The curing temperature of 80 °C for 24 h was used. The results showed that a pervious geopolymer concrete with CA of 10 mm achieved water permeability of 2.3 cm/s and compressive strength of 20 MPa with AL/FA ratio of 0.5, NaOH concentration of 10 M, and FA:CA of 1:7. GEOCRETE is indicated to have better engineering properties than does pervious concrete that is made of ordinary Portland cement.

  14. Some Durability Aspects of Ambient Cured Bottom Ash Geopolymer Concrete

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    Saravanakumar R.

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The present study examines some durability aspects of ambient cured bottom ash geopolymer concrete (BA GPC due to accelerated corrosion, sorptivity, and water absorption. The bottom ash geopolymer concrete was prepared with sodium based alkaline activators under ambient curing temperatures. The sodium hydroxide used concentration was 8M. The performance of BA GPC was compared with conventional concrete. The test results indicate that BA GPC developes a strong passive layer against chloride ion diffusion and provides better protection against corrosion. Both the initial and final rates of water absorption of BA GPC were about two times less than those of conventional concrete. The BA GPC significantly enhanced performance over equivalent grade conventional concrete (CC.

  15. Influence of Kaolin in Fly Ash Based Geopolymer Concrete: Destructive and Non-Destructive Testing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yahya, Z.; Abdullah, M. M. A. B.; Ramli, N. Mohd; Burduhos-Nergis, D. D.; Razak, R. Abd

    2018-06-01

    Development of geopolymer concrete is mainly to reduce the production of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) that adverse the natural effect. Fly ash is a by-product collected from electrical generating power plant which resulted from burning pulverized coal. Since fly ash is waste materials, it can be recycled for future advantages particularly as pozzolanic materials in construction industry. This study focused on the feasibility of fly ash based geopolymer concrete to which kaolin has been added. The main constituents of geopolymer production for this study were class F fly ash, sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution. The concentration of NaOH solution was fixed at 12 Molar, ratio of fly ash/alkaline activator and sodium silicate/NaOH fixed at 1.5 and 2.5, respectively. Kaolin was added in range 5% to 15% from the mass of fly ash and all the samples were cured at room temperature. Destructive and non-destructive test were performed on geopolymer concrete to evaluate the best mix proportions that yield the highest strength as well as the quality of the concrete. Compressive strength, flexural strength, rebound hammer and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) result have been obtained. It shown that 5% replacement of kaolin contributed to maximum compressive strength and flexural strength of 40.4 MPa and 12.35 MPa at 28 days. These result was supported by non-destructive test for the same mix proportion.

  16. The effect of steam curing on chloride penetration in geopolymer concrete

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    Jaya Ekaputri Januarti

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we present the result of our study on the effect of steam curing to chloride ion penetration in geopolymer concrete. Class F fly ash was activated using sodium hydroxide (NaOH and sodium silicate (Na2SiO3. The concrete specimens were then steam-cured at 40°C, 60°C, 80°C and room temperature at 24 hours. The treatment was followed by wet curing for 28 days, and then followed by immersion of all specimens in salt water for the durations of 30, 60, and 90 days. Cylindrical specimens were then prepared for compressive strength, chloride ion penetration, pH, and porosity tests. A 16 mm-steel bar was fixed at the center of the specimen concrete blocks (specimen size: 10cm × 10cm × 15cm. Corrosion probability was determined by conducting Half Cell Potential test. Our result showed that increasing the curing temperature to 80°C induced chloride ion penetration into the concrete’s effective pores, despite improvements in compressive strength. We also found that chloride ingress on the geopolymer concrete increases commensurately with the increase of the curing temperature. The corrosion potential measurement of geopolymer concrete was higher than OPC concrete even if corrosion was not observed in reinforcing. Based on our result, we suggest that the corrosion categorization for geopolymer concretes needs to be adjusted.

  17. Sulphuric Acid Resistant of Self Compacted Geopolymer Concrete Containing Slag and Ceramic Waste

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    Shafiq I.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Malaysia is a one of the developing countries where the constructions of infrastructure is still ongoing, resulting in a high demand for concrete. In order to gain sustainability factors in the innovations for producing concrete, geopolymer concrete containing granulated blast-furnace slag and ceramics was selected as a cement replacement in concrete for this study. Since Malaysia had many ceramic productions and uses, the increment of the ceramic waste will also be high. Thus, a new idea to reuse this waste in construction materials have been tested by doing research on this waste. Furthermore, a previous research stated that Ordinary Portland Cement concrete has a lower durability compared to the geopolymer concrete. Geopolymer binders have been reported as being acid resistant and thus are a promising and alternative binder for sewer pipe manufacture. Lack of study regarding the durability of the geopolymer self-compacting concrete was also one of the problems. The waste will be undergoing a few processes in the laboratory in order to get it in the best form before undergoing the next process as a binder in geopolymer concrete. This research is very significant in order to apply the concept of sustainability in the construction field. In addition, the impact of this geopolymer binder is that it emits up to nine times less CO2 than Portland Cement.

  18. Inclusion of geopolymers derivate from fly ash and pumice in reinforced concrete

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montaño, A. M.; González, C. P.; Castro, D.; Gualdron, G.; Atencio, R.

    2017-12-01

    This paper presents results of a research project related to the development of alkali-activated geopolymers, synthesized from alumina-silicate minerals (fly ash and pumice) which are added to concrete. Alkali sources used in geopolymer synthesis were sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate solution. New materials were structurally characterized by Infra-Red spectroscopy (IR) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). Concretes obtained after geopolymers addition as Portland cement substitutes at 10%, 20% and 30%, were mechanically analysed by compression resistance at 7, 14, 28 and 90 drying days. Results were referred to standard (concrete of Portland cement) allows to know cementitious characteristics of geopolymers are lower than those for standard, but it keeps growing at longer drying time than Portland cement. By Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) it is found that this new material shows high electrical resistance and have been proved as a protection agent against corrosion in reinforced concrete exhibiting anticorrosive properties higher than those showed by the conventional concrete mixture.

  19. Production of lightweight Geopolymer concrete using artificial local lightweight aggregate

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    Abbas Waleed

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Due to the rapid depletion of natural resources, the use of waste materials and by-products from different industries of building construction has been gaining increased attention. Geopolymer concrete based on Pozzolana is a new material that does not need the presence of Portland cement as a binder. The main focus of this research is to produce lightweight geopolymer concrete (LWGPC using artificial coarse lightweight aggregate which produced from locally available bentonite clays. In this investigation, the binder is low calcium fly ash (FA and the alkali activator is sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate in different molarities. The experimental tests including workability, fresh density, also, the compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, water absorption and ultrasonic pulse velocity at the age of 7, 28 and 56 days were studied. The oven dry density and thermal conductivity at 28 days age are investigated. The results show that it is possible to produce high strength lightweight geopolymer concrete successfully used as insulated structural lightweight concrete. The 28-day compressive strength, tensile strength, flexural strength, dry density, and thermal conductivity of the produced LWGPC are 35.8 MPa, 2.6MPa, 5.5 MPa, 1835kg/m3, and 0.9567 W/ (m. K, respectively.

  20. Experimental study on workability of alkali activated fly ash and slag-based geopolymer concretes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Arbi, K.A.; Nedeljkovic, M.; Zuo, Y.; Grunewald, S.; Keulen, A.; Ye, G.

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents an investigation on workability and strength of geopolymer concrete made of fly ash (FA), blast furnace slag (BFS) and a multicompound activator of Na2SiO3 and NaOH solutions. The FA/BFS ratios were 100:0, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50, 40:60, 30:70 and 0:100. The workability of geopolymer

  1. Synergetic use of lignite fly ash and metallurgical converter slag in geopolymer concrete

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    Gábor Mucsi

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available The application and utilization of the industrial wastes and by-products in the construction industry is a key issue from an environmental and economic point of view. The increased use of lignite has substantially increased the available quantities of lignite fired power plant fly ash, which can be mainly classified as class C fly ash. The utilization of such raw material however has some difficulties. In the present paper lignite fired power station fly ash and metallurgical converter slag were used for the production of geopolymer concrete. The fly ash was used as a geopolymer based binder material, and a converter slag as aggregate, thus created a geopolymer concrete which contains mainly industrial wastes. As preliminary test experimental series were carried out using andesite as aggregate. The optimal aggregate/binder ratio was determined. The effect of the amount of alkaline activator solution in the binder, the aggregate type on the geopolymer concretes’ compressive strength and density was investigated. Furthermore, the physical properties - freeze-thaw resistance and particle size distribution - of the applied aggregates were measured as well. As a result of the experiments it was found that physical properties of the andesite and converter slag aggregate was close. Therefore andesite can be replaced by converter slag in the concrete mixture. Additionally, geopolymer concrete with nearly 20 MPa compressive strength was produced from class C fly ash and converter slag.

  2. Optimization and influence of parameter affecting the compressive strength of geopolymer concrete containing recycled concrete aggregate: using full factorial design approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krishnan, Thulasirajan; Purushothaman, Revathi

    2017-07-01

    There are several parameters that influence the properties of geopolymer concrete, which contains recycled concrete aggregate as the coarse aggregate. In the present study, the vital parameters affecting the compressive strength of geopolymer concrete containing recycled concrete aggregate are analyzedby varying four parameters with two levels using full factorial design in statistical software Minitab® 17. The objective of the present work is to gain an idea on the optimization, main parameter effects, their interactions and the predicted response of the model generated using factorial design. The parameters such as molarity of sodium hydroxide (8M and 12M), curing time (6hrs and 24 hrs), curing temperature (60°C and 90°C) and percentage of recycled concrete aggregate (0% and 100%) are considered. The results show that the curing time, molarity of sodium hydroxide and curing temperature were the orderly significant parameters and the percentage of Recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) was statistically insignificant in the production of geopolymer concrete. Thus, it may be noticeable that the RCA content had negligible effect on the compressive strength of geopolymer concrete. The expected responses from the generated model showed a satisfactory and rational agreement to the experimental data with the R2 value of 97.70%. Thus, geopolymer concrete comprising recycled concrete aggregate can solve the major social and environmental concerns such as the depletion of the naturally available aggregate sources and disposal of construction and demolition waste into the landfill.

  3. Fly ash/Kaolin based geopolymer green concretes and their mechanical properties

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    F.N. Okoye

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Geopolymer concrete mixes were cast using fly ash, kaolin, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium silicate and aggregates. Portland cement concrete (M30 was used as a reference sample. The effect of silica fume, temperature (40 °C, 60 °C, 80 °C, 100 °C and 120 °C, sodium and potassium hydroxides and different superplasticizers on the compressive strength are reported [1]. Maximum strength was found at 100 °C and 14 M alkali solution [1].

  4. Experimental Study on Rise Husk Ash & Fly Ash Based Geo-Polymer Concrete Using M-Sand

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nanda Kishore, G.; Gayathri, B.

    2017-08-01

    Serious environmental problems by means of increasing the production of Ordinary Portland cement (OPC), which is conventionally used as the primary binder to produce cement concrete. An attempt has been made to reduce the use of ordinary Portland cement in cement concrete. There is no standard mix design of geo-polymer concrete, an effort has been made to know the physical, chemical properties and optimum mix of geo-polymer concrete mix design. Concrete cubes of 100 x 100 x 100 mm were prepared and cured under steam curing for about 24 hours at temperature range of 40°C to 60°C. Fly ash is replaced partially with rice husk ash at percentage of 10%, 15% and 25%. Sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate are of used as alkaline activators with 5 Molar and 10 Molar NaOH solutions. Natural sand is replaced with manufacture sand. Test results were compared with controlled concrete mix of grade M30. The results shows that as the percentage of rice husk ash and water content increases, compressive strength will be decreases and as molarity of the alkaline solution increases, strength will be increases.

  5. Properties and Behavior of Geopolymer Concrete Subjected to Explosive Air Blast Loading: A Review

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    Mohd Mortar Nurul Aida

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The severe damage to civilian buildings, public area, jet aircraft impact and defense target under explosive blast loading can cause a huge property loss. Most of researcher discusses the topics on design the concrete material model to sustain againts the explosive detonation. The implementation of modern reinforcement steels and fibres in ordinary Portland cement (OPC concrete matrix can reduce the extreme loading effects. However, most researchers have proved that geopolymer concrete (GPC has better mechanical properties towards high performance concrete, compared to OPC. GPC has the high early compressive strength and high ability to resist the thermal energy from explosive detonation. In addition, OPC production is less environmental friendly than geopolymer cement. Geopolymer used can lead to environmental protection besides being improved in mechanical properties. Thus, this paper highlighted on an experimental, numerical and the analytical studies cause of the explosive detonation impact to concrete structures.

  6. Utilisation of steel furnace slag coarse aggregate in a low calcium fly ash geopolymer concrete

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khan, M.S.H.; Castel, Arnaud; Akbarnezhad, A.; Foster, Stephen J.; Smith, Marc

    2016-01-01

    This paper evaluates the performance of steel furnace slag (SFS) coarse aggregate in blended slag and low calcium fly ash geopolymer concrete (GPC). The geopolymer binder is composed of 90% of low calcium fly ash and 10% of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS). Mechanical and physical properties, shrinkage, and detailed microstructure analysis were carried out. The results showed that geopolymer concrete with SFS aggregate offered higher compressive strength, surface resistivity and pulse velocity than that of GPC with traditional aggregate. The shrinkage results showed no expansion or swelling due to delayed calcium oxide (CaO) hydration after 320 days. No traditional porous interfacial transition zone (ITZ) was detected using scanning electron microscopy, indicating a better bond between SFS aggregate and geopolymer matrix. Energy dispersive spectroscopy results further revealed calcium (Ca) diffusion at the vicinity of ITZ. Raman spectroscopy results showed no new crystalline phase formed due to Ca diffusion. X-ray fluorescence result showed Mg diffusion from SFS aggregate towards geopolymer matrix. The incorporation of Ca and Mg into the geopolymer structure and better bond between SFS aggregate and geopolymer matrix are the most likely reasons for the higher compressive strength observed in GPC with SFS aggregate.

  7. Durability of Bricks Coated with Red mud Based Geopolymer Paste

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Smita; Basavanagowda, S. N.; Aswath, M. U.; Ranganath, R. V.

    2016-09-01

    The present study is undertaken to assess the durability of concrete blocks coated with red mud - fly ash based geopolymer paste. Concrete blocks of size 200 x 200 x 100mm were coated with geopolymer paste synthesized by varying the percentages of red mud and fly ash. Uncoated concrete blocks were also tested for the durability for comparison. In thermal resistance test, the blocks were subjected to 600°C for an hour whereas in acid resistance test, they were kept in 5% sulphuric acid solution for 4 weeks. The specimens were thereafter studied for surface degradation, strength loss and weight loss. Pastes with red mud percentage greater than 50% developed lot of shrinkage cracks. The blocks coated with 30% and 50% red mud paste showed better durability than the other blocks. The use of blocks coated with red mud - fly ash geopolymer paste improves the aesthetics, eliminates the use of plaster and improves the durability of the structure.

  8. Effect of silica fume on the fresh and hardened properties of fly ash-based self-compacting geopolymer concrete

    Science.gov (United States)

    Memon, Fareed Ahmed; Nuruddin, Muhd Fadhil; Shafiq, Nasir

    2013-02-01

    The effect of silica fume on the fresh and hardened properties of fly ash-based self-compacting geopolymer concrete (SCGC) was investigated in this paper. The work focused on the concrete mixes with a fixed water-to-geopolymer solid (W/Gs) ratio of 0.33 by mass and a constant total binder content of 400 kg/m3. The mass fractions of silica fume that replaced fly ash in this research were 0wt%, 5wt%, 10wt%, and 15wt%. The workability-related fresh properties of SCGC were assessed through slump flow, V-funnel, and L-box test methods. Hardened concrete tests were limited to compressive, splitting tensile and flexural strengths, all of which were measured at the age of 1, 7, and 28 d after 48-h oven curing. The results indicate that the addition of silica fume as a partial replacement of fly ash results in the loss of workability; nevertheless, the mechanical properties of hardened SCGC are significantly improved by incorporating silica fume, especially up to 10wt%. Applying this percentage of silica fume results in 4.3% reduction in the slump flow; however, it increases the compressive strength by 6.9%, tensile strength by 12.8% and flexural strength by 11.5%.

  9. Selected durability studies of geopolymer concrete with respect to carbonation, elevated temperature, and microbial induced corrosion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badar, Mohammad Sufian

    This thesis reports a comprehensive study related to the experimental evaluation of carbonation in reinforced geopolymer concrete, the evaluation of geopolymer concretes at elevated temperature, and the resistance of geopolymer concrete to microbial induced corrosion (MIC). Carbonation: Reinforced concretes, made of geopolymer, prepared from two class F fly ashes and one class C fly ash, were subjected to accelerated carbonation treatment for a period of 450 days. Electrochemical, microstructure and pore structure examinations were performed to evaluate the effect of corrosion caused due to carbonation. GPC specimens prepared from class F fly ash exhibited lower corrosion rates by a factor of 21, and higher pH values (pH>12) when compared with concrete specimens prepared from class C Fly ash (GPCMN). Microstructure and pore characterization of GPC prepared using class F fly ash revealed lower porosity by a factor of 2.5 as compared with thier counterparts made using GPC-MN. The superior performace of GPC prepared with the class F fly ash could be attributed to the dense pore structure and formation of the protective layer of calcium and sodium alumino silicate hydrates (C/N-A-S-H) geopolymeric gels around the steel reinforcement. Elevated Temperature: Geopolymers are an emerging class of cementitious binders which possess a potential for high temperature resistance that could possibly be utilized in applications such as nozzles, aspirators and refractory linings. This study reports on the results of an investigation into the performance of a fly ash based geopolymer binder in high temperature environments. Geopolymer concrete (GPC) was prepared using eleven types of fly ashes obtained from four countries. High content alumina and silica sand was used in the mix for preparing GPC. GPC was subjected to thermal shock tests following ASTM C 1100-88. The GPC samples prepared with tabular alumina were kept at 1093° C and immediately quenched in water. GPC specimens

  10. Experimental Tests on Bending Behavior of Profiled Steel Sheeting Dry Board Composite Floor with Geopolymer Concrete Infill

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohd Isa Jaffar

    Full Text Available Abstract Profiled Steel Sheet Dry Board (PSSDB system is a lightweight composite structure comprises Profiled Steel Sheeting and Dry Board connected by self-drilling and self-tapping screws. This study introduced geopolymer concrete, an eco-friendly material without cement content as an infill material in the PSSDB floor system to highlight its effect onto the PSSDB (with full and half-size dry boards floor system's stiffness and strength. Experimental tests on various full scale PSSDB floor specimens were conducted under uniformly distributed transverse loads. Results illustrate that the rigidity of the panel with geopolymer concrete infill with half-size dry board (HBGPC increases by 43% relative to that of the panel with normal concrete infill with full-size dry board (FBNC. The developed finite-element modeling (FEM successfully predicts the behavior of FBGPC model with 94.8% accuracy. Geopolymer concrete infill and dry board size influence the strength panel, infill contact stiffness, and mid-span deflection of the profiled steel sheeting/dry board (PSSDB flooring system.

  11. Application-Oriented Chemical Optimization of a Metakaolin Based Geopolymer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferone, Claudio; Colangelo, Francesco; Roviello, Giuseppina; Asprone, Domenico; Menna, Costantino; Balsamo, Alberto; Prota, Andrea; Cioffi, Raffaele; Manfredi, Gaetano

    2013-05-10

    In this study the development of a metakaolin based geopolymeric mortar to be used as bonding matrix for external strengthening of reinforced concrete beams is reported. Four geopolymer formulations have been obtained by varying the composition of the activating solution in terms of SiO₂/Na₂O ratio. The obtained samples have been characterized from a structural, microstructural and mechanical point of view. The differences in structure and microstructure have been correlated to the mechanical properties. A major issue of drying shrinkage has been encountered in the high Si/Al ratio samples. In the light of the characterization results, the optimal geopolymer composition was then applied to fasten steel fibers to reinforced concrete beams. The mechanical behavior of the strengthened reinforced beams was evaluated by four-points bending tests, which were performed also on reinforced concrete beams as they are for comparison. The preliminary results of the bending tests point out an excellent behavior of the geopolymeric mixture tested, with the failure load of the reinforced beams roughly twice that of the control beam.

  12. Application-Oriented Chemical Optimization of a Metakaolin Based Geopolymer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raffaele Cioffi

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available In this study the development of a metakaolin based geopolymeric mortar to be used as bonding matrix for external strengthening of reinforced concrete beams is reported. Four geopolymer formulations have been obtained by varying the composition of the activating solution in terms of SiO2/Na2O ratio. The obtained samples have been characterized from a structural, microstructural and mechanical point of view. The differences in structure and microstructure have been correlated to the mechanical properties. A major issue of drying shrinkage has been encountered in the high Si/Al ratio samples. In the light of the characterization results, the optimal geopolymer composition was then applied to fasten steel fibers to reinforced concrete beams. The mechanical behavior of the strengthened reinforced beams was evaluated by four-points bending tests, which were performed also on reinforced concrete beams as they are for comparison. The preliminary results of the bending tests point out an excellent behavior of the geopolymeric mixture tested, with the failure load of the reinforced beams roughly twice that of the control beam.

  13. Evaluation of Geopolymer Concrete for Rocket Test Facility Flame Deflectors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allgood, Daniel C.; Montes, Carlos; Islam, Rashedul; Allouche, Erez

    2014-01-01

    The current paper presents results from a combined research effort by Louisiana Tech University (LTU) and NASA Stennis Space Center (SSC) to develop a new alumina-silicate based cementitious binder capable of acting as a high performance refractory material with low heat ablation rate and high early mechanical strength. Such a binder would represent a significant contribution to NASA's efforts to develop a new generation of refractory 'hot face' liners for liquid or solid rocket plume environments. This project was developed as a continuation of on-going collaborations between LTU and SSC, where test sections of a formulation of high temperature geopolymer binder were cast in the floor and walls of Test Stand E-1 Cell 3, an active rocket engine test stand flame trench. Additionally, geopolymer concrete panels were tested using the NASA-SSC Diagnostic Test Facility (DTF) thruster, where supersonic plume environments were generated on a 1ft wide x 2ft long x 6 inch deep refractory panel. The DTF operates on LOX/GH2 propellants producing a nominal thrust of 1,200 lbf and the combustion chamber conditions are Pc=625psig, O/F=6.0. Data collected included high speed video of plume/panel area and surface profiles (depth) of the test panels measured on a 1-inch by 1-inch giving localized erosion rates during the test. Louisiana Tech conducted a microstructure analysis of the geopolymer binder after the testing program to identify phase changes in the material.

  14. The Application of PVA Fiber to Improve the Mechanical Properties of Geopolymer Concrete

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manfaluthy Muhammad Lutfi

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents an experimental investigation on the improvement of geopolymer concrete properties through the use of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA fibers mixed in the fresh concrete. For the purpose of obtaining the optimum mechanical properties, the volume fraction of PVA fibers was varied at 0%; 0.3%; 0.5%; ad 0.8%. All mixtures were cast by mixing fly ash, alkali activator, and aggregates. The activator used in this study was a combination of sodium silicate (Na2SiO3 and sodium hydroxide (NaOH. The mechanical properties of geopolymer concrete were obtained from the results of compressive strength, splitting strength, uniaxial tensile strength, elastic modulus, and flexural strength. It is found that the variation of 0.8% PVA fibers resulted in the highest strength for overall test. The utilization of 0.8% PVA fibers also contributed to increasing the direct tensile up to 50%. However, it is noticed that the elastic modulus was more prone to decrease as the fiber content in the mixture increased.

  15. Cementation of Nuclear Graphite Using Geopolymers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Girke, N.A.; Steinmetz, H-J.; Bukaemsky, A.; Bosbach, D.; Hermann, E.; Griebel, I.

    2016-01-01

    Geopolymers are solid aluminosilicate materials usually formed by alkali hydroxide or alkali silicate activation of solid precursors such as coal fly ash, calcined clay and/or metallurgical slag. Today the primary application of geopolymer technology is in the development of alternatives to Portland-based cements. Variations in the ratio of aluminium to silicon, and alkali to silicon or addition of structure support, produce geopolymers with different physical and mechanical properties. These materials have an amorphous three-dimensional structure that gives geopolymers certain properties, such as fire and acid resistance, low leach rate, which make them an ideal substitute for ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in a wide range of applications especially in conditioning and storage of radioactive waste. Therefore investigations have been initiated on how and to which amount graphite as a hydrophobic material can be mixed with cement or concrete to form stable waste products and which concretes fulfil the necessary specifications best. As a result, geopolymers have been identified as a promising matrix for graphite containing nuclear wastes. With geopolymers, both favourable properties in the cementation process and a high long time structural stability of the products can be achieved. Investigations include: • direct mixing of graphite with geopolymers with or without sand as a mechanically stabilizing medium; • production of cement-graphite granulates as intermediate products and embedding of these granulates in geopolymer; • coating of formed graphite pieces with geopolymer.The report shows that carbon in the form of graphite can both be integrated with different grain size spectra as well as shaped in the hydraulic binder geopolymer and meets the requirements for a stable long-term immobilisation. (author)

  16. Cementation of nuclear graphite using geo-polymers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Girke, N.A.; Steinmetz, H.J.; Bukaemsky, A.; Bosbach, D.; Hermann, E.; Griebel, I.

    2012-01-01

    Geo-polymers are solid aluminosilicate materials usually formed by alkali hydroxide or alkali silicate activation of solid precursors such as coal fly ash, calcined clay and/or metallurgical slag. Today the primary application of geo-polymer technology is in the development of alternatives to Portland-based cements. Variations in the ratio of aluminium to silicon, and alkali to silicon or addition of structure support, produce geo-polymers with different physical and mechanical properties. These materials have an amorphous three-dimensional structure that gives geo-polymers certain properties, such as fire and acid resistance, low leach rate, which make them an ideal substitute for ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in a wide range of applications especially in conditioning and storage of radioactive waste. Therefore investigations have been initiated about how and to which amount graphite as a hydrophobic material can be mixed with cement or concrete to form stable waste products and which concretes fulfill the specifications at best. As result geo-polymers have been identified as a promising matrix for graphite containing nuclear wastes. With geo-polymers both favorable properties in the cementation process and a high long time structural stability of the products can be achieved. (authors)

  17. Microencapsulated phase change materials for enhancing the thermal performance of Portland cement concrete and geopolymer concrete for passive building applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cao, Vinh Duy; Pilehvar, Shima; Salas-Bringas, Carlos; Szczotok, Anna M.; Rodriguez, Juan F.; Carmona, Manuel; Al-Manasir, Nodar; Kjøniksen, Anna-Lena

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Microencapsulated phase change materials give high energy storage capacity concrete. • Microcapsule addition increases the porosity of concrete. • Thermal and mechanical properties are linked to the enhanced concrete porosity. • Agglomerated microcapsules have strong impact on the concrete properties. • Microcapsules caused geopolymer to become more energy efficient than Portland cement. - Abstract: Concretes with a high thermal energy storage capacity were fabricated by mixing microencapsulated phase change materials (MPCM) into Portland cement concrete (PCC) and geopolymer concrete (GPC). The effect of MPCM on thermal performance and compressive strength of PCC and GPC were investigated. It was found that the replacement of sand by MPCM resulted in lower thermal conductivity and higher thermal energy storage, while the specific heat capacity of concrete remained practically stable when the phase change material (PCM) was in the liquid or solid phase. Furthermore, the thermal conductivity of GPC as function of MPCM concentration was reduced at a higher rate than that of PCC. The power consumption needed to stabilize a simulated indoor temperature of 23 °C was reduced after the addition of MPCM. GPC exhibited better energy saving properties than PCC at the same conditions. A significant loss in compressive strength was observed due to the addition of MPCM to concrete. However, the compressive strength still satisfies the mechanical European regulation (EN 206-1, compressive strength class C20/25) for concrete applications. Finally, MPCM-concrete provided a good thermal stability after subjecting the samples to 100 thermal cycles at high heating/cooling rates.

  18. Rice husk (RH) as additive in fly ash based geopolymer mortar

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yahya, Zarina; Razak, Rafiza Abd; Abdullah, Mohd Mustafa Al Bakri; Rahim, Mohd Azrin Adzhar; Nasri, Armia

    2017-09-01

    In recent year, the Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) concrete is vastly used as main binder in construction industry which lead to depletion of natural resources in order to manufacture large amount of OPC. Nevertheless, with the introduction of geopolymer as an alternative binder which is more environmental friendly due to less emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) and utilized waste materials can overcome the problems. Rice husk (RH) is an agricultural residue which can be found easily in large quantity due to production of paddy in Malaysia and it's usually disposed in landfill. This paper investigated the effect of rice husk (RH) content on the strength development of fly ash based geopolymer mortar. The fly ash is replaced with RH by 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% where the sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide was used as alkaline activator. A total of 45 cubes were casted and their compressive strength, density and water absorption were evaluated at 1, 3, and 7 days. The result showed compressive strength decreased when the percentage of RH increased. At 5% replacement of RH, the maximum strength of 17.1MPa was recorded at day 7. The geopolymer has lowest rate of water absorption (1.69%) at 20% replacement of RH. The density of the sample can be classified as lightweight geopolymer concrete.

  19. Hybrid optical-fibre/geopolymer sensors for structural health monitoring of concrete structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perry, M.; Saafi, M.; Fusiek, G.; Niewczas, P.

    2015-04-01

    In this work, we demonstrate hybrid optical-fibre/geopolymer sensors for monitoring temperature, uniaxial strain and biaxial strain in concrete structures. The hybrid sensors detect these measurands via changes in geopolymer electrical impedance, and via optical wavelength measurements of embedded fibre Bragg gratings. Electrical and optical measurements were both facilitated by metal-coated optical fibres, which provided the hybrid sensors with a single, shared physical path for both voltage and wavelength signals. The embedded fibre sensors revealed that geopolymer specimens undergo 2.7 mɛ of shrinkage after one week of curing at 42 °C. After curing, an axial 2 mɛ compression of the uniaxial hybrid sensor led to impedance and wavelength shifts of 7 × 10-2 and -2 × 10-4 respectively. The typical strain resolution in the uniaxial sensor was 100 μ \\varepsilon . The biaxial sensor was applied to the side of a concrete cylinder, which was then placed under 0.6 mɛ of axial, compressive strain. Fractional shifts in impedance and wavelength, used to monitor axial and circumferential strain, were 3 × 10-2 and 4 × 10-5 respectively. The biaxial sensor’s strain resolution was approximately 10 μ \\varepsilon in both directions. Due to several design flaws, the uniaxial hybrid sensor was unable to accurately measure ambient temperature changes. The biaxial sensor, however, successfully monitored local temperature changes with 0.5 °C resolution.

  20. Experimental Study on Flexural Strength of Reinforced Geopolymer Concrete Beams

    OpenAIRE

    Khoa Tan Nguyen; Tuan Anh Le; Kihak Lee

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents the flexural response of Reinforced Geopolymer Concrete (RGPC) beams. A commercial finite element (FE) software ABAQUS has been used to perform a structural behavior of RGPC beams. Using parameters such: stress, strain, Young’s modulus, and Poisson’s ratio obtained from experimental results, a beam model has been simulated in ABAQUS. The results from experimental tests and ABAQUS simulation were compared. Due to friction forces at the supports and loading rollers; slip occ...

  1. Fly Ash-based Geopolymer Lightweight Concrete Using Foaming Agent

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafiza Abdul Razak

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we report the results of our investigation on the possibility of producing foam concrete by using a geopolymer system. Class C fly ash was mixed with an alkaline activator solution (a mixture of sodium silicate and NaOH, and foam was added to the geopolymeric mixture to produce lightweight concrete. The NaOH solution was prepared by dilute NaOH pellets with distilled water. The reactives were mixed to produce a homogeneous mixture, which was placed into a 50 mm mold and cured at two different curing temperatures (60 °C and room temperature, for 24 hours. After the curing process, the strengths of the samples were tested on days 1, 7, and 28. The water absorption, porosity, chemical composition, microstructure, XRD and FTIR analyses were studied. The results showed that the sample which was cured at 60 °C (LW2 produced the maximum compressive strength for all tests, (11.03 MPa, 17.59 MPa, and 18.19 MPa for days 1, 7, and 28, respectively. Also, the water absorption and porosity of LW2 were reduced by 6.78% and 1.22% after 28 days, respectively. The SEM showed that the LW2 sample had a denser matrix than LW1. This was because LW2 was heat cured, which caused the geopolymerization rate to increase, producing a denser matrix. However for LW1, microcracks were present on the surface, which reduced the compressive strength and increased water absorption and porosity.

  2. Performance characterization of geopolymer composites for hot sodium exposed sacrificial layer in fast breeder reactors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Haneefa, K. Mohammed, E-mail: mhkolakkadan@gmail.com [Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras, Chennai (India); Santhanam, Manu [Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras, Chennai (India); Parida, F. C. [Radiological Safety Division, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam (India)

    2013-12-15

    Highlights: • Performance evaluation of geopolymers subjected to hot liquid sodium is performed. • Apart from mechanical properties, micro-analytical techniques are used for material characterization. • The geopolymer composite showed comparatively lesser damage than conventional cement composites. • Geopolymer technology can emerge as a new choice for sacrificial layer in SCFBRs. - Abstract: A sacrificial layer of concrete is used in sodium cooled fast breeder reactors (SCFBRs) to mitigate thermo-chemical effect of accidentally spilled sodium at and above 550 °C on structural concrete. Performance of this layer is governed by thermo-chemical stability of the ingredients of sacrificial layer concrete. Concrete with limestone aggregate is generally used as a sacrificial layer. Conventional cement based systems exhibit instability in hot liquid sodium environment. Geo-polymer composites are well known to perform excellently at elevated temperatures compared to conventional cement systems. This paper discusses performance of such composites subjected to exposure of hot liquid sodium in air. The investigation includes comprehensive evaluation of various geo-polymer composites before any exposure, after heating to 550 °C in air, and after immersing in hot liquid sodium initially heated to 550 °C in air. Results from the current study indicate that hot liquid sodium produces less damage to geopolymer composites than to the existing conventional cement based system. Hence, the geopolymer technology has potential application in mitigating the degrading effects of sodium fires and can emerge as a new choice for sodium exposed sacrificial layer in SCFBRs.

  3. Review on supplymentary cementitious materials used in inorganic polymer concrete

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srinivasreddy, K.; Srinivasan, K.

    2017-11-01

    This paper presents a review on various supplementary cementitious materials generated from industries are used in concrete, which one is considered a waste material. These materials are rich in aluminosilicates and are activated by sodium/potassium based alkaline solution to form geopolymer concrete. When these geopolymer concrete is used in civil engineering applications has showed better or similar mechanical properties and durability properties than ordinary Portland cement concrete. This paper also given the overview on sodium hydroxide (NaOH) & sodium silicate solution (Na2SiO3) ratios, curing adopted for different geopolymer concretes and the effect of adding fibres in geopolymer concretes.

  4. Geopolymer Composites for Potential Applications in Cultural Heritage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Ricciotti

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available A new class of geopolymer composites, as materials alternative to traditional binders, was synthesized and its potentialities as restoration material in Cultural Heritage has been explored. This material has been prepared through a co-reticulation reaction in mild conditions of a metakaolin-based geopolymer inorganic matrix and a commercial epoxy resin. The freshly prepared slurry displays a consistency, workability and thixotropic behavior that make it suitable to be spread on different substrates in restoration, repair and reinforcement actions, even on walls and ceilings. Applicability and compatibility tests on tuff and concrete substrates were carried out and the microstructure of the samples in correspondence of the transition zone was analyzed by means of scanning electron microscope (SEM observations and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS mapping. Our studies pointed out the formation of a continuous phase between the geopolymer composite and tuff and concrete substrates, highlighting a high compatibility of the geopolymer binder with different kinds of materials. These features indicate a large potential for applications of these materials in Cultural Heritage.

  5. Tensile behaviour of geopolymer-based materials under medium and high strain rates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Menna, Costantino; Asprone, Domenico; Forni, Daniele; Roviello, Giuseppina; Ricciotti, Laura; Ferone, Claudio; Bozza, Anna; Prota, Andrea; Cadoni, Ezio

    2015-09-01

    Geopolymers are a promising class of inorganic materials typically obtained from an alluminosilicate source and an alkaline solution, and characterized by an amorphous 3-D framework structure. These materials are particularly attractive for the construction industry due to mechanical and environmental advantages they exhibit compared to conventional systems. Indeed, geopolymer-based concretes represent a challenge for the large scale uses of such a binder material and many research studies currently focus on this topic. However, the behaviour of geopolymers under high dynamic loads is rarely investigated, even though it is of a fundamental concern for the integrity/vulnerability assessment under extreme dynamic events. The present study aims to investigate the effect of high dynamic loading conditions on the tensile behaviour of different geopolymer formulations. The dynamic tests were performed under different strain rates by using a Hydro-pneumatic machine and a modified Hopkinson bar at the DynaMat laboratory of the University of Applied Sciences of Southern Switzerland. The results are processed in terms of stress-strain relationships and strength dynamic increase factor at different strain-rate levels. The dynamic increase factor was also compared with CEB recommendations. The experimental outcomes can be used to assess the constitutive laws of geopolymers under dynamic load conditions and implemented into analytical models.

  6. An investigation of waste glass-based geopolymers supplemented with alumina

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christiansen, Mary U.

    An increased consideration of sustainability throughout society has resulted in a surge of research investigating sustainable alternatives to existing construction materials. A new binder system, called a geopolymer, is being investigated to supplement ordinary portland cement (OPC) concrete, which has come under scrutiny because of the CO2 emissions inherent in its production. Geopolymers are produced from the alkali activation of a powdered aluminosilicate source by an alkaline solution, which results in a dense three-dimensional matrix of tetrahedrally linked aluminosilicates. Geopolymers have shown great potential as a building construction material, offering similar mechanical and durability properties to OPC. Additionally, geopolymers have the added value of a considerably smaller carbon footprint than OPC. This research considered the compressive strength, microstructure and composition of geopolymers made from two types of waste glass with varying aluminum contents. Waste glass shows great potential for mainstream use in geopolymers due to its chemical and physical homogeneity as well as its high content of amorphous silica, which could eliminate the need for sodium silicate. However, the lack of aluminum is thought to negatively affect the mechanical performance and alkali stability of the geopolymer system. 39 Mortars were designed using various combinations of glass and metakaolin or fly ash to supplement the aluminum in the system. Mortar made from the high-Al glass (12% Al2O3) reached over 10,000 psi at six months. Mortar made from the low-Al glass (use in geopolymers, when care is given to consider the compositional and physical properties of the glass in mixture design.

  7. Alkaline Activator Impact on the Geopolymer Binders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Błaszczyński, Tomasz Z.; Król, Maciej R.

    2017-10-01

    Concrete structures are constantly moving in the direction of improving the durability. Durability depends on many factors, which are the composition of concrete mix, the usage of additives and admixtures and the place, where material will work and carry the load. The introduction of new geopolymer binders for geopolymer structures adds a new aspect that is type of used activator. This substance with strongly alkaline reaction is divided because of the physical state, the alkaline degree and above all the chemical composition. Taking into account, that at present the geopolymer binders are made essentially from waste materials or by-products from the combustion of coal or iron ore smelting, unambiguous determination of the effect of the activator on the properties of the geopolymer material requires a number of trials, researches and observation. This paper shows the influence of the most alkaline activators on the basic parameters of the durability of geopolymer binders. In this study there were used highly alkaline hydroxides, water glasses and granules, which are waste materials in a variety of processes taking place in chemical plants. As the substrate of geopolymer binders there were used fly ash which came from coal and high calcareous ash from the burning of lignite.

  8. Application of a clay-slag geopolymer matrix for repairing damaged concrete: Laboratory and industrial-scale experiments

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Perná, Ivana; Hanzlíček, Tomáš; Boura, P.; Lučaník, A.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 59, č. 10 (2017), s. 929-937 ISSN 0025-5300 Institutional support: RVO:67985891 Keywords : blast-furnace slag * geopolymer * scanning electron microscopy (SEM) * damaged concrete repair * long-term monitoring Subject RIV: JJ - Other Materials OBOR OECD: Composites (including laminates, reinforced plastics, cermets, combined natural and synthetic fibre fabrics Impact factor: 0.418, year: 2016

  9. Lightweight geopolymer composites as structural elements with improved insulation capacity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kakali Glikeria

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This study concerns the development of lightweight fly ash based geopolymers which can be applied as alternatives to the traditional lightweight concrete. Different kinds of expanded polystyrene were used as lightweight agents. The results showed that lightweight geopolymers were successfully prepared, exhibiting compressive strength and density in the range 7.70 – 29.57 MPa and 0.97 – 1.57 g/cm3, respectively. The product containing 3% w/w of commercial expanded polystyrene possesses low thermal conductivity (0.16 W/mK combined with sufficient mechanical strengths (11 MPa, excellent stability and fire resistance while its water absorption is comparable to that of conventional construction materials (cement mortars, concrete.

  10. Screening coal combustion fly ashes for application in geopolymers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Valcke, S.L.A.; Pipilikaki, P.; Sarabér, A.J.; Fischer, H.R.; Nugteren, H.W.

    2013-01-01

    Driven by cost and sustainability, secondary resource materials such as fly ash, blast furnace slag, and bottom ash are increasingly used for alternative types of concrete binders, such as geopolymers. Because secondary resources may be highly variable from the perspective of geopolymers, it is

  11. Solidification/stabilisation of liquid oil waste in metakaolin-based geopolymer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cantarel, V.; Nouaille, F.; Rooses, A.; Lambertin, D., E-mail: david.lambertin@cea.fr; Poulesquen, A.; Frizon, F.

    2015-09-15

    Highlights: • Formulation with 20 vol.% of oil in a geopolymer have been successful tested. • Oil waste is encapsulated as oil droplets in metakaolin-based geopolymer. • Oil/geopolymer composite present good mechanical performance. • Carbon lixiviation of oil/geopolymer composite is very low. - Abstract: The solidification/stabilisation of liquid oil waste in metakaolin based geopolymer was studied in the present work. The process consists of obtaining a stabilised emulsion of oil in a water-glass solution and then adding metakaolin to engage the setting of a geopolymer block with an oil emulsion stabilised in the material. Geopolymer/oil composites have been made with various oil fraction (7, 14 and 20 vol.%). The rigidity and the good mechanical properties have been demonstrated with compressive strength tests. Leaching tests evidenced the release of oil from the composite material is very limited whereas the constitutive components of the geopolymer (Na, Si and OH{sup −}) are involved into diffusion process.

  12. Optimum mix for fly ash geopolymer binder based on workability and compressive strength

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arafa, S. A.; Ali, A. Z. M.; Awal, A. S. M. A.; Loon, L. Y.

    2018-04-01

    The request of concrete is increasing every day for sustaining the necessity of development of structure. The production of OPC not only consumes big amount of natural resources and energy, but also emit significant quantity of CO2 to the atmosphere. Therefore, it is necessary to find alternatives like Geopolymer to make the concrete environment friendly. Geopolymer is an inorganic alumino-silicate compound, produced from fly ash. This paper describes the experimental work conducted by casting 40 geopolymer paste mixes, and was cured at 80°C for 24 h to evaluate the effect of various parameters affecting the workability and compressive strength. Alkaline solution to fly ash ratio and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) concentration were chosen as the key parameters of strength and workability. Laboratory investigation with different percentage of sodium hydroxide concentration and different alkaline liquid to fly ash ratio reveals that the optimum ratios are 10 M, AL/FA=0.5. It has generally been found that the workability decreased and the compressive strength increased with an increase in the concentration of sodium hydroxide solution. However, workability was increased and the compressive strength was decreased with the increase in the ratio of fly ash to alkaline solution.

  13. Preparation and Characterization of New Geopolymer-Epoxy Resin Hybrid Mortars

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raffaele Cioffi

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available The preparation and characterization of metakaolin-based geopolymer mortars containing an organic epoxy resin are presented here for the first time. The specimens have been prepared by means of an innovative in situ co-reticulation process, in mild conditions, of commercial epoxy based organic resins and geopolymeric slurry. In this way, geopolymer based hybrid mortars characterized by a different content of normalized sand (up to 66% in weight and by a homogeneous dispersion of the organic resin have been obtained. Once hardened, these new materials show improved compressive strength and toughness in respect to both the neat geopolymer and the hybrid pastes since the organic polymer provides a more cohesive microstructure, with a reduced amount of microcracks. The microstructural characterization allows to point out the presence of an Interfacial Transition Zone similar to that observed in cement based mortars and concretes. A correlation between microstructural features and mechanical properties has been studied too.

  14. Immobilization of simulated radionuclide 133Cs{sup +} by fly ash-based geopolymer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Qin; Sun, Zengqing; Tao, Dejing; Xu, Yan; Li, Peiming; Cui, Hao; Zhai, Jianping, E-mail: jpzhai@nju.edu.cn

    2013-11-15

    Highlights: • Fly ash-based geopolymer was used to immobilize 133Cs{sup +}, with cement as comparison. • Less Cs{sup +} was leached out from geopolymer in deionized water, acid and salt solutions. • Geopolymer showed more excellent acid resistance than cement blocks. • Geopolymer maintained superior mechanical strength to cement matrices. • Geopolymer showed good freeze–thaw and high-temperature performances. -- Abstract: The recent nuclear leak in Japan once again attracted people's attention to nuclear safety problems. Because of their poor thermal stability, those low-cost materials such as cement and asphalt cannot be used for the solidification of the radioactive wastes. In this work, the solidification behavior of 133Cs{sup +} by fly ash-based geopolymer was investigated. Leaching tests (carried out in deionized water, sulfuric acid and magnesium sulfate solutions) revealed that the geopolymer solidification had lower cumulative fraction leaching concentration (CFLC) of 133Cs{sup +} than that of cemented form. The thermal stability (high-temperature and freeze–thaw resistance) and acid-resistance of the geopolymer were also both better than that of cement. The geopolymer solidification block can acquire a compressive strength up to 30 MPa after 2 h calcination at 1000 °C. The morphology and mineral phases of the geopolymer and the geopolymer solidification block were characterized by SEM and XRD, and EDX analysis indicated that most of Cs associated with the amorphous geopolymer gel. These results gave encouragement for the idea that the fly ash-based geopolymer could be used as a low-cost and high-efficiency material for the immobilization of radioactive wastes.

  15. Deformational behaviour of fly-ash based geopolymer concrete at temperatures of up to 150°c

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Junaid M Talha

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The use of Geopolymer Concrete (GP*C has been on the rise over the last few decades owing to its lower carbon emissions as compared to Ordinary Portland Cement Concrete (OPC. Recent research has also established the superior thermal properties of GPC and makes it an ideal construction material for specialized application. However, the deformational behaviour of GPC at elevated temperatures has not fully understood. If GPC is to be used as a main stream construction material for specialized applications, the exact deformational behaviour of the material under thermal loading needs to be investigated. This paper looks into the deformational characteristics of GPC (with natural crushed siliceous aggregates when dry heated up to 150°C at near zero loading. The deformations recorded using a clip-on extensometer are used to determine the strains developed in the GPC samples due to thermal loads. Coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE for the tested GPC samples was found and was comparable to OPC concrete at the tested temperatures. Between ambient (20°C and 80°C the CTE for GPC was determined to be between 10.3-10.9x10−6mm/mm/°C which is similar to OPC concretes. CTE for temperatures between 80°C and 150°C was determined to be 9.3-10.0x10−6 mm/mm/°C. First heating cycles resulted in much lower CTE which may be due to the presence of evaporable water in the samples. Like OPC, GPC is a non-homogeneous material and the variation in the materials between samples account for the slight variation in the CTE values determined.

  16. Earthquake Response of Reinforced Concrete Building Retrofitted with Geopolymer Concrete and X-shaped Metallic Damper

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madheswaran, C. K.; Prakash vel, J.; Sathishkumar, K.; Rao, G. V. Rama

    2017-06-01

    A three-storey half scale reinforced concrete (RC) building is fixed with X-shaped metallic damper at the ground floor level, is designed and fabricated to study its seismic response characteristics. Experimental studies are carried out using the (4 m × 4 m) tri-axial shake-table facility to evaluate the seismic response of a retrofitted RC building with open ground storey (OGS) structure using yielding type X-shaped metallic dampers (also called as Added Damping and Stiffness-ADAS elements) and repairing the damaged ground storey columns using geopolymer concrete composites. This elasto-plastic device is normally incorporated within the frame structure between adjacent floors through chevron bracing, so that they efficiently enhance the overall energy dissipation ability of the seismically deficient frame structure under earthquake loading. Free vibration tests on RC building without and with yielding type X-shaped metallic damper is carried out. The natural frequencies and mode shapes of RC building without and with yielding type X-shaped metallic damper are determined. The retrofitted reinforced concrete building is subjected to earthquake excitations and the response from the structure is recorded. This work discusses the preparation of test specimen, experimental set-up, instrumentation, method of testing of RC building and the response of the structure. The metallic damper reduces the time period of the structure and displacement demands on the OGS columns of the structure. Nonlinear time history analysis is performed using structural analysis package, SAP2000.

  17. Strength Performance of Blended Ash Based Geopolymer Mortar

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zahib, Zaidahtulakmal M.; Kamaruddin, Kartini; Saman, Hamidah M.

    2018-03-01

    Geopolymer is a based on inorganic alumino-silicate binder system. Geopolymeric materials are formed using materials that containing silica and aluminium such as fly ash and rice husk ash, which activated by alkaline solution. This paper presents the study on the effect of replacement of SSA in RHA based geopolymer, types of curing and different molarity of NaOH used on the strength of Sewage Sludge Ash (SSA) and Rice Husk Ash (RHA) based geopolymer mortar incorporating with three (3) different mix proportions. Based geopolymer mortar was synthesized from treated sewage sludge and rice husk undergoing incineration process in producing ashes, activated with sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide solution by ratio of 2.5:1 and solution to ash ratio of 1:1. Molarity of 8M and 10M NaOH were used. The percentages of SSA replacement were 0%, 10% and 20% by weight. Compressive strength was conducted at age 7, 14 and 28 days to see the development of strength with two curing regimes, which are air curing and oven curing (60°C for 24 hours). From the research conducted, the ultimate compressive strength (6.28MPa) was obtained at zero replacement of SSA taken at 28 days of oven curing with 10M of NaOH. This shows that RHA, which is rich in silica content is enough to enhance the strength of geopolymer mortar especially with high molarity of NaOH.

  18. Bond Strength Mechanism of Fly Ash Based Geopolymer Mortars: A Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zailani, W. W. A.; Abdullah, M. M. A. B.; Razak, R. A.; Zainol, M. R. R. M. A.; Tahir, M. F. M.

    2017-11-01

    Geopolymer possess many excellent properties such as high compressive and bond strength, long term durability, better acid resistance and also known as a “Sustainable Material” due to its low carbon emission and low energy consumption. Thus, it is a good opportunity to develop and explore not only for cement and concrete but also as geopolymeric repair materials. This reviews showed that good bonding properties between geopolymeric repair material and concrete substrate is important in order to acquire an enhanced resistance against penetration of harmful substances and avoiding respalling of the repair material by understanding the bonding behaviour. Bond strength depends to the properties of the repair materials itself and also the surface preparations of concrete substrate.

  19. Geopolymers and Their Uses: Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burduhos Nergis, D. D.; Abdullah, M. M. A. B.; Vizureanu, P.; Tahir, M. F. M.

    2018-06-01

    Outlining the past-present history of the study of alumino-silicate materials, it is well known that geopolymers are inorganic polymers obtained from chemical reaction, also known as geopolymerisation, between an alkaline solution and a solid reach in aluminium and silicone. There is still some controversy surrounding the alkaline activators used to create geopolymer concrete, because homogeneous mixture composed of two (NaOH and Na2SO3) or more chemical in varying proportions are usually highly corrosive and hard to handle. In order to overcome Portland cement many wastes have been used in recent studies to create “friendly” cements by geopolymerisation. In this short review we present basic information’s about how to create and use geopolymers, alkaline activators and raw materials that can be used and conclusions. One question that needs to be asked: Can those materials replace on large scale Portland cement?

  20. Effect of silica fume on the characterization of the geopolymer materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khater, Hisham M.

    2013-12-01

    The influence of silica fume (SF) addition on properties of geopolymer materials produced from alkaline activation of alumino-silicates metakaolin and waste concrete produced from demolition works has been studied through the measurement of compressive strength, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. Alumino-silicate materials are coarse aggregate included waste concrete and fired kaolin (metakaolin) at 800°C for 3 h, both passing a sieve of 90 μm. Mix specimens containing silica fume were prepared at water/binder ratios in a range of 0.30 under water curing. The used activators are an equal mix of sodium hydroxide and silicate in the ratio of 3:3 wt.%. The control geopolymer mix is composed of metakaolin and waste concrete in an equal mix (50:50, wt.%). Waste concrete was partially replaced by silica fume by 1 to 10 wt.%. The results indicated that compressive strengths of geopolymer mixes incorporating SF increased up to 7% substitution and then decreased up to 10% but still higher than that of the control mix. Results indicated that compressive strengths of geopolymer mixes incorporating SF increases up to 7% substitution and then decreases up to 10% but still higher than the control mix, where 7% SF-digested calcium hydroxide (CH) crystals, decreased the orientation of CH crystals, reduced the crystal size of CH gathered at the interface, and improved the interface more effectively.

  1. Formulation of caesium based and caesium containing geo-polymers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Berger, S.; Joussot-Dubien, C.; Frizon, F. [CEA Valrho, Dir. de l' Energie Nucleaire, DEN, Decontamination and Conditioning Department, DEN/DTCD/SPDE/L2ED, 30 - Marcoule (France)

    2009-10-15

    Cement encapsulation is widely used as a low- and intermediate level radioactive waste immobilisation process. Among these wastes, caesium ions are poorly immobilised by Portland cement based materials. This work consists of an experimental investigation into the ability of geo-polymers to effectively encapsulate this chemical species and to determine the impact of caesium incorporation on the geo-polymer properties. Geo-polymers were synthesised with several compositions based on the activation of metakaolin with an alkali hydroxide solution containing caesium. The setting time, mineralogy, porosity and mechanical properties of the samples were examined for one month. Leach tests were conducted during the same period to determine the immobilisation efficiency. The results depend to a large extent on the composition of the activation solution in terms of soluble silica content and alkali used. These parameters determine both the degree of condensation and the geo-polymer composition. (authors)

  2. Formulation of caesium based and caesium containing geo-polymers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berger, S.; Joussot-Dubien, C.; Frizon, F.

    2009-01-01

    Cement encapsulation is widely used as a low- and intermediate level radioactive waste immobilisation process. Among these wastes, caesium ions are poorly immobilised by Portland cement based materials. This work consists of an experimental investigation into the ability of geo-polymers to effectively encapsulate this chemical species and to determine the impact of caesium incorporation on the geo-polymer properties. Geo-polymers were synthesised with several compositions based on the activation of metakaolin with an alkali hydroxide solution containing caesium. The setting time, mineralogy, porosity and mechanical properties of the samples were examined for one month. Leach tests were conducted during the same period to determine the immobilisation efficiency. The results depend to a large extent on the composition of the activation solution in terms of soluble silica content and alkali used. These parameters determine both the degree of condensation and the geo-polymer composition. (authors)

  3. Determination of anisotropy and multimorphology in fly ash based geopolymers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Khan, M. Irfan, E-mail: mirfanwazir@gmail.com; Azizli, Khairun, E-mail: khairun-azizli@petronas.com.my; Sufian, Suriati, E-mail: suriati@petronas.com.my; Man, Zakaria, E-mail: zakaman@petronas.com.my; Siyal, Ahmer Ali, E-mail: ahmersiyal@gmail.com; Ullah, Hafeez, E-mail: Hafeez-wazir@yahoo.com [Department of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Bandar Seri Iskandar, 31750, Tronoh, Perak (Malaysia)

    2015-07-22

    In this study, Malaysian coal fly ash-based geopolymers were investigated for its morphology and chemical composition using scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-rays (SEM-EDX). Geopolymer was synthesized using sodium hydroxide as activator. SEM studies revealed multiphasous structure of the material, composed of geopolymeric gel, partially reacted fly ashparticles and selectively leached particles. EDX analysis confirmed the chemical composition of different regions. Infra red spectroscopic studies supported the SEM-EDX analysis by confirming presence of unreacted quartzite and mullite in geopolymers. It is concluded that geopolymers possese a non uniform chemistry through out the structure.

  4. Strength and Density of Geopolymer Mortar Cured at Ambient Temperature for Use as Repair Material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warid Wazien, A. Z.; Bakri Abdullah, Mohd Mustafa Al; Abd. Razak, Rafiza; Mohd Remy Rozainy, M. A. Z.; Faheem Mohd Tahir, Muhammad

    2016-06-01

    Geopolymers produced by synthesizing aluminosilicate source materials with an alkaline activator solution promised an excellent properties akin to the existing construction material. This study focused on the effect of various binder to sand ratio on geopolymer mortar properties. Mix design of geopolymer mortar was produced using NaOH concentration of 12 molars, ratio of fly ash/alkaline activator and ratio Na2SiO3/NaOH of 2.0 and 2.5 respectively. Samples subsequently ware cured at ambient temperature. The properties of geopolymer mortar were analysed in term of compressive strength and density at different period which are on the 3rd and 7th day of curing. Experimental results revealed that the addition of sand slightly increase the compressive strength of geopolymer. The optimum compressive strength obtained was up to 31.39 MPa on the 7th day. The density of geopolymer mortar was in the range between 2.0 g/cm3 to 2.23 g/cm3. Based on this findings, the special properties promoted by geopolymer mortar display high potential to be implemented in the field of concrete patch repair.

  5. Compressive strength and hydrolytic stability of fly ash based geopolymers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nikolić Irena

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The process of geopolymerization involves the reaction of solid aluminosilicate materials with highly alkaline silicate solution yielding an aluminosilicate inorganic polymer named geopolymer, which may be successfully applied in civil engineering as a replacement for cement. In this paper we have investigated the influence of synthesis parameters: solid to liquid ratio, NaOH concentration and the ratio of Na2SiO3/NaOH, on the mechanical properties and hydrolytic stability of fly ash based geopolymers in distilled water, sea water and simulated acid rain. The highest value of compressive strength was obtained using 10 mol dm-3 NaOH and at the Na2SiO3/NaOH ratio of 1.5. Moreover, the results have shown that mechanical properties of fly ash based geopolymers are in correlation with their hydrolytic stability. Factors that increase the compressive strength also increase the hydrolytic stability of fly ash based geopolymers. The best hydrolytic stability of fly ash based geopolymers was shown in sea water while the lowest stability was recorded in simulated acid rain. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 172054 i Nanotechnology and Functional Materials Center, funded by the European FP7 project No. 245916

  6. Superplasticizer Addition to Carbon Fly Ash Geopolymers Activated at Room Temperature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carabba, Lorenza; Manzi, Stefania; Bignozzi, Maria Chiara

    2016-07-18

    Present concerns about global warming due to the greenhouse emissions in the atmosphere have pushed the cement industry to research alternatives to ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Geopolymer binder may constitute a possible breakthrough in the development of sustainable materials: understanding the effectiveness and the influences of superplasticizers on geopolymer systems is one of the essential requirements for its large-scale implementation. This study aims to investigate the possibility of using commercially available chemical admixtures designed for OPC concrete, to improve fresh properties of fly ash-based geopolymers and mortars. A special emphasis is laid upon evaluating their influence on mechanical and microstructural characteristics of the hardened material realized under room-temperature curing conditions. Results indicate that the addition of a polycarboxylic ether-based superplasticizer, in the amount of 1.0 wt. % by mass of fly ash, promotes an improvement in workability without compromising the final strength of the hardened material. Moreover, the addition of the polycarboxylic ether- and acrylic-based superplasticizers induces a refinement in the pore structure of hardened mortar leading to a longer water saturation time.

  7. The influence of Pb addition on the properties of fly ash-based geopolymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikolić, Violeta; Komljenović, Miroslav; Džunuzović, Nataša; Miladinović, Zoran

    2018-05-15

    Preventing or reducing negative effects on the environment from the waste landfilling is the main goal defined by the European Landfill Directive. Generally geopolymers can be considered as sustainable binders for immobilization of hazardous wastes containing different toxic elements. In this paper the influence of addition of high amount of lead on structure, strength, and leaching behavior (the effectiveness of Pb immobilization) of fly ash-based geopolymers depending on the geopolymer curing conditions was investigated. Lead was added during the synthesis of geopolymers in the form of highly soluble salt - lead-nitrate. Structural changes of geopolymers as a result of lead addition/immobilization were assessed by means of XRD, SEM/EDS, and 29 Si MAS NMR analysis. Investigated curing conditions significantly influenced structure, strength and leaching behavior of geopolymers. High addition of lead caused a sizeable decrease in compressive strength of geopolymers and promoted formation of aluminum-deficient aluminosilicate gel (depolymerization of aluminosilicate gel), regardless of the curing conditions investigated. According to the EUWAC limitations, 4% of lead was successfully immobilized by fly ash-based geopolymers cured for 28 days in a humid chamber at room temperature. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. TiO₂-Based Photocatalytic Geopolymers for Nitric Oxide Degradation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strini, Alberto; Roviello, Giuseppina; Ricciotti, Laura; Ferone, Claudio; Messina, Francesco; Schiavi, Luca; Corsaro, Davide; Cioffi, Raffaele

    2016-06-24

    This study presents an experimental overview for the development of photocatalytic materials based on geopolymer binders as catalyst support matrices. Particularly, geopolymer matrices obtained from different solid precursors (fly ash and metakaolin), composite systems (siloxane-hybrid, foamed hybrid), and curing temperatures (room temperature and 60 °C) were investigated for the same photocatalyst content (i.e., 3% TiO₂ by weight of paste). The geopolymer matrices were previously designed for different applications, ranging from insulating (foam) to structural materials. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated as NO degradation in air, and the results were compared with an ordinary Portland cement reference. The studied matrices demonstrated highly variable photocatalytic performance depending on both matrix constituents and the curing temperature, with promising activity revealed by the geopolymers based on fly ash and metakaolin. Furthermore, microstructural features and titania dispersion in the matrices were assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDS) analyses. Particularly, EDS analyses of sample sections indicated segregation effects of titania in the surface layer, with consequent enhancement or depletion of the catalyst concentration in the active sample region, suggesting non-negligible transport phenomena during the curing process. The described results demonstrated that geopolymer binders can be interesting catalyst support matrices for the development of photocatalytic materials and indicated a large potential for the exploitation of their peculiar features.

  9. Structural and mechanical study of concrete made from cementitious materials of low environmental impact

    Science.gov (United States)

    González, A. K.; Montaño, A. M.; González, C. P.; Santos, A.

    2017-12-01

    This work shows the results obtained by replacing Type I Portland®, by cementitious geopolymers materials, derived from minerals, in concrete mixtures. Synthesis of both geopolymers through alkaline activation of two alluminosilicates: Bentonite and Pumice with sodium silicate (Na2SiO3). XRD, SEM and XRDE are used to structural study of new geopolymers. Concrete mixtures with replacement of Portland have 10% and 30% of geopolymer. Finally, concrete mortars formed were mechanically analysed according to ICONTEC 220 at 7, 14, 28, 41, 90 and 120 days of cure. Results shows that compressive strength of concrete from Bentonite and Pumice are almost the same for the standard concrete at 28 days of cure. At 90 days of cure, compression resistance of concrete from Pumice at 10% is even higher than those that standard concrete shows.

  10. Effect of mixing geopolymer and peat on bearing capacity in Ogan Komering Ilir (OKI) by California bearing ratio (CBR) test

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raharja, Danang S.; Hadiwardoyo, Sigit P.; Rahayu, Wiwik; Zain, Nasuhi

    2017-06-01

    Geopolymer is binder material that consists of solid material and the activator solution. Geopolymer material has successfully replaced cement in the manufacture of concrete with aluminosilicate bonding system. Geopolymer concrete has properties similar to cement concrete with high compressive strength, low shrinkage value, relatively low creep value, as well as acid-resistant. Based on these, the addition of polymers in peat soils is expected to improve the bearing capacity of peat soils. A study on the influence of geopolymer addition in peat soils was done by comparing before and after the peat soil was mixed with geopolymer using CBR (California Bearing Ratio) test in unsoaked and soaked conditions. 10% mixture content of the peat dry was used, weighted with a variety of curing time 4 hours, 5 days, and 10 days. There were two methods of mixing: first, peat was mixed with fly ash geopolymer activators and mixed solution (waterglass, NaOH, water), and second, peat was mixed with fly ash and mixed geopolymer (waterglass, NaOH, water, fly ash). Changes were observed in specific gravity, dry density, acidity (pH), and the microscopic structure with Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Curing time did not significantly affect the CBR value. It even shows a tendency to decline with longer curing time. The first type mixture obtained CBR value of: 5.4% for 4 hours curing, 4.6% for 5 days curing and 3.6% for 10 days curing. The second type mixture obtained CBR value of: 6.1% for 4 hours curing, 5.2% for 5 days curing and 5.2% for 10 days curing. Furthermore, the specific gravity value, dry density, pH near neutral and swelling percentage increased. From both variants, the second type mixture shows better results than the first type mixture. The results of SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) show the structure of the peat which became denser with the fly ash particles filling the peat microporous. Also, the reaction of fly ash with geopolymer is indicated by the solid

  11. EFFECT OF SODIUM HYDROXIDE CONCENTRATION ON FRESH PROPERTIES AND COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF SELF-COMPACTING GEOPOLYMER CONCRETE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    FAREED AHMED MEMON

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available This paper reports the results of the laboratory tests conducted to investigate the effect of sodium hydroxide concentration on the fresh properties and compressive strength of self-compacting geopolymer concrete (SCGC. The experiments were conducted by varying the concentration of sodium hydroxide from 8 M to 14 M. Test methods such as Slump flow, V-Funnel, L-box and J-Ring were used to assess the workability characteristics of SCGC. The test specimens were cured at 70°C for a period of 48 hours and then kept in room temperature until the day of testing. Compressive strength test was carried out at the ages of 1, 3, 7 and 28 days. Test results indicate that concentration variation of sodium hydroxide had least effect on the fresh properties of SCGC. With the increase in sodium hydroxide concentration, the workability of fresh concrete was slightly reduced; however, the corresponding compressive strength was increased. Concrete samples with sodium hydroxide concentration of 12 M produced maximum compressive strength.

  12. Method of Construction for Geopolymer Soil Stabilized Platforms

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-12-20

    Department of Defense. Vickers, L., A. van Riessen, and W.D.A. Rickard. 2015. Fire - Resistant Geopolymers: Role of Fibres and Fillers to Enhance Thermal...tension fabric structures. However, this type of structure requires a solid base, which is often made of concrete and when left behind, it creates real...such as engineered tension fabric structures. The tensioned fabric and the support frame form a single integral struc- tural unit that is low in cost

  13. Alkali-activated fly ash-based geopolymers with zeolite or bentonite as additives

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hu, Mingyu; Zhu, Xiaomin; Long, Fumei [Nanchang University, Nanchang (China). College of Civil Engineering

    2009-11-15

    Geopolymers were synthesized by using fly ash as the main starting material, zeolite or bentonite as supplementary materials, and NaOH and CaO together as activator. An orthogonal array testing protocol was used to analyze the influence of the mix proportion on the properties of the geopolymers. The results indicate that the concentration of NaOH solution and the CaO content play an important role on the strength of the materials. Especially, with zeolite as additive, the fly ash-based geopolymer shows the highest strength and the best sulfate resistance. Infrared spectroscopy, X-ray, and SEM-EDX demonstrate that supplementary zeolite may involve the process of geopolymerization to form a stable zeolitic structure and improve the properties of the geopolymer. Bentonite simply acts as a filler to make the geopolymer more compact, but shows no improvement on the compositions and the microstructures of the geopolymer.

  14. Compressive strength and microstructural analysis of fly ash/palm oil fuel ash based geopolymer mortar

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ranjbar, Navid; Mehrali, Mehdi; Behnia, Arash; Alengaram, U. Johnson; Jumaat, Mohd Zamin

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Results show POFA is adaptable as replacement in FA based geopolymer mortar. • The increase in POFA/FA ratio delay of the compressive development of geopolymer. • The density of POFA based geoploymer is lower than FA based geopolymer mortar. - Abstract: This paper presents the effects and adaptability of palm oil fuel ash (POFA) as a replacement material in fly ash (FA) based geopolymer mortar from the aspect of microstructural and compressive strength. The geopolymers developed were synthesized with a combination of sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate as activator and POFA and FA as high silica–alumina resources. The development of compressive strength of POFA/FA based geopolymers was investigated using X-ray florescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). It was observed that the particle shapes and surface area of POFA and FA as well as chemical composition affects the density and compressive strength of the mortars. The increment in the percentages of POFA increased the silica/alumina (SiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 ) ratio and that resulted in reduction of the early compressive strength of the geopolymer and delayed the geopolymerization process

  15. Studying the effect of thermal and acid exposure on alkali activated slag Geopolymer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khater H.M.

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available This article reports a study about thermal stability as well as acid resistance of geopolymer materials prepared from Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS, Air Cooled Slag (ACS, Silica fume (SF and cement kiln dust (CKD using 6% (weight of equal mix from alkaline sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate activators. Study of addition of ACS, SF and CKD as partial replacement of GGBFS is investigated so as to improve the mechanical and microstructural properties of geopolymer mixes. Compressive strength and SEM were utilized in these studies. Materials were prepared using water/binder of 0.30 at 38°C and 100% RH. Results showed that geopolymer materials prepared using alkali activated slag exhibit large changes in compressive strength with increasing the firing temperature from 300 to 1000°C and exhibit an enhancement in thermal stability as compared to concrete specimens. Materials prepared by replacing GGBFS by 15% ACS resist thermal deterioration up to 1000°C. It was suggested to be suitable for refractory insulation applications as well as for production of nuclear concrete reactors. On the other hand, geopolymer mixes exhibit low stability upon subjecting to different concentration from the mix of nitric and hydrochloric acid in equal ratio (1:1. Current studies of geopolymer microstructure were focused on the morphology as well as the relationship between compositions and mechanical properties.

  16. TiO2-Based Photocatalytic Geopolymers for Nitric Oxide Degradation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strini, Alberto; Roviello, Giuseppina; Ricciotti, Laura; Ferone, Claudio; Messina, Francesco; Schiavi, Luca; Corsaro, Davide; Cioffi, Raffaele

    2016-01-01

    This study presents an experimental overview for the development of photocatalytic materials based on geopolymer binders as catalyst support matrices. Particularly, geopolymer matrices obtained from different solid precursors (fly ash and metakaolin), composite systems (siloxane-hybrid, foamed hybrid), and curing temperatures (room temperature and 60 °C) were investigated for the same photocatalyst content (i.e., 3% TiO2 by weight of paste). The geopolymer matrices were previously designed for different applications, ranging from insulating (foam) to structural materials. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated as NO degradation in air, and the results were compared with an ordinary Portland cement reference. The studied matrices demonstrated highly variable photocatalytic performance depending on both matrix constituents and the curing temperature, with promising activity revealed by the geopolymers based on fly ash and metakaolin. Furthermore, microstructural features and titania dispersion in the matrices were assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDS) analyses. Particularly, EDS analyses of sample sections indicated segregation effects of titania in the surface layer, with consequent enhancement or depletion of the catalyst concentration in the active sample region, suggesting non-negligible transport phenomena during the curing process. The described results demonstrated that geopolymer binders can be interesting catalyst support matrices for the development of photocatalytic materials and indicated a large potential for the exploitation of their peculiar features. PMID:28773634

  17. TiO2-Based Photocatalytic Geopolymers for Nitric Oxide Degradation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alberto Strini

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available This study presents an experimental overview for the development of photocatalytic materials based on geopolymer binders as catalyst support matrices. Particularly, geopolymer matrices obtained from different solid precursors (fly ash and metakaolin, composite systems (siloxane-hybrid, foamed hybrid, and curing temperatures (room temperature and 60 °C were investigated for the same photocatalyst content (i.e., 3% TiO2 by weight of paste. The geopolymer matrices were previously designed for different applications, ranging from insulating (foam to structural materials. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated as NO degradation in air, and the results were compared with an ordinary Portland cement reference. The studied matrices demonstrated highly variable photocatalytic performance depending on both matrix constituents and the curing temperature, with promising activity revealed by the geopolymers based on fly ash and metakaolin. Furthermore, microstructural features and titania dispersion in the matrices were assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM and energy dispersive X-ray (EDS analyses. Particularly, EDS analyses of sample sections indicated segregation effects of titania in the surface layer, with consequent enhancement or depletion of the catalyst concentration in the active sample region, suggesting non-negligible transport phenomena during the curing process. The described results demonstrated that geopolymer binders can be interesting catalyst support matrices for the development of photocatalytic materials and indicated a large potential for the exploitation of their peculiar features.

  18. Performance and Behaviour of Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag Imparted to Geopolymer Concrete Structural Elements and Analyzed with ANSYS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Rajesh Antonyamaladhas

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with the behaviour of geopolymer concrete using ground granulated blast furnace slag and steel fibre to compare with M40 grade cement concrete. The cast GPC specimens were placed in a hot curing chamber at 60∘C temperature for 24 hours and tested after 1, 7, 14, and 28 days of ambient curing to find the strength and durability of hardened concrete. The optimum value of compressive strength was attained at 12 Molarities. Fly ash was replaced by GGBS in GPC with different proportions such as 0% to 60% at 5% interval; the optimum strength value was obtained on 40% replacement. From the test results, the compressive, split-tensile, and flexural strength of GPC specimens were 20%, 43%, and 53% higher than those of the control specimens. Based on the optimum strength mix proportion, the structural elements were cast to investigate the stress-strain relations. The GPC beam and L-section showed 33% and 16% higher value. From the results of acid and sulphate resistance tests, it was found that the strength and weight ratio of GPC were higher than the control specimens. From the simulations, it was found that the experimental test results were approximately equal to the ANSYS.

  19. Coal fly ash-slag-based geopolymers: microstructure and metal leaching.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Izquierdo, Maria; Querol, Xavier; Davidovits, Joseph; Antenucci, Diano; Nugteren, Henk; Fernández-Pereira, Constantino

    2009-07-15

    This study deals with the use of fly ash as a starting material for geopolymeric matrices. The leachable concentrations of geopolymers were compared with those of the starting fly ash to evaluate the retention of potentially harmful elements within the geopolymer matrix. Geopolymer matrices give rise to a leaching scenario characterised by a highly alkaline environment, which inhibits the leaching of heavy metals but may enhance the mobilization of certain oxyanionic species. Thus, fly ash-based geopolymers were found to immobilize a number of trace pollutants such as Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Nb, Ni, Pb, Sn, Th, U, Y, Zr and rare earth elements. However, the leachable levels of elements occurring in their oxyanionic form such as As, B, Mo, Se, V and W were increased after geopolymerization. This suggests that an optimal dosage, synthesis and curing conditions are essential in order to obtain a long-term stable final product that ensures an efficient physical encapsulation.

  20. Coal fly ash-slag-based geopolymers: Microstructure and metal leaching

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Izquierdo, Maria, E-mail: mariaizq@ija.csic.es [Institute of Earth Sciences ' Jaume Almera' -CSIC, Lluis Sole Sabaris s/n 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Querol, Xavier [Institute of Earth Sciences ' Jaume Almera' -CSIC, Lluis Sole Sabaris s/n 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Davidovits, Joseph [Cordi-Geopolymere, Espace Creatis, Z.A. Bois de la Chocque 02100 Saint-Quentin (France); Antenucci, Diano [Institut Scientifique de Service Public (ISSeP) 200, rue du Chera, B-4000 Liege (Belgium); Nugteren, Henk [Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, DelftChemTech, Particle Technology Group, Julianalaan 136, 2628 BL Delft (Netherlands); Fernandez-Pereira, Constantino [University of Seville, School of Industrial Engineering, Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Camino de los Descubrimientos s/n, 41092 Seville (Spain)

    2009-07-15

    This study deals with the use of fly ash as a starting material for geopolymeric matrices. The leachable concentrations of geopolymers were compared with those of the starting fly ash to evaluate the retention of potentially harmful elements within the geopolymer matrix. Geopolymer matrices give rise to a leaching scenario characterised by a highly alkaline environment, which inhibits the leaching of heavy metals but may enhance the mobilization of certain oxyanionic species. Thus, fly ash-based geopolymers were found to immobilise a number of trace pollutants such as Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Nb, Ni, Pb, Sn, Th, U, Y, Zr and rare earth elements. However, the leachable levels of elements occurring in their oxyanionic form such as As, B, Mo, Se, V and W were increased after geopolymerization. This suggests that an optimal dosage, synthesis and curing conditions are essential in order to obtain a long-term stable final product that ensures an efficient physical encapsulation.

  1. Coal fly ash-slag-based geopolymers: Microstructure and metal leaching

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Izquierdo, Maria; Querol, Xavier; Davidovits, Joseph; Antenucci, Diano; Nugteren, Henk; Fernandez-Pereira, Constantino

    2009-01-01

    This study deals with the use of fly ash as a starting material for geopolymeric matrices. The leachable concentrations of geopolymers were compared with those of the starting fly ash to evaluate the retention of potentially harmful elements within the geopolymer matrix. Geopolymer matrices give rise to a leaching scenario characterised by a highly alkaline environment, which inhibits the leaching of heavy metals but may enhance the mobilization of certain oxyanionic species. Thus, fly ash-based geopolymers were found to immobilise a number of trace pollutants such as Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Nb, Ni, Pb, Sn, Th, U, Y, Zr and rare earth elements. However, the leachable levels of elements occurring in their oxyanionic form such as As, B, Mo, Se, V and W were increased after geopolymerization. This suggests that an optimal dosage, synthesis and curing conditions are essential in order to obtain a long-term stable final product that ensures an efficient physical encapsulation.

  2. Resilient modulus characteristics of soil subgrade with geopolymer additive in peat

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zain, Nasuhi; Hadiwardoyo, Sigit Pranowo; Rahayu, Wiwik

    2017-06-01

    Resilient modulus characteristics of peat soil are generally very low with high potential of deformation and low bearing capacity. The efforts to improve the peat subgrade resilient modulus characteristics is required, one among them is by adding the geopolymer additive. Geopolymer was made as an alternative to replace portland cement binder in the concrete mix in order to promote environmentally friendly, low shrinkage value, low creep value, and fire resistant material. The use of geopolymer to improve the mechanical properties of peat as a road construction subgrade, hence it becomes important to identify the effect of geopolymer addition on the resilient modulus characteristics of peat soil. This study investigated the addition of 0% - 20% geopolymer content on peat soil derived from Ogan Komering Ilir, South Sumatera Province. Resilient modulus measurement was performed by using cyclic triaxial test to determine the resilience modulus model as a function of deviator stresses and radial stresses. The test results showed that an increase in radial stresses did not necessarily lead to an increase in modulus resilient, and on the contrary, an increase in deviator stresses led to a decrease in modulus resilient. The addition of geopolymer in peat soil provided an insignificant effect on the increase of resilient modulus value.

  3. Numerical simulation of mechanical properties tests of tungsten mud waste geopolymer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paszek, Natalia; Krystek, Małgorzata

    2018-03-01

    Geopolymers are believed to become in the future an environmental friendly alternative for the concrete. The low CO2 emission during the production process and the possibility of ecological management of the industrial wastes are mentioned as main advantages of geopolymers. The main drawback, causing problems with application of geopolymers as a building material is the lack of the theoretical material model. Indicated problem is being solved now by the group of scientists from the Silesian University of Technology. The series of laboratory tests are carried out within the European research project REMINE. The paper introduces the numerical analyses of tungsten mud waste geopolymer samples which have been performed in the Atena software on the basis of the laboratory tests. Numerical models of bended and compressed samples of different shapes are presented in the paper. The results obtained in Atena software were compared with results obtained in Abaqus and Mafem3D software.

  4. Mix design and mechanical performance of geopolymer binder for sustainable construction and building material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saeli, Manfredi; Novais, Rui M.; Seabra, Maria Paula; Labrincha, João A.

    2017-11-01

    Sustainability in construction is a major concern worldwide, due to the huge volume of materials and energy consumed by this sector. Associated supplementing industries (e.g. Portland cement production) constitute a significant source of CO2 emissions and global warming. Valorisation and reuse of industrial wastes and by-products make geopolymers a solid and sustainable via to be followed as a valid alternative to Portland cement. In this work the mix design of a green fly ash-based geopolymer is evaluated as an environmentally friendly construction material. In the pursuit of sustainability, wastes from a regional kraft pulp industry are exploited for the material processing. Furthermore, a simple, reproducible, and low-cost manufacture is used. The mix design is hence optimised in order to improve the desirable mechanical performance of the material intended for structural applications in construction. Tests indicate that geopolymers may efficiently substitute the ordinary Portland cement as a mortar/concrete binder. Furthermore, valorisation and reuse of wastes in geopolymers is a suboptimal way of gaining financial surplus for the involved industrial players, while contributes for the implementation of a desirable circular economy.

  5. High-efficiency cogeneration boiler bagasse-ash geochemistry and mineralogical change effects on the potential reuse in synthetic zeolites, geopolymers, cements, mortars, and concretes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Malcolm W; Despland, Laure M; Lake, Neal J; Yee, Lachlan H; Anstoetz, Manuela; Arif, Elisabeth; Parr, Jeffery F; Doumit, Philip

    2017-04-01

    Sugarcane bagasse ash re-utilisation has been advocated as a silica-rich feed for zeolites, pozzolans in cements and concretes, and geopolymers. However, many papers report variable success with the incorporation of such materials in these products as the ash can be inconsistent in nature. Therefore, understanding what variables affect the ash quality in real mills and understanding the processes to characterise ashes is critical in predicting successful ash waste utilisation. This paper investigated sugarcane bagasse ash from three sugar mills (Northern NSW, Australia) where two are used for the co-generation of electricity. Data shows that the burn temperatures of the bagasse in the high-efficiency co-generation boilers are much higher than those reported at the temperature measuring points. Silica polymorph transitions indicate the high burn temperatures of ≈1550 °C, produces ash dominated α -quartz rather than expected α-cristobilite and amorphous silica; although α-cristobilite, and amorphous silica are present. Furthermore, burn temperatures must be ≤1700 °C, because of the absence of lechatelierite where silica fusing and globulisation dominates. Consequently, silica-mineralogy changes deactivate the bagasse ash by reducing silica solubility, thus making bagasse ash utilisation in synthetic zeolites, geopolymers, or a pozzolanic material in mortars and concretes more difficult. For the ashes investigated, use as a filler material in cements and concrete has the greatest potential. Reported mill boiler temperatures discrepancies and the physical characteristics of the ash, highlight the importance of accurate temperature monitoring at the combustion seat if bagasse ash quality is to be prioritised to ensure a usable final ash product.

  6. Mechanical and Microstructural Evaluations of Lightweight Aggregate Geopolymer Concrete before and after Exposed to Elevated Temperatures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdulkareem, Omar A; Abdullah, Mohd Mustafa Al Bakri; Hussin, Kamarudin; Ismail, Khairul Nizar; Binhussain, Mohammed

    2013-10-09

    This paper presents the mechanical and microstructural characteristics of a lightweight aggregate geopolymer concrete (LWAGC) synthesized by the alkali-activation of a fly ash source (FA) before and after being exposed to elevated temperatures, ranging from 100 to 800 °C. The results show that the LWAGC unexposed to the elevated temperatures possesses a good strength-to-weight ratio compared with other LWAGCs available in the published literature. The unexposed LWAGC also shows an excellent strength development versus aging times, up to 365 days. For the exposed LWAGC to the elevated temperatures of 100 to 800 °C, the results illustrate that the concretes gain compressive strength after being exposed to elevated temperatures of 100, 200 and 300 °C. Afterward, the strength of the LWAGC started to deteriorate and decrease after being exposed to elevated temperatures of 400 °C, and up to 800 °C. Based on the mechanical strength results of the exposed LWAGCs to elevated temperatures of 100 °C to 800 °C, the relationship between the exposure temperature and the obtained residual compressive strength is statistically analyzed and achieved. In addition, the microstructure investigation of the unexposed LWAGC shows a good bonding between aggregate and mortar at the interface transition zone (ITZ). However, this bonding is subjected to deterioration as the LWAGC is exposed to elevated temperatures of 400, 600 and 800 °C by increasing the microcrack content and swelling of the unreacted silicates.

  7. Metakaolin-Based Geopolymer with Added TiO2 Particles: Physicomechanical Characteristics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis A. Guzmán-Aponte

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The effect of the TiO2 addition on the physicomechanical properties of a geopolymer system based on metakaolin (MK and hydroxide and potassium silicate as activators is presented in this article. Three different liquid-solid systems (0.35, 0.40, and 0.45 and two titanium additions were investigated (5% and 10% of the cement content. The flowability, setting time, and mechanical strength of the geopolymer mixtures and their microstructural characteristics were evaluated using techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM. It was concluded that a percentage of up to 10% TiO2 does not affect the mechanical properties of the geopolymer, although it does reduce the fluidity and setting times of the mixture.

  8. High-efficiency cogeneration boiler bagasse-ash geochemistry and mineralogical change effects on the potential reuse in synthetic zeolites, geopolymers, cements, mortars, and concretes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Malcolm W. Clark

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Sugarcane bagasse ash re-utilisation has been advocated as a silica-rich feed for zeolites, pozzolans in cements and concretes, and geopolymers. However, many papers report variable success with the incorporation of such materials in these products as the ash can be inconsistent in nature. Therefore, understanding what variables affect the ash quality in real mills and understanding the processes to characterise ashes is critical in predicting successful ash waste utilisation. This paper investigated sugarcane bagasse ash from three sugar mills (Northern NSW, Australia where two are used for the co-generation of electricity. Data shows that the burn temperatures of the bagasse in the high-efficiency co-generation boilers are much higher than those reported at the temperature measuring points. Silica polymorph transitions indicate the high burn temperatures of ≈1550 °C, produces ash dominated α −quartz rather than expected α-cristobilite and amorphous silica; although α-cristobilite, and amorphous silica are present. Furthermore, burn temperatures must be ≤1700 °C, because of the absence of lechatelierite where silica fusing and globulisation dominates. Consequently, silica-mineralogy changes deactivate the bagasse ash by reducing silica solubility, thus making bagasse ash utilisation in synthetic zeolites, geopolymers, or a pozzolanic material in mortars and concretes more difficult. For the ashes investigated, use as a filler material in cements and concrete has the greatest potential. Reported mill boiler temperatures discrepancies and the physical characteristics of the ash, highlight the importance of accurate temperature monitoring at the combustion seat if bagasse ash quality is to be prioritised to ensure a usable final ash product. Keywords: Materials Science, Civil Engineering

  9. Incorporation of cement bypass flue dust in fly ash and blast furnace slag-based geopolymer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed E. Sultan

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available This work utilizes cement kiln dust in fly ash and blast furnace slag-based geopolymer. Geopolymer cement was produced using different compositions of ground, granulated blast furnace slag with fly ash and cement bypass flue dust. Crystalline sodium metasilicate pentahydrate was used as an activator at 10, 15 and 20% (by weight of the geopolymer source materials. The geopolymer is formed in the solid state like ordinary Portland cement. The mechanical and chemical properties of the geopolymeric materials were examined. Measuring of mechanical properties by compressive strength of the hardened geopolymer pastes at different curing ages; microstructure was evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD and scanning electron microscope (SEM; thermal properties were estimated by thermogravimetry analysis (TGA and derivative thermogravimetric analysis (DTG. The results indicate that the compressive strength of the geopolymer pastes is increased with higher Na2SiO3.5H2O content. The geopolymeric properties were enhanced by higher pH, which helps in the dissolution of geopolymer source materials during geopolymerization. SEM showed that mixes containing 15 and 20% sodium metasilicate had more compact and dense structures. On the other hand, GGBFS mix (G-20 exhibits more hydration and geopolymeric products during TGA/DTG compared with other mixes which contain FA with/without GGBFS. Keywords: Cement bypass flue dust, Geopolymer, Ground granulated blast furnace, Fly ash

  10. A Novel MK-based Geopolymer Composite Activated with Rice Husk Ash and KOH: Performance at High Temperature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Villaquirán-Caicedo, M.A.; Mejía de Gutiérrez, R.; Gallego, N.C.

    2017-01-01

    Geopolymers were produced using an environmentally friendly alkali activator (based on Rice Husk Ash and potassium hydroxide). Aluminosilicates particles, carbon and ceramic fibres were used as reinforcement materials. The effects of reinforcement materials on the flexural strength, linear-shrinkage, thermophysical properties and microstructure of the geopolymers at room and high temperature (1200 °C) were studied. The results indicated that the toughness of the composites is increased 110.4% for geopolymer reinforced by ceramic fibres (G-AF) at room temperature. The presence of particles improved the flexural behaviour 265% for geopolymer reinforced by carbon fibres and particles after exposure to 1200 .C. Linear-shrinkage for geopolymer reinforced by ceramic fibres and particles and the geopolymer G-AF compared with reference sample (without fibres and particles) is improved by 27.88% and 7.88% respectively at 900 °C. The geopolymer materials developed in this work are porous materials with low thermal conductivity and good mechanical properties with potential thermal insulation applications for building applications. [es

  11. Geopolymers based on the valorization of Municipal Solid Waste Incineration residues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giro-Paloma, J.; Maldonado-Alameda, A.; Formosa, J.; Barbieri, L.; Chimenos, J. M.; Lancellotti, I.

    2017-10-01

    The proper management of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) has become one of the main environmental commitments for developed countries due to the uncontrolled growth of waste caused by the consumption patterns of modern societies. Nowadays, municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) is one of the most feasible solutions and it is estimated to increase in Europe where the accessibility of landfill is restricted. Bottom ash (BA) is the most significant by-product from MSWI as it accounts for 85 - 95 % of the solid product resulting from combustion, which is classified as a non-hazardous residue that can be revalorized as a secondary aggregate in road sub-base, bulk lightweight filler in construction. In this way, revalorization of weathered BA (WBA) for the production of geopolymers may be a good alternative to common reuse as secondary aggregate material; however, the chemical process to obtain these materials involves several challenges that could disturb the stability of the material, mainly from the environmental point of view. Accordingly, it is necessary that geopolymers are able to stabilize heavy metals contained in the WBA in order to be classified as non-hazardous materials. In this regard, the SiO2/Al2O3 ratio plays an important role for the encapsulation of heavy metals and other toxic elements. The aim of this research is to formulate geopolymers starting from the 0 - 2 mm particle size fraction of WBA, as a unique raw material used as aluminumsilicate precursor. Likewise, leaching tests of the geopolymers formulated were performed to assess their environmental impact. The findings show that it is possible to formulate geopolymers using 100 % WBA as precursor, although more investigations are needed to sustain that geopolymer obtained can be considered as non-hazardous materials.

  12. Deflection hardening behaviour of short fibre reinforced fly ash based geopolymer composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shaikh, F.U.A.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Deflection hardening behaviour is achieved in the DFRGC similar to that observed in DFRCC. • The first crack load or in other word the limit of proportionality (LOP) of DFRGC is similar to that of DFRCC. • The DFRGC also exhibited higher deflection at peak load than DFRCC. • The toughness at peak load of DFRGC is also high than that of DFRCC. • The ductility of DFRGC is also higher than that of DFRCC. - Abstract: This paper reports the newly developed ductile fibre reinforced geopolymer composite (DFRGC) exhibiting deflection hardening and multiple cracking behaviour. The binder of the above composite is different from that used in conventional cement based system. The class F fly ash is used instead of Portland cement in DFRGC and is activated by alkaline liquids (sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate). In this study, two types of fibres namely steel (ST) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibres are used in mono as well as in ST–PVA hybrid form, with a total volume fraction of 2%. The deflection hardening behaviour of newly developed DFRGC is also compared with that of conventional ductile fibre reinforced cementitious composites (DFRCC). The effects of two different sizes of sand (1.18 mm, and 0.6 mm) and sand/binder ratios of 0.5 and 0.75 on the deflection hardening and multiple cracking behaviour of both DFRGC and DFRCC are also evaluated. Results revel that the deflection hardening and multiple cracking behaviour is achieved in geopolymer based DFRGC similar to that of cement based system. For a given sand size and sand content, comparable deflection hardening behaviour, ultimate flexural strength and the deflection at peak load are observed in both cement and geopolymer based composites irrespective of fibre types and combination. The deflection hardening behaviour of DFRGC is also confirmed by the calculated toughness index values of I 20 > 20. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) study shows no degradation of PVA and steel fibres in the

  13. Flow properties of MK-based geopolymer pastes. A comparative study with standard Portland cement pastes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Favier, Aurélie; Hot, Julie; Habert, Guillaume; Roussel, Nicolas; d'Espinose de Lacaillerie, Jean-Baptiste

    2014-02-28

    Geopolymers are presented in many studies as alternatives to ordinary Portland cement. Previous studies have focused on their chemical and mechanical properties, their microstructures and their potential applications, but very few have focussed on their rheological behaviour. Our work highlights the fundamental differences in the flow properties, which exist between geopolymers made from metakaolin and Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). We show that colloidal interactions between metakaolin particles are negligible and that hydrodynamic effects control the rheological behaviour. Metakaolin-based geopolymers can then be described as Newtonian fluids with the viscosity controlled mainly by the high viscosity of the suspending alkaline silicate solution and not by the contribution of direct contacts between metakaolin grains. This fundamental difference between geopolymers and OPC implies that developments made in cement technology to improve rheological behaviour such as plasticizers will not be efficient for geopolymers and that new research directions need to be explored.

  14. A Novel MK-based Geopolymer Composite Activated with Rice Husk Ash and KOH: Performance at High Temperature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. A. Villaquirán-Caicedo

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Geopolymers were produced using an environmentally friendly alkali activator (based on Rice Husk Ash and potassium hydroxide. Aluminosilicates particles, carbon and ceramic fibres were used as reinforcement materials. The effects of reinforcement materials on the flexural strength, linear-shrinkage, thermophysical properties and microstructure of the geopolymers at room and high temperature (1200 ÅãC were studied. The results indicated that the toughness of the composites is increased 110.4% for geopolymer reinforced by ceramic fibres (G-AF at room temperature. The presence of particles improved the flexural behaviour 265% for geopolymer reinforced by carbon fibres and particles after exposure to 1200 .C. Linear-shrinkage for geopolymer reinforced by ceramic fibres and particles and the geopolymer G-AF compared with reference sample (without fibres and particles is improved by 27.88% and 7.88% respectively at 900 ÅãC. The geopolymer materials developed in this work are porous materials with low thermal conductivity and good mechanical properties with potential thermal insulation applications for building applications.

  15. A Comprehensive Study of the Polypropylene Fiber Reinforced Fly Ash Based Geopolymer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ranjbar, Navid; Mehrali, Mehdi; Behnia, Arash

    2016-01-01

    and long term impacts of different volume percentages of polypropylene fiber (PPF) reinforcement on fly ash based geopolymer composites. Different characteristics of the composite were compared at fresh state by flow measurement and hardened state by variation of shrinkage over time to assess the response...... of composites under flexural and compressive load conditions. The fiber-matrix interface, fiber surface and toughening mechanisms were assessed using field emission scan electron microscopy (FESEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results show that incorporation of PPF up to 3 wt % into the geopolymer......As a cementitious material, geopolymers show a high quasi-brittle behavior and a relatively low fracture energy. To overcome such a weakness, incorporation of fibers to a brittle matrix is a well-known technique to enhance the flexural properties. This study comprehensively evaluates the short...

  16. Encapsulation of Mg-Zr alloy in metakaolin-based geo-polymer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rooses, Adrien; Steins, Prune; Dannoux-Papin, Adeline; Lambertin, David; Poulesquen, Arnaud; Frizon, Fabien

    2013-01-01

    Investigations were carried out to propose a suitable material for the encapsulation of Mg-Zr alloy wastes issued from fuel cladding of the first generation nuclear reactors. Stability over time, good mechanical properties and low gas production are the main requirements that embedding matrices must comply with in order to be suitable for long run storage. One of the main issues encapsulating Mg-Zr alloy in mineral binder is the hydrogen production related to Mg-Zr alloys corrosion and water radiolysis process. In this context, metakaolin geo-polymers offer an interesting outlook: corrosion densities of Mg-Zr alloys are significantly lower than in Portland cement. This work firstly presents the hydrogen production of Mg-Zr alloy embedded in geo-polymers prepared from different the activation solution (NaOH or KOH). The effect of addition of fluorine on the magnesium corrosion in geo-polymer has been investigated too. The results point out that sodium geo-polymer is a suitable binder for Mg-Zr alloy encapsulation with respect to magnesium corrosion resistance. Furthermore the presence of fluorine reduces significantly the hydrogen release. Then, the impact of fluorine on the geo-polymer network formation was studied by rheological, calorimetric and 19 F NMR measurements. No direct effect resulting from the addition of fluorine has been shown on the geo-polymer binder. Secondly, the formulation of the encapsulation matrix has been adjusted to fulfil the expected physical and mechanical properties. Observations, dimensional evolutions and compressive strengths demonstrated that addition of sand to the geo-polymer binder is efficient to meet the storage criteria. Consequently, a matrix formulation compatible with Mg-Zr alloy encapsulation has been proposed. Finally, irradiation tests have been carried out to assess the hydrogen radiolytic yield of the matrix under exposure to γ radiation. (authors)

  17. FT-IR and 29 Si-NMR for evaluating aluminium silicate precursors for geopolymers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Valcke, S.L.A.; Pipilikaki, P.; Fischer, H.R.; Verkuijlen, M.H.W.; Eck, E.R.H.

    2014-01-01

    Geopolymers are systems of inorganic binders that can be used for sustainable, cementless concrete and are formed by alkali activation of an aluminium–silicate precursor (often secondary resources like fly ash or slag). The type of aluminium– silicate precursor and its potential variations within

  18. Mechanical properties and microstructure analysis of fly ash geopolymeric recycled concrete

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shi, X.S.; Collins, F.G.; Zhao, X.L.; Wang, Q.Y.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Sodium silicate solution and sodium hydroxide solution were used to activate fly ash, which substitute cement totally in the concrete. ► Utilizing two kinds of waste materials (fly ash and recycled aggregates) at the same time. ► The mechanical properties and microstructures were studied and compared with different recycled aggregates replacement ratios. ► Such concrete has greater compressive strength and better microstructure than ordinary concrete and also geopolymer concrete. - Abstract: Six mixtures with different recycled aggregate (RA) replacement ratios of 0%, 50% and 100% were designed to manufacture recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) and alkali-activated fly ash geopolymeric recycled concrete (GRC). The physical and mechanical properties were investigated indicating different performances from each other. Optical microscopy under transmitted light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were carried out in this study in order to identify the mechanism underlying the effects of the geopolymer and RA on concrete properties. The features of aggregates, paste and interfacial transition zone (ITZ) were compared and discussed. Experimental results indicate that using alkali-activated fly ash geopolymer as replacement of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) effectively improved the compressive strength. With increasing of RA contents in both RAC and GRC, the compressive strength decreased gradually. The microstructure analysis shows that, on one hand, the presence of RA weakens the strength of the aggregates and the structure of ITZs; on the other hand, due to the alkali-activated fly ash in geopolymer concrete, the contents of Portlandite (Ca(OH) 2 ) and voids were reduced, as well as improved the matrix homogeneity. The microstructure of GRC was changed by different reaction products, such as aluminosilicate gel.

  19. Performance of geopolymer concrete in fire

    OpenAIRE

    Zhao, Ren

    2017-01-01

    Portland cement concrete is a world-wide used construction material. However, when Portland cement concrete is exposed to fire, its mechanical properties are deteriorated. The deterioration of concrete is generally caused by the decomposition of the Portland cement hydrate or the thermal incompatibility between cement paste and aggregate. Spalling, which is a violent or non-violent breaking off of layers or pieces of concrete from the surface of a structural element, may also occur when the c...

  20. Synthesis and characterization of palm oil fuel ash (POFA) and metakaolin based geopolymer for possible application in nanocoating

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Ihsan Ullah; Bhat, A. H.; Masset, Patrick J.; Khan, Farman Ullah; Rehman, Wajid Ur

    2016-11-01

    The main aim of this study was to synthesize and characterize highly amorphous geopolymer from palm oil fuel ash (POFA) and metakaolin, to be used as nanocoating. Geopolymers are man-made aluminosilicate materials that are amorphous analogues of zeolites. The geopolymers were made by condensing a mixture of raw materials metakaolin and palm oil fuel ash (POFA) with alkaline activator at a fixed ratio at room temperature. The kaolin type clay was calcined at 700 °C for 4hrs to transform it into amorphous metakaolin which is more reactive precursor for geopolymer formation. The characteristics of metakaolin and geopolymers (metakaolin and palm oil fuel ash based geopolymers) were analyzed by using x-ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier transform infra-red spectrometry (FTIR), Thermogravimetric analysis (TG/DTA) and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray analysis (SEM-EDX). FTIR revealed the presence of Al-O and Si-O stretching vibrations of amorphous alumino-silicate structure for metakaolin, palm oil fuel ash and geopolymers. SEM-EDX images showed the presence of reaction product complementary to NASH (N = Na2O, A = Al2O3, S = SiO2, H = H2O) solid. The resulting geopolymers that were synthesized with NaOH/Na2SiO3 solution cured at 60 °C for 3 days. The results demonstrated the suitability of metakaolin and palm oil fuel ash (POFA) for synthesis of geopolymer at room temperatures.

  1. Physicochemical Characterization of Geopolymer Binders and Foams Made from Tunisian Clay

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Imen Ben Messaoud

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Illito-kaolinitic clay rich in hematite from south Tunisia was investigated in view of producing geopolymer materials. Geopolymers with two different densities were elaborated: cement and foam. The effects of activator concentrations on compressive strength, water absorption (durability, open porosity, and bulk density of geopolymers cement were examined, in order to assure optimal geopolymerization conditions. Geopolymer cements aged 28 days with optimum performances were achieved for 13 M of alkaline solution concentration. At these conditions, the compressive strength of prepared geopolymer reaches 27.8 MPa. The addition of silica fume to reactant geopolymer mixture induces modification of geopolymer density and decrease in the compressive strength of the final product. Geopolymer materials based on calcined Tunisian clay can be suggested as sustainable and cost-effective cement that may be applied to alternate Portland cement in many construction applications.

  2. Geopolymer resin materials, geopolymer materials, and materials produced thereby

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Seo, Dong-Kyun; Medpelli, Dinesh; Ladd, Danielle; Mesgar, Milad

    2018-01-09

    A product formed from a first material including a geopolymer resin material, a geopolymer material, or a combination thereof by contacting the first material with a fluid and removing at least some of the fluid to yield a product. The first material may be formed by heating and/or aging an initial geopolymer resin material to yield the first material before contacting the first material with the fluid. In some cases, contacting the first material with the fluid breaks up or disintegrates the first material (e.g., in response to contact with the fluid and in the absence of external mechanical stress), thereby forming particles having an external dimension in a range between 1 nm and 2 cm.

  3. Geopolymer resin materials, geopolymer materials, and materials produced thereby

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seo, Dong-Kyun; Medpelli, Dinesh; Ladd, Danielle; Mesgar, Milad

    2016-03-29

    A product formed from a first material including a geopolymer resin material, a geopolymer resin, or a combination thereof by contacting the first material with a fluid and removing at least some of the fluid to yield a product. The first material may be formed by heating and/or aging an initial geopolymer resin material to yield the first material before contacting the first material with the fluid. In some cases, contacting the first material with the fluid breaks up or disintegrates the first material (e.g., in response to contact with the fluid and in the absence of external mechanical stress), thereby forming particles having an external dimension in a range between 1 nm and 2 cm.

  4. SORPTION OF CESIUM USING KZnFc ON PHOSPHORIC ACID-BASED GEOPOLYMER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li-Ching Chuang

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The adsorbent was synthesized from the acid-base reaction between metal ferrocyanide and acidic phosphate at room temperature. The metal ferrocyanide granular inorganic adsorbent based on phosphate geopolymer for the removal of cesium in either batch or packed-bed operation has been developed in this study. In this work, the compressive strength of granular inorganic adsorbent was investigated under different liquid-to-solid, metal ferrocyanide-to-geopolymer and MgO-to-KH2PO4 ratios. The result showed that the compressive strength of the adsorbent increased with the increase of MgO-to- KH2PO4 ratio. It was found that the optimization of metal ferrocyanide-to-geopolymer and MgO-to- KH2PO4 ratios was important in improving both the compressive strength and the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent. The metal ferrocyanide granular inorganic adsorbent prepared were characterized by analysis such as XRD, TGA, FTIR and SEM spectra. In this study, the synthesized granular inorganic adsorbent has demonstrated a Cs removal efficiency of over 99 % and an adsorption capacity of 1.7-1.8 meq.g-1 in simulation wastewater containing 2000 ppm Cs under adsorbent dose of 0.0067 g.ml-1.

  5. FREEZE-THAW AND FIRE RESISTANCE OF GEOPOLYMER MORTAR BASED ON NATURAL AND WASTE POZZOLANS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F.Nurhayat Degirmenci

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this research was to investigate the resistance of pozzolan-based geopolymer mortars subjected to high temperatures and freeze-thaw cycles. Low calcium fly ash and granulated blast furnace slag as waste pozzolans and natural zeolite as a natural pozzolan were used as base materials for producing geopolymer mortar. The other purpose the research was to study the effect of alkaline activator ratio (Na₂SiO₃/NaOH on the performance of pozzolan-based geopolymer mortar specimens subjected to extreme temperatures. The influence of high temperatures on the properties of mortars was investigated at 300°C, 600°C, and 900°C. Fire and freeze-thaw and resistance of mortars were investigated in terms of visual appearance, weight loss and residual compressive strength. The minimal values of the residual compressive strength were obtained at 900°C for all mixtures. The residual compressive strength of all specimens was lower than the values obtained for specimens not subjected to any freeze-thaw resistance test, except those containing GGBS. The Na₂SiO₃/NaOH ratios of the alkaline activator solution used to prepare the geopolymer mortars have an effect on the weight losses and residual compressive strengths of the specimens subjected to high temperatures and freeze-thaw cycles. As the Na2SiO3/NaOH ratios increased, the weight and strength losses decreased.

  6. MICROSTRUCTURE, MINERALOGY AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF GROUND FLY ASH BASED GEOPOLYMERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ferenc Madai

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper is focused on the utilization of deposited fly ash as a main component of geopolymer. After determination of particle size distribution, moisture content, real and bulk density and specific surface area of the raw fly ash, mechanical activation was performed by laboratory scale ball mill. This step is introduced for improving the reactivity of raw material. Then test specimens were produced by geopoliomerisation using a caustic spent liquor (NaOH. Compressive strength was determined on cilindrical specimens. Finally, samples of the ground fly ash based geopolymer specimens were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, optical and scanning electron microscopy. Results prove that geopolymer production with proper strength from the investigated F-type deposited fly ash is possible. The uniaxial compressive strength of obtained composites strongly depends on the fineness of the ground fly ash. XRD results show that comparing the crystalline components for different geopolymer samples, zeolite-A appears and its amount increases gradually from 0T sample till 30T and then decreases for 60T sample. The same trend holds for sodalite type structure phases, however its amount is much lower than for zeolite-A. SEM+EDS investigation revealed that Na-content is elevated in the interstitial fine-grained matrix, especially for the 30T sample when highest strength was observed. Si and Al are abundant mainly in anhedral and spherical grains and in rarely occurring grains resembling some crystal shape.

  7. A Comprehensive Study of the Polypropylene Fiber Reinforced Fly Ash Based Geopolymer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Navid Ranjbar

    Full Text Available As a cementitious material, geopolymers show a high quasi-brittle behavior and a relatively low fracture energy. To overcome such a weakness, incorporation of fibers to a brittle matrix is a well-known technique to enhance the flexural properties. This study comprehensively evaluates the short and long term impacts of different volume percentages of polypropylene fiber (PPF reinforcement on fly ash based geopolymer composites. Different characteristics of the composite were compared at fresh state by flow measurement and hardened state by variation of shrinkage over time to assess the response of composites under flexural and compressive load conditions. The fiber-matrix interface, fiber surface and toughening mechanisms were assessed using field emission scan electron microscopy (FESEM and atomic force microscopy (AFM. The results show that incorporation of PPF up to 3 wt % into the geopolymer paste reduces the shrinkage and enhances the energy absorption of the composites. While, it might reduce the ultimate flexural and compressive strength of the material depending on fiber content.

  8. Thermal characterization of metakaolin-based geopolymer

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Samal, Sneha Manjaree; Thanh, N.P.; Marvalová, B.; Petrikova, I.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 69, č. 12 (2017), s. 2480-2484 ISSN 1047-4838 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : thermal * characterization * geopolymer Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism OBOR OECD: Condensed matter physics (including formerly solid state physics, supercond.) Impact factor: 1.860, year: 2016

  9. Hot-pressed geopolymer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ranjbar, Navid; Mehrali, Mohammad; Maheri, Mahmoud R.

    2017-01-01

    This research explores the use of simultaneous heating and pressing techniques in order to enhance the mechanical properties of fly ash (FA) based geopolymer under relatively low temperature conditions to ensure minimum-porosity. Four effective parameters of pressing force, alkali activator...

  10. Development of heat resistant geopolymer-based materials from red mud and rice husk ash

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thang, Nguyen Hoc; Nhung, Le Thuy; Quyen, Pham Vo Thi Ha; Phong, Dang Thanh; Khe, Dao Thanh; Van Phuc, Nguyen

    2018-04-01

    Geopolymer is an inorganic polymer composite developed by Joseph Davidovits in 1970s. Such material has potentials to replace Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC)-based materials in the future because of its lower energy consumption, minimal CO2 emissions and lower production cost as it utilizes industrial waste resources. Hence, geopolymerization and the process to produce geopolymers for various applications like building materials can be considered as green industry. Moreover, in this study, red mud and rice husk ash were used as raw materials for geopolymeric production, which are aluminum industrial and agricultural wastes that need to be managed to reduce their negative impact to the environment. The red mud and rice husk ash were mixed with sodium silicate (water glass) solution to form geopolymer paste. The geopolymer paste was filled into 5-cm cube molds according to ASTM C109/C109M 99, and then cured at room temperature for 28 days. These products were then tested for compressive strength and volumetric weight. Results indicated that the material can be considered lightweight with a compressive strength at 28 days that are in the range of 6.8 to 15.5 MPa. Moreover, the geopolymer specimens were also tested for heat resistance at a temperature of 1000oC for 2 hours. Results suggest high heat resistance with an increase of compressive strength from 262% to 417% after exposed at high temperature.

  11. THE INFLUENCE OF PHOSPHORUS SLAG ADDITION ON MICROSTRUCTURE AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF METAKAOLIN-BASED GEOPOLYMER PASTES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. A. SOLEIMANI

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available In this study, metakaolin plus different weight percent of phosphorus slag (10-100 wt. % were used in preparation of geopolymer. The compressive strength, phase analysis and microstructure changes were compared with a metakaolin based geopolymer control sample. Results showed that the substitution of slag up to 40 wt. % instead of metakaolin increase the 28 days compressive strength (14.5 % compared with control sample. This enhancement of strength is related to coexistence of geopolymeric gel and C‒S‒H gel or C‒A‒S‒H phase by XRD and FTIR study. In slag containing geopolymer samples some microcracks were observed at microstructure that established by volume change during formation of new phase or mismatching of unreacted particle with geopolymeric gel. These microcrack can dominate at high content of slag (above 40 wt. % substitution and decrease the strength of samples. These results show that it is possible to produce geopolymer cement from waste phosphorus slages.

  12. Benefits of aggregates surface modification in concrete production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Junak, J.; Sicakova, A.

    2017-10-01

    In our study, recycled concrete aggregates (RCA), which surfaces had been modified by geopolymer material based on coal fly ash, were used to produce the concrete samples. In these samples, fraction 4/8 mm was replaced by recycled concrete aggregate with a range of 100%. To modify the surface of RCA was “Solo” and “Triple stage” modification used. On these samples real density, total water absorption and compressive strength were examined after 28, 90, 180 and 365 days of hardening. The highest compressive strength 56.8 MPa, after 365 days hardening, reached sample which had improved RCA surface by “Triple stage mixing”.

  13. Review: Potential Strength of Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer Paste with Substitution of Local Waste Materials with High-Temperature Effect

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subekti, S.; Bayuaji, R.; Darmawan, M. S.; Husin, N. A.; Wibowo, B.; Anugraha, B.; Irawan, S.; Dibiantara, D.

    2017-11-01

    This research provided an overview of the potential fly ash based geopolymer paste for application in building construction. Geopolymer paste with various variations of fly ash substitution with local waste material and high-temperature influence exploited with the fresh and hardened condition. The local waste material which utilized for this study were sandblasting waste, carbide waste, shell powder, bagasse ash, rice husk and bottom ash. The findings of this study indicated that fly-based geopolymer paste with local waste material substitution which had high-temperature influence ash showed a similar nature of OPC binders potentially used in civil engineering applications.

  14. Mechanical properties and microstructure analysis of fly ash geopolymeric recycled concrete.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, X S; Collins, F G; Zhao, X L; Wang, Q Y

    2012-10-30

    Six mixtures with different recycled aggregate (RA) replacement ratios of 0%, 50% and 100% were designed to manufacture recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) and alkali-activated fly ash geopolymeric recycled concrete (GRC). The physical and mechanical properties were investigated indicating different performances from each other. Optical microscopy under transmitted light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were carried out in this study in order to identify the mechanism underlying the effects of the geopolymer and RA on concrete properties. The features of aggregates, paste and interfacial transition zone (ITZ) were compared and discussed. Experimental results indicate that using alkali-activated fly ash geopolymer as replacement of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) effectively improved the compressive strength. With increasing of RA contents in both RAC and GRC, the compressive strength decreased gradually. The microstructure analysis shows that, on one hand, the presence of RA weakens the strength of the aggregates and the structure of ITZs; on the other hand, due to the alkali-activated fly ash in geopolymer concrete, the contents of Portlandite (Ca(OH)(2)) and voids were reduced, as well as improved the matrix homogeneity. The microstructure of GRC was changed by different reaction products, such as aluminosilicate gel. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. The Effect of Alkaline Activator Ratio on the Compressive Strength of Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer Paste

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lăzărescu, A. V.; Szilagyi, H.; Baeră, C.; Ioani, A.

    2017-06-01

    Alkaline activation of fly ash is a particular procedure in which ash resulting from a power plant combined with a specific alkaline activator creates a solid material when dried at a certain temperature. In order to obtain desirable compressive strengths, the mix design of fly ash based geopolymer pastes should be explored comprehensively. To determine the preliminary compressive strength for fly ash based geopolymer paste using Romanian material source, various ratios of Na2SiO3 solution/ NaOH solution were produced, keeping the fly ash/alkaline activator ratio constant. All the mixes were then cured at 70 °C for 24 hours and tested at 2 and 7 days, respectively. The aim of this paper is to present the preliminary compressive strength results for producing fly ash based geopolymer paste using Romanian material sources, the effect of alkaline activators ratio on the compressive strength and studying the directions for future research.

  16. Preparation of geopolymer-based inorganic membrane for removing Ni{sup 2+} from wastewater

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ge, Yuanyuan; Yuan, Yuan; Wang, Kaituo; He, Yan; Cui, Xuemin, E-mail: cui-xm@tsinghua.edu.cn

    2015-12-15

    Highlights: • A type free-sintering geopolymer membrane for waste water treatment was fabricated. • The geopolymer inorganic membrane held good strength and appropriate water flux. • The mechanism of removing Ni{sup 2+} combined actions of the adsorption and rejection. • The geopolymer membrane is a promising way to remove heavy metal ions in industry. - Abstract: A type of novel free-sintering and self-supporting inorganic membrane for wastewater treatment was fabricated in this study. This inorganic membrane was synthesised using metakaolin and sodium silicate solutions moulded according to a designed molar ratio (SiO{sub 2}/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} = 2.96, Na{sub 2}O/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} = 0.8 and H{sub 2}O/Na{sub 2}O = 19) which formed a homogenous structure and had a relative concentration pore size distribution, via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analyses. In this work, the Ni{sup 2+} removal effect of geopolymer inorganic membrane was studied under different pH value, initial concentration of Ni{sup 2+} solutions and initial operation temperature. Results showed that geopolymer inorganic membrane efficiently removes Ni{sup 2+} from wastewater because of the combined actions of the adsorption and rejection of this membrane on Ni{sup 2+} during membrane separation. Therefore, geopolymer inorganic membrane may have positive potential applications in removing Ni{sup 2+} or other heavy metal ions from aqueous industrial wastewater.

  17. Review of Dolomite as Precursor of Geopolymer Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Azimi E.A.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Geopolymer is an environmentally friendly cementitious binder that does not require the existence of ordinary Portland cement (OPC. Geopolymer has many excellent advantages, including high early strength, low shrinkage, good thermal resistance and good chemical resistance. Previous commonly used materials include fly ash, clay and slag. The used of dolomite as precursor material in geopolymer field is still new and at the early stage of study. Only a few researchers have done studies on dolomite in geopolymer. Dolomite (CaMg(CO32 is abundant and generally inexpensive natural minerals. The possible use of these bulk calcium carbonate materials in improving the mechanical properties of geopolymers will therefore be of great interest. This paper summarizes some research outcomes on dolomite in geopolymer along with the potential of dolomite as geopolymer composites.

  18. Effect of glass microfibre addition on the mechanical performances of fly ash-based geopolymer composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thamer Alomayri

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available In the present study, various amounts of glass microfibres were introduced into a geopolymer for reinforcement purposes. The influence of these microfibres on the performance of the geopolymer composites was investigated. Results show that the appropriate addition of glass microfibres can improve the mechanical properties of geopolymer composites. In particular, the flexural strength, flexural modulus and impact strength increase at an optimum fibre content of 2 wt%. Further, adding glass microfibres to a plain geopolymer matrix has a significant effect on the pre-cracking behaviour. It substantially enhances the post-cracking response.

  19. INVESTIGATING THE EFFECTS OF OIL PALM ASH IN METAKAOLIN BASED GEOPOLYMER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hawa A.

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available This research reports on the microstructure, compressive strength, drying shrinkage and sulfate expansion of metakaolin (MK based geopolymers produced by partially replacing MK by oil palm ash (OPA in proportions of 0 %, 5 %, 10 % and 15 % by weight. The specimens were cured at a temperature of 80°C for 1, 2 and 4 hours, and compressive strength test were conducted at ambient temperature at 2, 6, 24 hours, 7 and 28 day. The testing results revealed that the geopolymer with 5 % OPA gave the highest compressive strength. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM indicated that the 5 % OPA sample had a dense-compact matrix and less unreacted raw materials which contributed to the higher compressive strength. In the X-ray diffraction (XRD patterns, the change of the crystalline phase for higher strength was easily detectable compared lower strength.

  20. Leachability of heavy metals in geopolymer-based materials synthesized from red mud and rice husk ash

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Hoc Thang; Pham, Vo Thi Ha Quyen; Dang, Thanh Phong; Dao, Thanh Khe

    2018-04-01

    Red mud is an industrial waste generated during aluminum production from bauxite whereas rice husk ash is an agricultural waste from burning of rice husk that could cause negative impact on the environment if not properly managed. This study demonstrates the utilization of red mud in combination with rice husk ash to form a geopolymer-based material which can be used as bricks or replacement for traditional cement materials. The focus of this study is on the leachability of heavy metals in the raw materials and the geopolymer as this would be significant in assessing the environmental impact of the product. Leachability of metals such as Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Fe, and Cr was evaluated based on European (EN 124572-2 EU CEN TC292/ CEN TC 308) standard with pH value 7. Results indicate that the leachability of these metals in the geopolymer matrix is lower than that of the raw materials.

  1. Geopolymers in Construction / Zastosowanie Geopolimerów W Budownictwie

    Science.gov (United States)

    Błaszczyński, Tomasz Z.; Król, Maciej R.

    2015-03-01

    Within the framework of quests of supplementary and "healthier" binders to the production of concrete followed the development of geopolymers in construction. However the practical application of these materials is still very limited. The production of each ton of cement introduces one ton of CO2 into the atmosphere. According to various estimations, the synthesis of geopolymers absorbs 2-3 times less energy than the Portland cement and causes a generation of 4-8 times less of CO2. Geopolymeric concretes possess a high compressive strength, very small shrinkage and small creep, and they possess a high resistance to acid and sulphate corrosion. These concretes are also resistant to carbonate corrosion and possess a very high fire resistance and also a high resistance to UV radiation. W ramach poszukiwania zastępczych i "zdrowszych" spoiw do produkcji betonu nastąpił rozwój geopolimerów w budownictwie. Jednakże praktyczne zastosowanie tych materiałów jest jeszcze nadal bardzo ograniczone. Produkcja każdej tony cementu wprowadza do atmosfery tonę CO2. Według różnych szacunków, synteza geopolimerów pochłania 2-3 razy mniej energii, niż cementu portlandzkiego oraz powoduje wydzielenie 4-8 razy mniejszej ilości CO2. Do tego betony geopolimerowe posiadają wysoką wytrzymałość na ściskanie, bardzo mały skurcz i małe pełzanie oraz dają wysoką odporność na korozję kwasową i siarczanową. Betony te są także odporne na korozję węglanową i posiadają bardzo wysoką odporność ogniową, a także wysoką odporność na promieniowanie UV.

  2. Geopolymer obtained from coal ash

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Conte, V.; Bissari, E.S.; Uggioni, E.; Bernardin, A.M.

    2011-01-01

    Geopolymers are three-dimensional alumino silicates that can be rapidly formed at low temperature from naturally occurring aluminosilicates with a structure similar to zeolites. In this work coal ash (Tractebel Energy) was used as source of aluminosilicate according a full factorial design in eight formulations with three factors (hydroxide type and concentration and temperature) and two-levels. The ash was dried and hydroxide was added according type and concentration. The geopolymer was poured into cylindrical molds, cured (14 days) and subjected to compression test. The coal ash from power plants belongs to the Si-Al system and thus can easily form geopolymers. The compression tests showed that it is possible to obtain samples with strength comparable to conventional Portland cement. As a result, temperature and molarity are the main factors affecting the compressive strength of the obtained geopolymer. (author)

  3. A study on hardness behavior of geopolymer paste in different condition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zainal, Farah Farhana; Hussin, Kamarudin; Rahmat, Azmi; Abdullah, Mohd Mustafa Al Bakri; Shamsudin, Shaiful Rizam

    2016-07-01

    This study has been conducted to understand the hardness behavior of geopolymer paste in different conditions; with and without being immersed in water. Geopolymer paste has been used nowadays as an alternative way to reduce global warming pollution by carbon dioxide (CO2) released to the air caused from the production of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). Geopolymer has many advantages such as high compressive strength, lower water absorption and lower porosity. Geopolymer paste in this study was made from a mixture of fly ash and alkaline activators. The alkaline activators that have been used were sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution and sodium silicate (Na2SiO3) solution. Then the mixture was allowed to harden for 24hrs at ambient temperature and then placed in the oven for 24hrs with 60°C for the curing process. The hardness testing was conducted after a few months when the samples already achieved the optimum design. The samples were divided to two conditions; without immersion which was placed at ambient temperature (S1) and immersed in water for one week (S2). The samples then are divided into two at the center and testing was conducted into 4 parts which are part 1, part 2, part 3 and part 4. Various methods of non-destructively testing concrete and mortar have been in use for many years such as Vickers hardness test, Rockwell hardness test, Brinell hardness test and many more. The Rockwell hardness test method as defined in ASTM E-18 is the most commonly used hardness test method which is also used in this study. From the results, S1 has higher hardness value than S2 for all parts with the maximum value of S1 is 118.6 and the minimum value is 71.8. The maximum value of S2 is 114.4 and the minimum value is 0. The central part of the geopolymer paste also showed greater hardness values than the edge area of the samples.

  4. Manufacturing of Fire Resistance Geopolymer: A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aziz Ikmal Hakem

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Protection against fire using inorganic polymer is a new application of engineering technology. Even though, there are varieties of fire-protection materials, there is always a need for the development of new materials with improved thermophysical properties and low cost. Geopolymer composites materials are promising from this point of view. Granulated blast furnace slag, boiler ash and fly ash have been used as the prime materials for forming geopolymers composites. Geopolymers have been studied due to its unique properties such as a good fire resistance. Geopolymer offers an innovative for application associated with the high thermal application. This paper summarizes on the potential of alkaliactivated materials over the past decades along with outlines of the manufacturing of geopolymer composites for fire resistance application.

  5. Impact of activator type on the immobilisation of lead in fly ash-based geopolymer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Sujeong [Mineral Resources Research Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of); University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of); Riessen, Arie van, E-mail: A.VanRiessen@curtin.edu.au [Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia 6845 (Australia); Chon, Chul-Min [Mineral Resources Research Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Nam-Hee [University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of); Jou, Hyeong-Tae [Maritime Security Research Center, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Ansan 426-744 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Youn-Joong [Division of Electron Microscopic Research, Korea Basic Science Institute, Daejeon 305-333 (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-03-15

    Highlights: • The type of alkaline activator critically influences the lead immobilisation capability. • Aluminate-activated geopolymers are more suitable for binding lead in the gel. • When a greater amount of Al contributes to the localized negative charge the tight lead is more tightly bound. • Lead disperses randomly forming no specific chemical compound with silicon. - Abstract: Immobilisation of heavy metals in geopolymers has attracted attention as a potential means of treating toxic wastes. Lead is known to be effectively immobilised in a geopolymer matrix, but detailed explanation for the mechanisms involved and the specific chemical form of lead are not fully understood. To reveal the effect of the activator types on the immobilisation of lead in geopolymers, 0.5 and 1.0 wt% lead in the form of lead nitrate was mixed with fly ash and alkaline activators. Different alkaline activators (either combined sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate or sodium aluminate) were used to achieve the target Si:Al ratios 2.0 and 5.0 in geopolymers. Zeolite was formed in aluminate-activated geopolymers having a Si:Al ratio of 2.0, but the zeolite crystallization was suppressed as lead content increased. No specific crystalline phase of lead was detected by X-ray diffraction, electron diffraction or FT-IR spectrometry. In fact, double Cs corrected TEM analysis revealed that lead was evenly distributed with no evidence of formation of a specific lead compound. A sequential extraction procedure for fractionation of lead showed that lead did not exist as an exchangeable ion in geopolymers, regardless of activator type used. Aluminate activation is shown to be superior in the immobilisation of lead because about 99% of extracted lead existed in the oxidizing and residual fractions.

  6. Synthesis of geopolymer from biomass-coal ash blends

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samadhi, Tjokorde Walmiki; Wulandari, Winny; Prasetyo, Muhammad Iqbal; Fernando, Muhammad Rizki; Purbasari, Aprilina

    2017-09-01

    Geopolymer is an environmentally attractive Portland cement substitute, owing to its lower carbon footprint and its ability to consume various aluminosilicate waste materials as its precursors. This work describes the development of geopolymer formulation based on biomass-coal ash blends, which is predicted to be the prevalent type of waste when biomass-based thermal energy production becomes mainstream in Indonesia. The ash blends contain an ASTM Class F coal fly ash (FA), rice husk ash (RHA), and coconut shell ash (CSA). A mixture of Na2SiO3 and concentrated KOH is used as the activator solution. A preliminary experiment identified the appropriate activator/ash mass ratio to be 2.0, while the activator Na2SiO3/KOH ratio varies from 0.8 to 2.0 with increasing ash blend Si/Al ratio. Both non-blended FA and CSA are able to produce geopolymer mortars with 7-day compressive strength exceeding the Indonesian national SNI 15-2049-2004 standard minimum value of 2.0 MPa stipulated for Portland cement mortars. Ash blends have to be formulated with a maximum RHA content of approximately 50 %-mass to yield satisfactory 7-day strength. No optimum ash blend composition is identified within the simplex ternary ash blend compositional region. The strength decreases with Si/Al ratio of the ash blends due to increasing amount of unreacted silicate raw materials at the end of the geopolymer hardening period. Overall, it is confirmed that CSA and blended RHA are feasible raw materials for geopolymer production..

  7. Development of rubberized geopolymer interlocking bricks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bashar S Mohammed

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Waste tires contribute badly to the environment on a huge scale as they are bulky, non-biodegradable, and prone to fire and being a shelter for mosquitos and other insects. This paper reports on a novel approach towards the development of rubberized brick by utilizing crumb rubber as the sole fine aggregate in the production of geopolymer interlocking bricks. The response surface methodology (RSM from Design Experts software has been used to determine the numbers of trial mixes and their corresponding ingredients. A total of thirteen trial mixes were carried out and tested for compressive strength and the RSM model was developed to predict the design mix based on the targeted compressive strength. The mix design was obtained to be an 18 M for NaOH and 0.8 solution to fly ash ratio. The geopolymer interlocking rubberized bricks were then produced and tested for compressive strength, dimension, modulus of rupture, water absorption, initial rate of absorption, and efflorescence. The geopolymer interlocking rubberised bricks presented a low compressive and flexural strength and a high-water absorption capacity. The bricks were rated as non-effloresced and classified as 3rd class bricks which can be used as non-load bearing material. It is recommended to utilize nano silica in order to increase the strength of the brick. Keywords: Rubberized bricks, Crumb rubber, Interlocking bricks, Geopolymer, Response surface methodology

  8. Correlation between hardness and water absorption properties of Saudi kaolin and white clay geopolymer coating

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramasamy, Shamala; Abdullah, Mohd Mustafa Al Bakri; Huang, Yue; Hussin, Kamarudin; Wang, Jin; Shahedan, Noor Fifinatasha

    2017-09-01

    Geopolymer is an uprising technology that is being studied worldwide. Geopolymer raw materials are basically aluminosilicate source materials. However, this technology is yet to infiltrate into pipelines and coating industries which initiated our research idea. The idea of creating universal geopolymer based coating material is mainly to help oil and gas industry reduce its maintenance cost. Kaolin based geopolymer paste was coated on glass reinforced epoxy (GRE) substrates which are majorly used as pipeline material in the oil and gas industry at Saudi Arabia. Kaolin and white clay was chosen as raw material to study the possibilities of utilizing underused aluminosilicate raw materials for geopolymer coating. To obtain suitable formulation, Na2SiO3/NaOH ratio was varied from 0.40 untill 0.60 while other parameters such as solid/liquid ratio and NaOH molarity were kept constant at values as per previous works. Geopolymer coated GRE substrates were then subjected to water absorption, flexural strength and hardness test to validate our findings. Water absorption is a crucial test as for coating materials which justifies the pratical usability of the coating product. Upon testing, kaolin and white clay based geopolymer coating each shows promising properties at Na2SiO3/NaOH ratio of 0.45 and 0.50 each.

  9. Influence of activating solution and the addition of NaF on metakaolin-based geopolymer physico-chemical properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Agullo, J.; Muzeau, B.; Trepy, N.; L'Hostis, V.; Lambertin, D.

    2015-01-01

    The technology of geo-polymerisation is attracting a lot of interest due to the wide variety of potential applications. Recently emerging and alternative cementitious systems based on geo-polymers have been reported in literature. Geo-polymer materials have been proposed as new binders for safe radioactive waste containment. Moreover, their good fluidity and fire resistance make them compatible with industrial processes for embedding wastes. The purpose of this work was to investigate the physico-chemical properties of meta-kaolin-based geo-polymer which could be used as mineral binder for encapsulation of metallic nuclear wastes. To improve the knowledge of this binder, its microstructure and its interstitial solution have been characterized during hydration (up to 28 days). Interstitial solutions were extracted at different hydration time and subsequent analyses allow us to determine their chemical composition. pH measurements confirm the high alkalinity of the interstitial pore solution. The influence of the activating solution (NaOH or KOH) and the addition of NaF as corrosion inhibitor in the geo-polymer composition were also studied. The nature of different crystalline phases was identified by X-ray diffraction. Water accessible porosity for these materials was estimated around 59%. The pore size distribution was determined by mercury intrusion porosity. Alkaline cations have proved to induce changes in the pore size distribution, these ones coming from whether the activating solution or the NaF addition. (authors)

  10. High calcium fly ash geopolymer stabilized lateritic soil and granulated blast furnace slag blends as a pavement base material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phummiphan, Itthikorn; Horpibulsuk, Suksun; Rachan, Runglawan; Arulrajah, Arul; Shen, Shui-Long; Chindaprasirt, Prinya

    2018-01-05

    Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GBFS) was used as a replacement material in marginal lateritic soil (LS) while class C Fly Ash (FA) was used as a precursor for the geopolymerization process to develop a low-carbon pavement base material at ambient temperature. Unconfined Compression Strength (UCS) tests were performed to investigate the strength development of geopolymer stabilized LS/GBFS blends. Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-ray Diffraction analysis were undertaken to examine the role of the various influencing factors on UCS development. The influencing factors studied included GBFS content, Na 2 SiO 3 :NaOH ratio (NS:NH) and curing time. The 7-day soaked UCS of FA geopolymer stabilized LS/GBFS blends at various NS:NH ratios tested was found to satisfy the specifications of the Thailand national road authorities. The GBFS replacement was found to be insignificant for the improvement of the UCS of FA geopolymer stabilized LS/GBFS blends at low NS:NH ratio of 50:50. Microstructural analysis indicated the coexistence of Calcium Silicate Hydrate (CSH) and Sodium Alumino Silicate Hydrate products in FA geopolymer stabilized LS/GBFS blends. This research enables GBFS, which is traditionally considered as a waste material, to be used as a replacement and partially reactive material in FA geopolymer pavement applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. The evolution of strength and crystalline phases for alkali-activated ground blast furnace slag and fly ash-based geopolymers

    KAUST Repository

    Oh, Jae Eun

    2010-02-01

    The increase in strength and evolution of crystalline phases in inorganic polymer cement, made by the alkali activation of slag, Class C and Class F fly ashes, was followed using compressive strength test and synchrotron X-ray diffraction. In order to increase the crystallinity of the product the reactions were carried out at 80 °C. We found that hydrotalcite formed in both the alkali-activated slag cements and the fly ash-based geopolymers. Hydroxycancrinite, one member of the ABC-6 family of zeolites, was found only in the fly ash geopolymers. Assuming that the predominantly amorphous geopolymer formed under ambient conditions relates to the crystalline phases found when the mixture is cured at high temperature, we propose that the structure of this zeolitic precursor formed in Na-based high alkaline environment can be regarded as a disordered form of the basic building unit of the ABC-6 group of zeolites which includes poly-types such as hydroxycancrinite, hydroxysodalite and chabazite-Na. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd.

  12. The evolution of strength and crystalline phases for alkali-activated ground blast furnace slag and fly ash-based geopolymers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, Jae Eun; Monteiro, Paulo J.M.; Jun, Ssang Sun; Choi, Sejin; Clark, Simon M.

    2010-01-01

    The increase in strength and evolution of crystalline phases in inorganic polymer cement, made by the alkali activation of slag, Class C and Class F fly ashes, was followed using compressive strength test and synchrotron X-ray diffraction. In order to increase the crystallinity of the product the reactions were carried out at 80 deg. C. We found that hydrotalcite formed in both the alkali-activated slag cements and the fly ash-based geopolymers. Hydroxycancrinite, one member of the ABC-6 family of zeolites, was found only in the fly ash geopolymers. Assuming that the predominantly amorphous geopolymer formed under ambient conditions relates to the crystalline phases found when the mixture is cured at high temperature, we propose that the structure of this zeolitic precursor formed in Na-based high alkaline environment can be regarded as a disordered form of the basic building unit of the ABC-6 group of zeolites which includes poly-types such as hydroxycancrinite, hydroxysodalite and chabazite-Na.

  13. Lightweight Heat Resistant Geopolymer-based Materials Synthesized from Red Mud and Rice Husk Ash Using Sodium Silicate Solution as Alkaline Activator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hoc Thang Nguyen

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Geopolymer is an inorganic polymer composite with potentials to replace Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC-based materials in the future because of its lower energy consumption, minimal CO2 emissions and lower production cost as it utilizes industrial waste resources. Hence, geopolymerization and the process to produce geopolymers for various applications like building materials can be considered as green industry. Moreover, in our study, the raw materials we used are red mud and rice husk ash, which are are industrial and agricultural wastes that need to be managed to reduce their impact to the environment. The red mud and rice husk ash combined with sodium silicate (water glass solution were mixed to form geopolymer materials. Moreover, the geopolymer specimens were also tested for heat resistance at a temperature of 1000°C for 2 hours. Results suggest high heat resistance with an increase of compressive strength after exposed at high temperature.

  14. Concretes of low environmental impact obtained by geopolymerization of Metakaolin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandoval, D. C.; Montaño, A. M.; González, C. P.; Gutiérrez, J.

    2018-04-01

    This work shows results of partial replacement of Portland Type I cement®, by geopolymers obtained through alkaline activation of Metakaolin, in concrete mixtures. Replacement was made with 10%, 20% and 30% of geopolymers at 7, 14, 28 and 90 days of setting. Cement samples was mechanical and electrically tested. Mechanical resistance to compression assay shows that the best percentage of replacement is 10% for every setting time; highest value is 26.75MPa at 90 days. Nyquist diagrams at different times of immersion exhibit same trend: decreasing of electrical resistance as time of assay goes by.

  15. Innovative Fly Ash Geopolymer-Epoxy Composites: Preparation, Microstructure and Mechanical Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giuseppina Roviello

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The preparation and characterization of composite materials based on geopolymers obtained from fly ash and epoxy resins are reported for the first time. These materials have been prepared through a synthetic method based on the concurrent reticulation of the organic and inorganic components that allows the formation of hydrogen bonding between the phases, ensuring a very high compatibility between them. These new composites show significantly improved mechanical properties if compared to neat geopolymers with the same composition and comparable performances in respect to analogous geopolymer-based composites obtained starting from more expensive raw material such as metakaolin. The positive combination of an easy synthetic approach with the use of industrial by-products has allowed producing novel low cost aluminosilicate binders that, thanks to their thixotropicity and good adhesion against materials commonly used in building constructions, could be used within the field of sustainable building.

  16. Advances in concrete materials for sewer systems affected by microbial induced concrete corrosion: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grengg, Cyrill; Mittermayr, Florian; Ukrainczyk, Neven; Koraimann, Günther; Kienesberger, Sabine; Dietzel, Martin

    2018-05-01

    Microbial induced concrete corrosion (MICC) is recognized as one of the main degradation mechanisms of subsurface infrastructure worldwide, raising the demand for sustainable construction materials in corrosive environments. This review aims to summarize the key research progress acquired during the last decade regarding the understanding of MICC reaction mechanisms and the development of durable materials from an interdisciplinary perspective. Special focus was laid on aspects governing concrete - micoorganisms interaction since being the central process steering biogenic acid corrosion. The insufficient knowledge regarding the latter is proposed as a central reason for insufficient progress in tailored material development for aggressive wastewater systems. To date no cement-based material exists, suitable to withstand the aggressive conditions related to MICC over its entire service life. Research is in particular needed on the impact of physiochemical material parameters on microbial community structure, growth characteristics and limitations within individual concrete speciation. Herein an interdisciplinary approach is presented by combining results from material sciences, microbiology, mineralogy and hydrochemistry to stimulate the development of novel and sustainable materials and mitigation strategies for MICC. For instance, the application of antibacteriostatic agents is introduced as an effective instrument to limit microbial growth on concrete surfaces in aggressive sewer environments. Additionally, geopolymer concretes are introduced as highly resistent in acid environments, thus representing a possible green alternative to conventional cement-based construction materials. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. High tensile strength fly ash based geopolymer composite using copper coated micro steel fiber

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ranjbar, Navid; Mehrali, Mehdi; Mehrali, Mohammad

    2016-01-01

    -matrix interaction. In this present study, effects of micro steel fibers (MSF) incorporation on mechanical properties of fly ash based geopolymer was investigated at different volume ratio of matrix. Various properties of the composite were compared in terms of fresh state by flow measurement and hardened state......As a ceramic-like material, geopolymers show a high quasi-brittle behavior and relatively low fracture energy. To overcome this, the addition of fibers to a brittle matrix is a well-known method to improve the flexural strength. Moreover, the success of the reinforcements is dependent on the fiber...... by variation of shrinkage over time to assess performance of the composites subjected to flexural and compressive load. The fiber-matrix interface, fiber surface and toughening mechanisms were assessed using field emission scan electron microscopy (FESEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) through a period...

  18. Characterisation of irradiation effect on geo-polymers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chupin, Frederic

    2015-01-01

    This study aims to improve knowledge about the radiation effect on geo-polymer behavior in terms of dihydrogen release and general strength in order to consider them as an alternative to usual nuclear waste cementitious coating matrices. Using various characterization techniques (nitrogen adsorption, low temperature DSC, FTIR and 1 H NMR spectroscopy) and by means of simulation irradiations (gamma, heavy ions), it has been shown that all the water present in the geo-polymer could be radiolyzed and that there was a confinement effect on the water radiolysis under low LET irradiation, probably due to efficient energy transfers from the solid matrix to the interstitial solution. Three dihydrogen production rates have been identified with the absorbed dose, depending on the concentration of dissolved dioxygen and the dihydrogen accumulation in the geo-polymer matrix. The good mechanical strength of the geo-polymer has been shown up to 9 MGy under gamma irradiation and is due to its high stability under irradiation. This could be explained by the fast recombination of the defects observed by EPR spectroscopy. However, phase crystallization was revealed during irradiation with heavy ions, which may induce some weakening of the geo-polymer network under alpha irradiation. The overall results helped to understand the phenomenology in a waste package under storage conditions. (author) [fr

  19. Ceramic-like open-celled geopolymer foam as a porous substrate for water treatment catalyst

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kovářík, T.; Křenek, T.; Pola, M.; Rieger, D.; Kadlec, J.; Franče, P.

    2017-02-01

    This paper presents results from experimental study on microstructural and mechanical properties of geopolymer-based foam filters. The process for making porous ceramic-like geopolymer body was experimentally established, consists of (a) geopolymer paste synthesis, (b) ceramic filler incorporation, (c) coating of open-celled polyurethane foam with geopolymer mixture, (d) rapid setting procedure, (e) thermal treatment. Geopolymer paste was based on potassium silicate solution n(SiO2)/n(K2O)=1.6 and powder mixture of calcined kaolin and precipitated silica. Various types of ceramic granular filler (alumina, calcined schistous clay and cordierite) were tested in relation to aggregate gradation design and particle size distribution. The small amplitude oscillatory rheometry in strain controlled regime 0.01% with angular frequency 10 rad/s was applied for determination of rheology behavior of prepared mixtures. Thermal treatment conditions were applied in the temperature range 1100 - 1300 °C. The developed porous ceramic-like foam effectively served as a substrate for highly active nanoparticles of selected Fe+2 spinels. Such new-type of nanocomposite was tested as a heterogeneous catalyst for technological process of advanced oxidative degradation of resistive antibiotics occurring in waste waters.

  20. Encapsulation of aluminium in geopolymers produced from metakaolin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kuenzel, C. [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London (United Kingdom); Centre for Advanced Structural Ceramics, Department of Materials, Imperial College London (United Kingdom); Neville, T.P. [Centre for CO_2 Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London (United Kingdom); Omakowski, T. [Flowcrete, Group Ltd., Cheshire (United Kingdom); Vandeperre, L. [Centre for Advanced Structural Ceramics, Department of Materials, Imperial College London (United Kingdom); Boccaccini, A.R. [Institute of Biomaterials, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (Germany); Bensted, J.; Simons, S.J.R. [Centre for CO_2 Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London (United Kingdom); Cheeseman, C.R., E-mail: c.cheeseman@imperial.ac.uk [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London (United Kingdom)

    2014-04-01

    Magnox swarf contaminated with trace levels of Al metal is an important UK legacy waste originated from the fuel rod cladding system used in Magnox nuclear power stations. Composite cements made from Portland cement and blast furnace slag form a potential encapsulation matrix. However the high pH of this system causes the Al metal to corrode causing durability issues. Geopolymers derived from metakaolin are being investigated as an alternative encapsulation matrix for Magnox swarf waste and the corrosion kinetics and surface interactions of Al with metakaolin geopolymer are reported in this paper. It is shown that the pH of the geopolymer paste can be controlled by the selection of metakaolin and the sodium silicate solution used to form the geopolymer. A decrease in pH of the activation solution reduces corrosion of the Al metal and increases the stability of bayerite and gibbsite layers formed on the Al surface. The bayerite and gibbsite act as a passivation layer which inhibits further corrosion and mitigates H{sub 2} generation. The research shows that optimised metakaolin geopolymers have potential to be used to encapsulate legacy Magnox swarf wastes.

  1. Contributions to the study of porosity in fly ash-based geopolymers. Relationship between degree of reaction, porosity and compressive strength

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. Luna-Galiano

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The main contribution of this paper relates to the development of a systematic study involving a set of parameters which could potentially have an impact on geopolymer properties: curing temperature, type of activating solution, alkali metal in solution, incorporation of slag (Ca source and type of slag used. The microstructures, degrees of reaction, porosities and compressive strengths of geopolymers have been evaluated. Geopolymers prepared with soluble silicate presented a more compacted and closed structure, a larger amount of gel, lower porosity and greater compressive strength than those prepared with hydroxides. On the other hand, Na-geopolymers were more porous but more resistant than K-geopolymers. Although there is an inverse relation between degree of reaction and porosity, between compressive strength and porosity it is not always inversely proportional and could, in some cases, be masked by changes produced in other influencing parameters.

  2. Natural pozzolan-and granulated blast furnace slag-based binary geopolymers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robayo, R. A.

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available This study describes the synthesis at ambient temperature (25±3 °C of binary geopolymer systems based on natural volcanic pozzolan and granulated blast furnace slag. Na2SiO3 and NaOH were used as alkaline activators. The effects of the SiO2/Al2O3, Na2O/Al2O3 ratio and the amount of slag added (from 0 to 30% on the reaction kinetics, compressive strength and microstructure of the final product were studied. To characterise the geopolymer pastes, techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD, infrared spectroscopy (FTIR and scanning electron microscopy (SEM were used. The results indicate the possibility of obtaining a geopolymer cement with a compressive strength of up to 48.11 MPa after 28 days of curing at ambient temperature whose characteristics are comparable to those of commercial portland cement.Este trabajo describe la síntesis a temperatura ambiente (25±3 °C de sistemas geopoliméricos de tipo binario basados en una puzolana natural de origen volcánico y escoria siderúrgica de alto horno usando activadores alcalinos basados en la combinación de Na2SiO3 y NaOH. Se estudió el efecto de la relación SiO2/Al2O3, Na2O/Al2O3 y la cantidad de escoria adicionada en niveles entre el 0 y 30% sobre la cinética de reacción, la resistencia a la compresión y la microestructura del producto final. Para la caracterización de las pastas geopoliméricas se utilizaron técnicas como difracción de rayos X (DRX, espectroscopia infrarroja (FTIR y microscopia electrónica de barrido (MEB. Los resultados conseguidos revelan la posibilidad de obtener un cementante geopolimérico con una resistencia a la compresión de hasta 48,11 MPa a los 28 días de curado a temperatura ambiente cuyas características son comparables a las de un cemento portland comercial.

  3. Effect of the rate of calcination of kaolin on the properties of metakaolin-based geopolymers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B.B. Kenne Diffo

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Kaolin samples of the same mass were treated at 700 °C for the same duration of 30 min by varying the rate of calcination (1, 2.5, 5, 10, 15 and 20 °C/min in order to obtain metakaolins which were used to produce geopolymers. Depending on the nature of each type of material, kaolin, metakaolins and geopolymers were characterized using thermal analysis, chemical analysis, XRD, FTIR, particle size distribution, specific surface area, bulk density, setting time and compressive strength. FTIR and XRD analyses showed that metakaolins except at 1 °C/min contained residual kaolinite whose quantity increased with the rate of calcination of kaolin and which influenced the characteristics of geopolymers. Thus as the rate of calcination of kaolin increased, the setting time increased (226 min (rate of 1 °C/min–773 min (rate of 20 °C/min while the compressive strength reduced (49.4 MPa (rate of 1 °C/min–20.8 MPa (rate of 20 °C/min. From the obtained results the production of geopolymers having high compressive strength along with low setting time requires that the calcination of kaolin be carried out at a low rate.

  4. EFFECT OF SODIUM SILICATE TO SODIUM HYDROXIDE RATIOS ON DURABILITY OF GEOPOLYMER MORTARS CONTAINING NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL POZZOLANS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Nurhayat Degirmenci

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to provide the experimental data on the sulphate and acid performance of geopolymer mortar containing pozzolanic materials such as fly ash (FA, ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS and natural zeolite (NZ. The alkaline solution was the combination of sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide solution with the ratio (Na ₂SiO₃/NaOH of 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0. The molarity of sodium hydroxide was fixed as 10. The performances of geopolymer mortar were measured in terms of sodium and magnesium sulphate resistance and sulphuric and hydrochlorich acid resistance with 5% and 10 % concentration after 24 weeks. The evaluations were measured as visual observation, measurement of weight change and residual compressive strength. It has been observed that Na ₂SiO₃/NaOH ratio is effective on residual compressive strength of geopolymer mortar in both sulphate and acid exposure. The higher ratio of Na ₂SiO₃/NaOH results in a higher residual compressive strength. The GGBS based geopolymer mortar has a very good resistance in acid media in terms of weight loss and residual compressive strength. The inclusion of FA in the GGBS based geopolymer mixture was found to be a suitable base of geopolymer mortar under ambient curing conditions.

  5. Properties of ambient cured blended alkali activated cement concrete

    Science.gov (United States)

    Talha Junaid, M.

    2017-11-01

    This paper presents results of the development and strength properties of ambient-cured alkali activated geopolymer concrete (GPC). The study looks at the strength properties, such as compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and elastic modulus of such concretes and its dependency on various parameters. The parameters studied in this work are the type and proportions of pre-cursor materials, type of activator and their respective ratios and the curing time. Two types of pre-cursor material; low calcium fly ash (FA) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) were activated using different proportions of sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide solutions. The results indicate that ambient cured geopolymer concrete can be manufactured to match strength properties of ordinary Portland cement concrete (OPC). The strength properties of GPC are dependent on the type and ratio of activator and the proportion of GGBFS used. Increasing the percentage of GGBFS increased the compressive and tensile strengths, while reducing the setting time of the mix. The effect of GGBFS on strength was more pronounced in mixes that contained sodium silicate as activator solution. Unlike OPC, ambient-cured GPC containing sodium silicate gain most of their strength in the first 7 days and there is no change in strength thereafter. However, GPC mixes not containing sodium silicate only achieve a fraction of their strength at 7 days and extended curing is required for such concretes to gain full strength. The results also indicate that the elastic modulus values of GPC mixes without sodium silicate are comparable to OPC while mixes with sodium silicate have elastic modulus values much lower than ordinary concrete.

  6. Solidification/stabilization of ash from medical waste incineration into geopolymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tzanakos, Konstantinos; Mimilidou, Aliki; Anastasiadou, Kalliopi; Stratakis, Antonis; Gidarakos, Evangelos

    2014-10-01

    In the present work, bottom and fly ash, generated from incinerated medical waste, was used as a raw material for the production of geopolymers. The stabilization (S/S) process studied in this paper has been evaluated by means of the leaching and mechanical properties of the S/S solids obtained. Hospital waste ash, sodium hydroxide, sodium silicate solution and metakaolin were mixed. Geopolymers were cured at 50°C for 24h. After a certain aging time of 7 and 28 days, the strength of the geopolymer specimens, the leachability of heavy metals and the mineralogical phase of the produced geopolymers were studied. The effects of the additions of fly ash and calcium compounds were also investigated. The results showed that hospital waste ash can be utilized as source material for the production of geopolymers. The addition of fly ash and calcium compounds considerably improves the strength of the geopolymer specimens (2-8 MPa). Finally, the solidified matrices indicated that geopolymerization process is able to reduce the amount of the heavy metals found in the leachate of the hospital waste ash. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Effect of hydrated lime on compressive strength mortar of fly ash laterite soil geopolymer mortar

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wangsa, F. A.; Tjaronge, M. W.; Djamaluddin, A. R.; Muhiddin, A. B.

    2017-11-01

    This paper explored the suitability of fly ash, hydrated lime, and laterite soil with several activator (sodium hydroxide and sodium tiosulfate) to produce geopolymer mortar. Furthermore, the heat that released by hydrated lime was used instead of oven curing. In order to produce geopolymer mortar without oven curing, three variations of curing condition has been applied. Based on the result, all the curing condition showed that the hardener mortar can be produced and exhibited the increasing of compressive strength of geopolymer mortar from 3 days to 7 days without oven curing.

  8. Comparative Study on the Performance of Blended and Nonblended Fly Ash Geopolymer Composites as Durable Construction Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Debabrata Dutta

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This article represents that the mechanical and microstructural properties and durability of fly ash-based geopolymers blended with silica fume and borax are better than those of conventional fly ash-based geopolymers. Fly ash itself contains the sources of silica and alumina which are required for geopolymerisation. But a sufficient amount of high-reactive silica is able to rapidly initiate geopolymerisation with activation. Pure potassium hydroxide pellets and sodium silicate solution were used for preparation of alkaline activator solution. Fly ash geopolymer paste exhibited better mechanical properties in the presence of silica fume with slight portion of borax. The effect of silica fume-blended geopolymer paste on temperature fluctuation (heating and cooling cycle at certain temperatures showed better performance than nonblended fly ash-based specimens. Durability property was evaluated by immersion of geopolymer specimens in 10% magnesium sulfate solution for a period of one year. The change in weight, strength, and microstructure was studied and compared. In the magnesium sulfate solution, a significant drop of strength to around 37.26% occurred after one year for nonblended fly ash-based specimens. It is evident that specimens prepared incorporating silica fume had the best performance in terms of their properties.

  9. Chemical composition and strength of dolomite geopolymer composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aizat, E. A.; Al Bakri, A. M. M.; Liew, Y. M.; Heah, C. Y.

    2017-09-01

    The chemical composition of dolomite and the compressive strength of dolomite geopolymer composites were studied. The both composites prepared with mechanical mixer manufactured by with rotor speed of 350 rpm and curing in the oven for 24 hours at 80˚C. XRF analysis showThe dolomite raw materials contain fewer amounts of Si and Al but high Ca in its composition. Dolomite geopolymer composites with 20M of NaOH shows greater and optimum compressive strength compared to dolomite geopolymer with other NaOH molarity. This indicated better interaction of dolomite raw material and alkaline activator need high molarity of NaOH in order to increase the reactivity of dolomite.

  10. Basalt fiber reinforced porous aggregates-geopolymer based cellular material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Xin; Xu, Jin-Yu; Li, Weimin

    2015-09-01

    Basalt fiber reinforced porous aggregates-geopolymer based cellular material (BFRPGCM) was prepared. The stress-strain curve has been worked out. The ideal energy-absorbing efficiency has been analyzed and the application prospect has been explored. The results show the following: fiber reinforced cellular material has successively sized pore structures; the stress-strain curve has two stages: elastic stage and yielding plateau stage; the greatest value of the ideal energy-absorbing efficiency of BFRPGCM is 89.11%, which suggests BFRPGCM has excellent energy-absorbing property. Thus, it can be seen that BFRPGCM is easy and simple to make, has high plasticity, low density and excellent energy-absorbing features. So, BFRPGCM is a promising energy-absorbing material used especially in civil defense engineering.

  11. Effect of Grinding Fineness of Fly Ash on the Properties of Geopolymer Foam

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Szabó R.

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Present paper deals with the development of geopolymer foam prepared from ground F class power station fly ash. The effect of the fly ash fineness on the rheology of the geopolymer paste and the foam properties have been investigated. The raw fly ash was ground in a ball mill for various duration, 5, 10, 20, 30, 60 and 120 min. Geopolymer paste was prepared from the raw and ground fly ash with NaOH – sodium silicate mixture as alkaline activator. Geopolymer foam production was made using H2O2 as foaming agent. Additionally, the geopolymer material structure was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, the foam cell structure was monitored using optical microscopy. The rheological behaviour of the geopolymer paste changed due to the grinding of fly ash (from Bingham plastic to Newtonian liquid. Grinding of fly ash has a significant effect on the physical properties as well as on the cell structure of the geopolymer foam.

  12. Investigating the Nanoporous Structure of Aluminosilicate Geopolymers with Small Angle Scattering and Imaging Techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maitland, C.F.; Buckley, C.E.; O'Connor, B.H.; Rowles, M.R.; Hart, R.D.; Gilbert, E.P.; Connolly, J.

    2005-01-01

    Full text: Rowles and O'Connor optimised the compressive strength of a geopolymer produced by sodium silicate-activation of metakaolinite, and found that this material may have a greater compressive strength than ordinary Portland cement. It has been observed that similar metakaolin-based geopolymers have a multiscale structure that consists of partially dissolved metakaolinite embedded in a nanoporous matrix. The characteristics of the nanostructure within this matrix influence the physical properties of the geopolymer. An investigation, using small-angle neutron scattering and imaging techniques, into how the matrix nanostructure varies with chemical composition of the starting material has been undertaken. The results of this investigation will be reported. (authors)

  13. Nanofiber reinforcement of a geopolymer matrix for improved composite materials mechanical performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, AKM Samsur

    Geopolymers have the potential to cross the process performance gap between polymer matrix and ceramic matrix composites (CMC), enabling high temperature capable composites that are manufactured at relatively low temperatures. Unfortunately, the inherently low toughness of these geopolymers limits the performance of the resulting fiber reinforced geopolymer matrix composites. Toughness improvements in composites can be addressed through the adjustments in the fiber/matrix interfacial strength and through the improvements in the inherent toughness of the constituent materials. This study investigates the potential to improve the inherent toughness of the geopolymer matrix material through the addition of nanofillers, by considering physical dimensions, mechanical properties, reinforcing capability and interfacial bond strength effects. A process optimization study was first undertaken to develop the ability to produce consistent, neat geopolymer samples, a critical precursor to producing nano-filled geopolymer for toughness evaluation. After that, single edge notched bend beam fracture toughness and un-notched beam flexural strength were evaluated for silicon carbide, alumina and carbon nanofillers reinforced geopolymer samples treated at various temperatures in reactive and inert environments. Toughness results of silicon carbide and carbon nanofillers reinforced geopolymers suggested that with the improved baseline properties, high aspect ratio nanofillers with high interfacial bond strength are the most capable in further improving the toughness of geopolymers. Among the high aspect ratio nanofillers i.e. nanofibers, 2vol% silicon carbide whicker (SCW) showed the highest improvement in fracture toughness and flexural strength of ~164% & ~185%, respectively. After heat treatment at 650 °C, SCW reinforcement was found to be effective, with little reduction in the performance, while the performance of alumina nanofiber (ANF) reinforced geopolymer significantly

  14. Morphology and Properties of Geopolymer Coatings on Glass Fibre-Reinforced Epoxy (GRE pipe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shahedan Noor Fifinatasha

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Geopolymer coatings were coated on glass fibre-reinforced epoxy (GRE pipe by using kaolin, white clay and silica sand as source materials and sodium hydroxide (NaOH and sodium silicate (Na2SiO3 as alkaline solution. The microstructure and mechanical property of geopolymer coating on GRE pipe were methodically investigated through morphology analysis, and flexural strength test. The result indicates the microstructure and interfacial layer between geopolymer coating and GRE pipe significantly influence the mechanical property of geopolymer coating. However, different source materials gave different microstructure and property in geopolymer coating.

  15. Geopolymer based catalysts-New group of catalytic materials

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Sazama, Petr; Bortnovsky, O.; Dědeček, Jiří; Tvarůžková, Zdenka; Sobalík, Zdeněk

    2011-01-01

    Roč. 164, č. 1 (2011), s. 92-99 ISSN 0920-5861. [Joint International Conference /1./ of the Tokyo Conference on Advanced Catalytic Science and Technology /11./ Asia Pacific Congress on Catalysis /5./. Sapporo, 18.07.2010-23.07.2010] R&D Projects: GA MPO FT-TA4/068; GA AV ČR KAN100400702 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40400503 Keywords : geopolymers * redox catalysis * SCR-NOx Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 3.407, year: 2011

  16. The Effect of Variation of Molarity of Alkali Activator and Fine Aggregate Content on the Compressive Strength of the Fly Ash: Palm Oil Fuel Ash Based Geopolymer Mortar

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iftekhair Ibnul Bashar

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The effect of molarity of alkali activator, manufactured sand (M-sand, and quarry dust (QD on the compressive strength of palm oil fuel ash (POFA and fly ash (FA based geopolymer mortar was investigated and reported. The variable investigated includes the quantities of replacement levels of M-sand, QD, and conventional mining sand (N-sand in two concentrated alkaline solutions; the contents of alkaline solution, water, POFA/FA ratio, and curing condition remained constant. The results show that an average of 76% of the 28-day compressive strength was found at the age of 3 days. The rate of strength development from 3 to 7 days was found between 12 and 16% and it was found much less beyond this period. The addition of 100% M-sand and QD shows insignificant strength reduction compared to mixtures with 100% N-sand. The particle angularity and texture of fine aggregates played a significant role in the strength development due to the filling and packing ability. The rough texture and surface of QD enables stronger bond between the paste and the fine aggregate. The concentration of alkaline solution increased the reaction rate and thus enhanced the development of early age strength. The use of M-sand and QD in the development of geopolymer concrete is recommended as the strength variation between these waste materials and conventional sand is not high.

  17. Reduction of metal leaching in brown coal fly ash using geopolymers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bankowski, P.; Zou, L.; Hodges, R.

    2004-01-01

    Current regulations classify fly ash as a prescribed waste and prohibit its disposal in regular landfill. Treatment of the fly ash can reduce the leach rate of metals, and allow it to be disposed in less prescribed landfill. A geopolymer matrix was investigated as a potential stabilisation method for brown coal fly ash. Precipitator fly ash was obtained from electrostatic precipitators and leached fly ash was collected from ash disposal ponds, and leaching tests were conducted on both types of geopolymer stabilised fly ashes. The ratio of fly ash to geopolymer was varied to determine the effects of different compositions on leaching rates. Fourteen metals and heavy metals were targeted during the leaching tests and the results indicate that a geopolymer is effective at reducing the leach rates of many metals from the fly ash, such as calcium, arsenic, selenium, strontium and barium. The major element leachate concentrations obtained from leached fly ash were in general lower than that of precipitator fly ash. Conversely, heavy metal leachate concentrations were lower in precipitator fly ash than leached pond fly ash. The maximum addition of fly ash to this geopolymer was found to be 60 wt% for fly ash obtained from the electrostatic precipitators and 70 wt% for fly ash obtained from ash disposal ponds. The formation of geopolymer in the presence of fly ash was studied using 29Si MAS-NMR and showed that a geopolymer matrix was formed. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging showed the interaction of the fly ash with the geopolymer, which was related to the leachate data and also the maximum percentage fly ash addition

  18. Effect of nano-clay on mechanical and thermal properties of geopolymer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Assaedi

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The effect of nano-clay platelets (Cloisite 30B on the mechanical and thermal properties of fly ash geopolymer has been investigated in this paper. The nano-clay platelets are added to reinforce the geopolymer at loadings of 1.0%, 2.0%, and 3.0% by weight. The phase composition and microstructure of geopolymer nano-composites are also investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR and scanning electron microscope (SEM techniques. Results show that the mechanical properties of geopolymer nano-composites are improved due to addition of nano-clay. It is found that the addition of 2.0 wt% nano-clay decreases the porosity and increases the nano-composite's resistance to water absorption significantly. The optimum 2.0 wt% nano-clay addition exhibited the highest flexural and compressive strengths, flexural modulus and hardness. The microstructural analysis results indicate that the nano-clay behaves not only as a filler to improve the microstructure, but also as an activator to facilitate the geopolymeric reaction. The geopolymer nano-composite also exhibited better thermal stability than its counterpart pure geopolymer.

  19. Fire Related Temperature Resistance of Fly Ash Based Geopolymer Mortar

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeyalakshmi R.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The study presented in this paper is on the effect of heat treatment on fly ash based geopolymer mortar synthesized from fly ash (Class F –Low lime using alkaline binary activator solution containing sodium hydroxide (18 M and sodium silicate solution (MR 2.0, cured at 80oC for 24 h. 7 days aged specimen heated at elevated temperature (200°C, 400°C, 600°C and 800°C for the sustained period of 2hrs. The TGA/DTA analysis and thermal conductivity measurement as per ASTM C113 were carried out besides the compressive strengths. The thermal stability of the fly ash mortar at elevated temperature was found to be high as reflected in the observed value of f800°C/f30°C being more than 1 and this ratio was raised to about 1.3 with the addition of 2% Zirconium di oxide (ZrO2. No visible cracks were found on the specimens with and without ZrO2 when 800°C was sustained for 4 hrs in smaller specimens of size: 50 mm diameter x 100 mm height and in also bigger size specimens: 22 cm × 11 cm × 7 cm specimens. TGA/DTA analysis of the geopolymer paste showed that the retention of mass was around 90%. The addition of ZrO2 improved thermal resistance. The micro structure of the matrix found to be intact even at elevated temperature that was evident from the FESEM studies.

  20. Development of Coconut Trunk Fiber Geopolymer Hybrid Composite for Structural Engineering Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amalia, F.; Akifah, N.; Nurfadilla; Subaer

    2017-03-01

    A research on the influence of coconut fiber trunk on mechanical properties based on fly ash has been conducted. The aims of this study was to examine the mechanical properties of geopolymer composites by varrying the concentration of coconut trunk fiber. Geopolymer synthesized by alkali activated (NaOH+H2O+Na2O.3SiO2) and cured at the temperature 700C for one hour. Specimens were synthesized into 5 different mass of fiber 0 g, 0.25 g, 0.50 g, 0.75 g, and 1.00 g keeping fly ash constant. The highest compressive strength was 89.44 MPa for specimen added with 0.50 g of fiber. The highest flexural strength was 7.64 MPa for the same sample. The interfacial transition zone (ITZ) between the matrix of geopolymers and coconut fiber was conducted by using Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). The chemical composition of the specimen was examined by using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The thermal properties of coconut fiber trunk was analyzed using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). It was found that coconut fiber was able to improve the mechanical and microstructure properties of geopolymers composites.

  1. Influence of inert fillers on shrinkage cracking of meta-kaolin geo-polymers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuenzel, C.; Boccaccini, A.R.

    2012-01-01

    Geo-polymers contain a network of tetrahedral coordinated aluminate and silicate, and are potential materials to immobilize/encapsulate nuclear wastes. They can exhibit shrinkage cracking when water is removed by drying, and in order to use geo-polymers for waste encapsulation this effect needs to be investigated and controlled. In this study, six different fillers were mixed with meta-kaolin and sodium silicate solution at high pH to form geo-polymers, and the influence of filler addition on mechanical properties has been determined. The fillers used were Fe 2 O 3 , Al 2 O 3 , CaCO 3 , sand, glass and rubber and these do not react during geo-polymerisation reactions. Geo-polymers were prepared containing 30 weight percent of filler. The mechanical properties of the geo-polymers were influenced by the type of filler, with low density fillers increasing mortar viscosity. Geo-polymer samples containing fine filler particles exhibited shrinkage cracking on drying. This was not observed when coarser particles were added and these samples also had significantly improved mechanical properties. (authors)

  2. Effect of nanoclay on durability and mechanical properties of flax fabric reinforced geopolymer composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Assaedi

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The main concern of using natural fibres as reinforcement in geopolymer composites is the durability of the fibres. Geopolymers are alkaline in nature because of the alkaline solution that is required for activating the geopolymer reaction. The alkalinity of the matrix, however, is the key reason of the degradation of natural fibres. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of nanoclay (NC loading on the mechanical properties and durability of flax fabric (FF reinforced geopolymer composites. The durability of composites after 4 and 32 weeks at ambient temperature is presented. The microstructure of geopolymer matrices was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR and scanning electron microscopy (SEM. The results showed that the incorporation of NC has a positive impact on the physical properties, mechanical performance, and durability of FF reinforced geopolymer composites. The presence of NC has a positive impact through accelerating the geopolymerization, reducing the alkalinity of the system and increasing the geopolymer gel.

  3. Long Term Corrosion Experiment of Steel Rebar in Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer Concrete in NaCl Solution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. P. Asmara

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This research focuses on an experimental investigation to identify the effects of fly ash on the electrochemical process of concrete during the curing time. A rebar was analysed using potentiostat to measure the rest potential, polarization diagram, and corrosion rate. Water-to-cement ratio and amount of fly ash were varied. After being cured for 24 hours at a temperature of 65°C, the samples were immersed in 3.5% of NaCl solution for 365 days for electrochemical measurement. Measurements of the half-cell potential and corrosion current density indicated that the fly ash has significant effects on corrosion behaviour of concrete. Although fly ash tends to create passivity on anodic current, it increases corrosion rate. The corrosion potential of this concrete mixture decreases compared to concrete without fly ash. From the result, it can be summarized that concrete mixture with 70% of OPC (Ordinary Portland Cement and 30% fly ash has shown the best corrosion resistance.

  4. Engineering properties of lightweight geopolymer synthesized from coal bottom ash and rice husk ash

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thang, Nguyen Hoc; Hoa, Nguyen Ngoc; Quyen, Pham Vo Thi Ha; Tuyen, Nguyen Ngoc Kim; Anh, Tran Vu Thao; Kien, Pham Trung

    2018-04-01

    Geopolymer technology was developed by Joseph Davidovits in 1970s based on reactions among alumino-silicate resources in high alkaline conditions. Geopolymer has been recently gaining attention as an alternative binder for Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) due to its low energy and CO2 burden. The raw materials used for geopolymerization normally contain high SiO2 and Al2O3 in the chemical compositions such as meta-kaoline, rice husk ash, fly ash, bottom ash, blast furnace slag, red mud, and others. Moreover, in this paper, coal bottom ash (CBA) and rice husk ash (RHA), which are industrial and agricultural wastes, respectively, were used as raw materials with high alumino-silicate resources. Both CBA and RHA were mixed with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution for 20 minutes to obtain the geopolymer pastes. The pastes were filled in 5-cm cube molds according to ASTM C109/C109M 99, and then cured at room condition for hardening of the geopolymer specimens. After 24 hours, the specimens were removed out of the molds and continuously cured at room condition for 27 days. The geopolymer-based materials were then tested for engineering properties such as compressive strength (MPa), volumetric weight (kg/m3), and water absorption (kg/m3). Results indicated that the material can be considered lightweight with volumetric weight from 1192 to 1425 kg/m3; compressive strength at 28 days is in the range of 12.38 to 37.41 MPa; and water absorption is under 189.92 kg/m3.

  5. Effect of Alkaline Activator to Fly Ash Ratio for Geopolymer Stabilized Soil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdullah Muhammad Sofian

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Geopolymer technology have been developed and explored especially in the construction material field. However, lack of research related to geopolymer stabilized soil. In this research, the utilization of geopolymer has been investigated to stabilize the soil including the factors that affecting the geopolymerization process. Unconfined compressive test (UCT used as indicator to the strength development and hence evaluating the performance of geopolymer stabilized soil. This paper focusing on the effect of fly ash/alkaline activator ratio, Na2SiO3/NaOH ratio and curing time on geopolymer stabilized soil. A various mix design at different fly ash/alkaline activator ratio, Na2SiO3/NaOH ratio were prepared and cured for 7 and 28 days. Molarity and the percentage of geopolymer to soil were fixed at 10 molar and 8 percent respectively. Then, the UCT tests were carried out on 38mm diameter x 76mm height specimens. The highest strength obtained at the fly ash/alkaline activator ratio 2.5 and Na2SiO3/NaOH ratio 2.0 at 28 days curing time.

  6. Mechanical properties on geopolymer brick: A review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deraman, L. M.; Abdullah, M. M. A.; Ming, L. Y.; Ibrahim, W. M. W.; Tahir, M. F. M.

    2017-09-01

    Bricks has stand for many years as durable construction substantial, especially in the area of civil engineering to construct buildings. Brick commonly used in the structure of buildings as a construction wall, cladding, facing perimeter, paving, garden wall and flooring. The contribution of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in cement bricks production worldwide to greenhouse gas emissions. Due to this issue, some researchers have done their study with other materials to produce bricks, especially as a by-product material. Researchers take effort in this regard to synthesizing from by-product materials such as fly ash, bottom ash and kaolin that are rich in silicon and aluminium in the development of inorganic alumina-silicate polymer, called geopolymer Geopolymer is a polymerization reaction between various aluminosilicate oxides with silicates solution or alkali hydroxide solution forming polymerized Si-O-Al-O bonds. This paper summarized some research finding of mechanical properties of geopolymer brick using by-product materials.

  7. Mineral assemblage transformation of a metakaolin-based waste form after geopolymer encapsulation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Williams, Benjamin D., E-mail: Benjamin.Williams@pnnl.gov [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, PO Box 999, MSIN P7-54, Richland, WA 99352 (United States); Neeway, James J., E-mail: James.Neeway@pnnl.gov [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, PO Box 999, MSIN P7-54, Richland, WA 99352 (United States); Snyder, Michelle M.V., E-mail: Michelle.ValentaSnyder@pnnl.gov [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, PO Box 999, MSIN P7-54, Richland, WA 99352 (United States); Bowden, Mark E., E-mail: Mark.Bowden@pnnl.gov [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, PO Box 999, MSIN P7-54, Richland, WA 99352 (United States); Amonette, James E., E-mail: Jim.Amonette@pnnl.gov [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, PO Box 999, MSIN P7-54, Richland, WA 99352 (United States); Arey, Bruce W., E-mail: Bruce.Arey@pnnl.gov [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, PO Box 999, MSIN P7-54, Richland, WA 99352 (United States); Pierce, Eric M., E-mail: pierceem@ornl.gov [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, PO Box 2008, MS-6035, Room 372, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (United States); Brown, Christopher F., E-mail: Christopher.Brown@pnnl.gov [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, PO Box 999, MSIN P7-54, Richland, WA 99352 (United States); Qafoku, Nikolla P., E-mail: Nik.Qafoku@pnnl.gov [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, PO Box 999, MSIN P7-54, Richland, WA 99352 (United States)

    2016-05-15

    Mitigation of hazardous and radioactive waste can be improved through conversion of existing waste to a more chemically stable and physically robust waste form. One option for waste conversion is the fluidized bed steam reforming (FBSR) process. The resulting FBSR granular material was encapsulated in a geopolymer matrix referred to here as Geo-7. This provides mechanical strength for ease in transport and disposal. However, it is necessary to understand the phase assemblage evolution as a result of geopolymer encapsulation. In this study, we examine the mineral assemblages formed during the synthesis of the multiphase ceramic waste form. The FBSR granular samples were created from waste simulant that was chemically adjusted to resemble Hanford tank waste. Another set of samples was created using Savannah River Site Tank 50 waste simulant in order to mimic a blend of waste collected from 68 Hanford tank. Waste form performance tests were conducted using the product consistency test (PCT), the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP), and the single-pass flow-through (SPFT) test. X-ray diffraction analyses revealed the structure of a previously unreported NAS phase and indicate that monolith creation may lead to a reduction in crystallinity as compared to the primary FBSR granular product. - Highlights: • Simulated Hanford waste was treated by the Fluidized Bed Steam Reformer (FBSR) process. • The FBSR granular product was encapsulated in a geopolymer monolith. • Leach tests were performed to examine waste form performance. • XRD revealed the structure of a previously unreported sodium aluminosilicate phase. • Monolithing of granular waste forms may lead to a reduction in crystallinity.

  8. Effect of Alkali Concentration on Fly Ash Geopolymers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fatimah Azzahran Abdullah, Siti; Yun-Ming, Liew; Bakri, Mohd Mustafa Al; Cheng-Yong, Heah; Zulkifly, Khairunnisa; Hussin, Kamarudin

    2018-03-01

    This paper presents the effect of NaOH concentration on fly ash geopolymers with compressive up to 56 MPa at 12M. The physical and mechanical on fly ash geopolymer are investigated. Test results show that the compressive strength result complied with bulk density result whereby the higher the bulk density, the higher the strength. Thus, the lower water absorption and porosity due to the increasing of NaOH concentration.

  9. The relationship between vickers microhardness and compressive strength of functional surface geopolymers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subaer, Ekaputri, Januari Jaya; Fansuri, Hamzah; Abdullah, Mustafa Al Bakri

    2017-09-01

    An experimental study to investigate the relationship between Vickers microhardness and compressive strength of geopolymers made from metakaolin has been conducted. Samples were prepared by using metakaolin activated with a sodium silicate solution at a different ratio of Si to Al and Na to Al and cured at 70oC for one hour. The resulting geopolymers were stored in an open air for 28 days before conducting any measurement. Bulk density and apparent porosity of the samples were measured by using Archimedes's method. Vickers microhardness measurements were performed on a polished surface of geopolymers with a load ranging from 0.3 - 1.0 kg. The topographic of indented samples were examined by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Compressive strength of the resulting geopolymers was measured on the cylindrical samples with a ratio of height to the diameter was 2:1. The results showed that the molar ratios of geopolymers compositions play important roles in the magnitude of bulk density, porosity, Vickers's microhardness as well as the compressive strength. The porosity reduced exponentially the magnitude of the strength of geopolymers. It was found that the relationship between Vickers microhardness and compressive strength was linear. At the request of all authors and with the approval of the proceedings editor, article 020188 titled, "The relationship between vickers microhardness and compressive strength of functional surface geopolymers," is being retracted from the public record due to the fact that it is a duplication of article 020170 published in the same volume.

  10. Geopolymers and their potential applications in the nuclear waste management field. A bibliographical study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cantarel, Vincent; Motooka, Takafumi; Yamagishi, Isao

    2017-06-01

    After a necessary decay time, the zeolites used for the water decontamination will eventually be conditioned for their long-term storage. Geopolymer is considered as a potential matrix to manage radioactive cesium and strontium containing waste. For such applications, a correct comprehension of the binder structure, its macroscopic properties, its interactions with the waste and the physico-chemical phenomena occurring in the wasteform is needed to be able to judge of the soundness and viability of the material. Although the geopolymer is a young binder, a lot of research has been carried out over the last fifty years and our understanding of this matrix and its potential applications is progressing fast. This review aims at gathering the actual knowledge on geopolymer studies about geopolymer composites, geopolymer as a confinement matrix for nuclear wastes and geopolymer under irradiation. This information will finally provide guidance for the future studies and experiments. (author)

  11. Microstructural characterization of the geopolymer obtained from iron-rich metakaolin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vassalo, Erica Antunes de S.; Aguilar, Maria Teresa P.; Gumieri, Adriana Guerra

    2014-01-01

    Geopolymer is a material derived from precursors rich in SiO_2 and Al_2O_3, activated in an alkaline solution by means of a polymerization process. In this process, units of tetrahedral aluminosilicate structures are organized in repetitions that share oxygen. One of the precursors most commonly used to obtain geopolymer is metakaolin. Recent studies have reported iron enhancement in a partial replacement of the aluminium present in metakaolin. This paper presents the microstructural characterization and analysis of a geopolymer obtained by means of the activation of iron-rich metakaolin with sodium hydroxide at 12, 15 and 18 mol, both at room temperature and in an oven at 85±3°C. The geopolymers obtained were classified and analysed using X-ray fluorescence testing (EDX-720), a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results enabled an assessment of their physical-chemical and microstructural characteristics, as well as their reactive potential. (author)

  12. The Manufacture of the Grinding Wheels Based on the Ca–K Geopolymer Matrix

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Perná, Ivana; Hanzlíček, Tomáš; Boura, P.; Lučaník, A.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 31, č. 5 (2016), s. 667-672 ISSN 1042-6914 Institutional support: RVO:67985891 Keywords : geopolymer * grinding * wheel * low-temperature * industrial * manufacturing * technology Subject RIV: DM - Solid Waste and Recycling Impact factor: 2.274, year: 2016

  13. Novel porous fly-ash containing geopolymer monoliths for lead adsorption from wastewaters

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Novais, Rui M., E-mail: ruimnovais@ua.pt; Buruberri, L.H.; Seabra, M.P.; Labrincha, J.A.

    2016-11-15

    Highlights: • Porous fly ash containing-geopolymer monoliths for lead adsorption were developed. • Geopolymers’ porosity and pH of the ion solution controls the adsorption capacity. • Lead adsorption by the geopolymer monoliths up to 6.34 mg/g was observed. • These novel adsorbents can be used in packed beds that are easily collected. • The reuse of biomass fly ash wastes as raw material ensures waste valorization. - Abstract: In this study novel porous biomass fly ash-containing geopolymer monoliths were produced using a simple and flexible procedure. Geopolymers exhibiting distinct total porosities (ranging from 41.0 to 78.4%) and low apparent density (between 1.21 and 0.44 g/cm{sup 3}) were fabricated. Afterwards, the possibility of using these innovative materials as lead adsorbents under distinct conditions was evaluated. Results demonstrate that the geopolymers’ porosity and the pH of the ion solution strongly affect the lead adsorption capacity. Lead adsorption by the geopolymer monoliths ranged between 0.95 and 6.34 mg{sub lead}/g{sub geopolymer}. More porous geopolymers presented better lead removal efficiency, while higher pH in the solution reduced their removal ability, since metal precipitation is enhanced. These novel geopolymeric monoliths can be used in packed beds that are easily collected when exhausted, which is a major advantage in comparison with the use of powdered adsorbents. Furthermore, their production encompasses the reuse of biomass fly-ash, mitigating the environmental impact associated with this waste disposal, while decreasing the adsorbents production costs.

  14. Impact of Blending on Strength Distribution of Ambient Cured Metakaolin and Palm Oil Fuel Ash Based Geopolymer Mortar

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taliat Ola Yusuf

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper investigates the influence of blending of metakaolin with silica rich palm oil fuel ash (POFA on the strength distribution of geopolymer mortar. The broadness of strength distribution of quasi-brittle to brittle materials depends strongly on the existence of flaws such as voids, microcracks, and impurities in the material. Blending of materials containing alumina and silica with the objective of improving the performance of geopolymer makes comprehensive characterization necessary. The Weibull distribution is used to study the strength distribution and the reliability of geopolymer mortar specimens prepared from 100% metakaolin, 50% and 70% palm and cured under ambient condition. Mortar prisms and cubes were used to test the materials in flexure and compression, respectively, at 28 days and the results were analyzed using Weibull distribution. In flexure, Weibull modulus increased with POFA replacement, indicating reduced broadness of strength distribution from an increased homogeneity of the material. Modulus, however, decreased with increase in replacement of POFA in the specimens tested under compression. It is concluded that Weibull distribution is suitable for analyses of the blended geopolymer system. While porous microstructure is mainly responsible for flexural failure, heterogeneity of reaction relics is responsible for the compression failure.

  15. Development of Abaca Fiber-reinforced Foamed Fly Ash Geopolymer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Janne Pauline S. Ngo

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The growing environmental and economic concerns have led to the need for more sustainable construction materials. The development of foamed geopolymer combines the benefit of reduced environmental footprint and attractive properties of geopolymer technology with foam concrete’s advantages of being lightweight, insulating and energy-saving. In this study, alkali-treated abaca fiber-reinforced geopolymer composites foamed with H2O2 were developed using fly ash as the geopolymer precursor. The effects of abaca fiber loading, foaming agent dosage, and curing temperature on mechanical strength were evaluated using Box-Behken design of experiment with three points replicated. Volumetric weight of samples ranged from 1966 kg/m3 to 2249 kg/m3. Measured compressive strength and flexural ranged from 19.56 MPa to 36.84 MPa, and 2.41 MPa to 6.25 MPa, respectively. Results suggest enhancement of compressive strength by abaca reinforcement and elevated temperature curing. Results, however, indicate a strong interaction between curing temperature and foaming agent dosage, which observably caused the composite’s compressive strength to decline when simultaneously set at high levels. Foaming agent dosage was the only factor detected to significantly affect flexural strength.

  16. Reuse of Coconut Shell, Rice Husk, and Coal Ash Blends in Geopolymer Synthesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walmiki Samadhi, Tjokorde; Wulandari, Winny; Prasetyo, Muhammad Iqbal; Rizki Fernando, Muhammad

    2017-10-01

    Mixtures of biomass and coal ashes are likely to be produced in increasing volume as biomass-based energy production is gaining importance in Indonesia. This work highlights the reuse of coconut shell ash (CSA), rice husk ash (RHA), and coal fly ash (FA) for geopolymer synthesis by an activator solution containing concentrated KOH and Na2SiO3. Ash blend compositions are varied according to a simplex-centroid mixture experimental design. Activator to ash mass ratios are varied from 0.8 to 2.0, the higher value being applied for ash compositions with higher Si/Al ratio. The impact of ash blend composition on early strength is adequately modeled by an incomplete quadratic mixture model. Overall, the ashes can produce geopolymer mortars with an early strength exceeding the Indonesian SNI 15-2049-2004 standard minimum value of 2.0 MPa. Good workability of the geopolymer is indicated by their initial setting times which are longer than the minimum value of 45 mins. Geopolymers composed predominantly of RHA composition exhibit poor strength and excessive setting time. FTIR spectroscopy confirms the geopolymerization of the ashes by the shift of the Si-O-Si/Al asymmetric stretching vibrational mode. Overall, these results point to the feasibility of geopolymerization as a reuse pathway for biomass combustion waste.

  17. Geopolymers as potential repair material in tiles conservation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geraldes, Catarina F. M.; Lima, Augusta M.; Delgado-Rodrigues, José; Mimoso, João Manuel; Pereira, Sílvia R. M.

    2016-03-01

    The restoration materials currently used to fill gaps in historical architectural tiles (e.g. lime or organic resin pastes) usually show serious drawbacks in terms of compatibility, effectiveness or durability. The existing solutions do not fully protect Portuguese faïence tiles ( azulejos) in outdoor conditions and frequently result in further deterioration. Geopolymers can be a potential solution for tile lacunae infill, given the chemical-mineralogical similitude to the ceramic body, and also the durability and versatile range of physical properties that can be obtained through the manipulation of their formulation and curing conditions. This work presents and discusses the viability of the use of geopolymeric pastes to fill lacunae in tiles or to act as "cold" cast ceramic tile surrogates reproducing missing tile fragments. The formulation of geopolymers, namely the type of activators, the alumino-silicate source, the quantity of water required for adequate workability and curing conditions, was studied. The need for post-curing desalination was also considered envisaging their application in the restoration of outdoor historical architectural tiles frequently exposed to adverse environmental conditions. The possible advantages and disadvantages of the use of geopolymers in the conservation of tiles are also discussed. The results obtained reveal that geopolymers pastes are a promising material for the restoration of tiles, when compared to other solutions currently in use.

  18. Production of refractory chamotte particle-reinforced geopolymer composite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kovářík, T.; Kullová, L.; Rieger, D.

    2016-04-01

    Geopolymer resins are obtained by alkaline activation of aluminosilicate sources where raw calcined clays are one of the suitable potentialities. Besides the fact that chemical composition has an essential effect on final properties of the geopolymer binder, the type of filler strongly affected resulting properties of such granular composite. However, very few comparative studies have been done on detail description of composite systems: binder - granular filler, in relation to aggregate gradation design and rheology properties of the mixture. The aim of this work is to develop and describe granular composite concerning workability of the mixture and kinetics of geopolymerization/polycondensation through flow behaviour. The rheological measurements indicated that initial viscosities of the mixtures and their evolution are different for various proportions of the filler. Moreover, it was demonstrated that increase in complex viscosity responds to the creation of chemical bonds and the formation of structural network. Finally, a correlation of the mechanism of geopolymer formation was carried out by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).

  19. Effect of aging and alkali activator on the porous structure of a geo-polymer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Steins, Prune; Poulesquen, Arnaud; Frizon, Fabien; Lambertin, David; Jestin, Jacques; Rossignol, Sylvie

    2014-01-01

    Nitrogen sorption and small- and wide-angle X-ray and neutron scattering techniques were used to study the porous structure of geo-polymers, inorganic polymers synthesized by reaction of a strongly alkaline solution and an aluminosilicate source (metakaolin). The effects of aging and the use of alkali activators (Na"+, K"+) of different sizes were investigated at room temperature. The influence of aging time on the microstructure of both geo-polymer matrixes was verified in terms of pore volume and specific surface area. The results suggested a refinement of the porosity and therefore a reduction in the pore volume over time. Regardless of the age considered, some characteristics of the porous network such as pore size, shape and distribution depend on the alkali activator used. Whatever the technique considered, the potassium geo-polymer has a greater specific surface area than the sodium geo-polymer. According to the scattering results, the refinement of the porosity can be associated with, first, a densification of the solid network and, secondly, a partial closure of the porosity at the nanometer scale. The kinetics are much slower for the sodium geo-polymer than for the potassium geo-polymer in the six months of observation. (authors)

  20. Effect on mechanical properties of glass reinforced epoxy (GRE) pipe filled with different geopolymer filler molarity for piping application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashim, M. F. Abu; Abdullah, M. M. A.; Ghazali, C. M. R.; Hussin, K.; Binhussain, M.

    2017-04-01

    This study investigated the use of a novel white clay geopolymer as a filler to produce high strength glass reinforced epoxy pipe. It was found that using white clay geopolymer as filler gives better compressive strength to the glass reinforced epoxy pipe. The disadvantages of current glass reinforced epoxy pipes such low compressive strength which can be replaced by the composite pipes. Geopolymerization is an innovative technology that can transform several aluminosilicate materials into useful products called geopolymers or inorganic polymers. A series of glass reinforced epoxy pipe and glass reinforced epoxy pipe filled with 10 - 40 weight percentages white clay geopolymer filler with 4 Molarity and 8 Molarity were prepared. Morphology of white clay geopolymer filler surface was indicates using scanning electron microscopy. The additions of white clay geopolymer filler for both 4 Molarity and 8 Molarity show higher compressive strength than glass reinforced epoxy pipe without any geopolymer filler. The compressive test of these epoxy geopolymer pipe samples was determined using Instron Universal Testing under compression mode. Nonetheless, the compressive strength of glass reinforced epoxy pipe with white clay geopolymer filler continues to drop when added to 40 wt% of the geopolymer filler loading for both 4 Molarity and 8 Molarity. These outcomes showed that the mixing of geopolymer materials in epoxy system can be attained in this research.

  1. Effects of fiber length on mechanical properties and fracture behavior of short carbon fiber reinforced geopolymer matrix composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin Tiesong; Jia Dechang; He Peigang; Wang Meirong; Liang Defu

    2008-01-01

    A kind of sheet-like carbon fiber preform was developed using short fibers (2, 7 and 12 mm, respectively) as starting materials and used to strengthen a geopolymer. Mechanical properties, fracture behavior, microstructure and toughening mechanisms of the as-prepared composites were investigated by three-point bending test, optical microscope and scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the short carbon fibers disperse uniformly in geopolymer matrix. The C f /geopolymer composites exhibit apparently improved mechanical properties and an obvious noncatastrophic failure behavior. The composite reinforced by the carbon fibers of 7 mm in length shows a maximum flexural strength as well as the highest work of facture, which are nearly 5 times and more than 2 orders higher than that of the geopolymer matrix, respectively. The predominant strengthening and toughening mechanisms are attributed to the apparent fiber bridging and pulling-out effect based on the weak fiber/matrix interface as well as the sheet-like carbon fiber preform

  2. In Situ Elevated Temperature Testing of Fly Ash Based Geopolymer Composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vickers, Les; Pan, Zhu; Tao, Zhong; van Riessen, Arie

    2016-01-01

    In situ elevated temperature investigations using fly ash based geopolymers filled with alumina aggregate were undertaken. Compressive strength and short term creep tests were carried out to determine the onset temperature of viscous flow. Fire testing using the standard cellulose curve was performed. Applying a load to the specimen as the temperature increased reduced the temperature at which viscous flow occurred (compared to test methods with no applied stress). Compressive strength increased at the elevated temperature and is attributed to viscous flow and sintering forming a more compact microstructure. The addition of alumina aggregate and reduction of water content reduced the thermal conductivity. This led to the earlier onset and shorter dehydration plateau duration times. However, crack formation was reduced and is attributed to smaller thermal gradients across the fire test specimen. PMID:28773568

  3. In Situ Elevated Temperature Testing of Fly Ash Based Geopolymer Composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Les Vickers

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available In situ elevated temperature investigations using fly ash based geopolymers filled with alumina aggregate were undertaken. Compressive strength and short term creep tests were carried out to determine the onset temperature of viscous flow. Fire testing using the standard cellulose curve was performed. Applying a load to the specimen as the temperature increased reduced the temperature at which viscous flow occurred (compared to test methods with no applied stress. Compressive strength increased at the elevated temperature and is attributed to viscous flow and sintering forming a more compact microstructure. The addition of alumina aggregate and reduction of water content reduced the thermal conductivity. This led to the earlier onset and shorter dehydration plateau duration times. However, crack formation was reduced and is attributed to smaller thermal gradients across the fire test specimen.

  4. The Mechanical Properties and Microstructure Characters of Hybrid Composite Geopolymers-Pineapple Fiber Leaves (PFL)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amalia, N.; Hidayatullah, S.; Nurfadilla; Subaer

    2017-03-01

    The objective of this research is to study the influence of organic fibers on the mechanical properties and microstructure characters of hybrid composite geopolymers-pineapple fibers (PFL). Geopolymers were synthesized by using alkali activated of class C-fly ash added manually with short pineapple fiber leaves (PFL) and then cured at 60°C for 1 hour. The resulting composites were stored in open air for 28 days prior to mechanical and microstructure characterizations. The samples were subjected to compressive and flexural strength measurements, heat resistance as well as acid attack (1M H2SO4 solution). The microstructure of the composites were examined by using Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). The measurement showed that the addition of pineapple fibers was able to improve the compressive and flexural strength of geopolymers. The resulting hybrid composites were able to resist fire to a maximum temperature of 1500°C. SEM examination showed the presence of good bond between geopolymer matrix and pineapple fibers. It was also found that there were no chemical constituents of geopolymers leached out during acid liquid treatment. It is concluded that hybrid composite geopolymers-pineapple fibers are potential composites for wide range applications.

  5. Sulfate resistance of fly ash-based geopolymer mortar

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saloma, Iqbal, Maulid Muhammad; Aqil, Ibnu

    2017-09-01

    This paper presents sulfuric acid attack of fly ash-based geopolymer mortar. Precursor used in this study was fly ash, and activator used was NaOH and Na2SiO3. The ratio of activator/precursor, ratio of Na2SiO3/NaOH, and ratio of fine aggregate/precursor is 0.42, 2.00, and 2.00, respectively. The molar concentration of NaOH which was used were 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 M. This study used cube specimen with 5 cm x 5 cm x 5 cm. The results showed that the higher the molar concentration of NaOH, the lower the weight loss. Maximum percentage of weight loss is 3.54% occured for the specimen with molar concentration of NaOH 8 M. The compressive strength for all specimens decreased due to the longer duration of immersion in sulfuric acid solution. However, this percentage of decreasing for compressive strength will be as lower as increasing the molar concentration of NaOH used. The maximum percentage of decreasing is 35.49% for specimen with NaOH 8 M with 90 days of immersion.

  6. Microstructural analysis of geopolymer developed from wood fly ash, post-mortem doloma refractory and metakaolin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moura, Jailes de Santana; Mafra, Marcio Paulo de Araujo; Rabelo, Adriano Alves; Fagury, Renata Lilian Ribeiro Portugal; Fagury Neto, Elias

    2016-01-01

    Geopolymers are one of the widely discussed topics of materials science in recent times due to its vast potential as an alternative binder material to cement. This work aimed to evaluate the microstructure of geopolymers developed from wood fly ash, post-mortem doloma refractory and metakaolin. A preliminary study has been completed and achieved significant results compressive strength: the best formulation of geopolymer paste obtained approximately 25 MPa. Microstructural analysis by scanning electron microscopy, the geopolymer paste, allowed to verify the homogeneity, distribution of components, and providing evidence of raw materials that do not respond if there was crystalline phase, porosity and density of the structure. (author)

  7. Characterization of geopolymer fly-ash based foams obtained with the addition of Al powder or H{sub 2}O{sub 2} as foaming agents

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ducman, V., E-mail: vilma.ducman@zag.si; Korat, L.

    2016-03-15

    Recent innovations in geopolymer technology have led to the development of various different types of geopolymeric products, including highly porous geopolymer-based foams, which are formed by the addition of foaming agents to a geopolymer fly-ash based matrix. These agents decompose, or react with the liquid matrix or oxygen in the matrix, resulting in the release of gases which form pores prior to the hardening of the gel. The hardened structure has good mechanical and thermal properties, and can therefore be used for applications in acoustic panels and in lightweight pre-fabricated components for thermal insulation purposes. This study presents the results of the pore-forming process in the case when two different foaming agents, i.e. aluminium powder amounting to 0.07, 0.13 and 0.20 mass. % and H{sub 2}O{sub 2} amounting to 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mass. %, were added to a fly-ash geopolymer matrix. The physical, mechanical, and microstructural properties of the thus obtained foams, and the effects of the type and amount of the added foaming agent, are presented and discussed. Highly porous structures were obtained in the case of both of the investigated foaming agents, with overall porosities up to 59% when aluminium powder was added, and of up 48% when H{sub 2}O{sub 2} was added. In the latter case, when 2% of the H{sub 2}O{sub 2} foaming agent was added, finer pores (with diameters up to 500 μm) occurred in the structure, whereas somewhat larger pores (some had diameters greater than 1 mm) occurred when the same amount of aluminium powder was added. The mechanical properties of the investigated foams depended on their porosity. In the case of highly porous structures a compressive strength of 3.3 MPa was nevertheless achieved for the samples containing 0.2% of aluminium powder, and 3.7 MPa for those containing 2.0% of H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. - Highlights: • Preparation of geopolymer foams based on fly ash with the addition of Al powder or H{sub 2}O{sub 2} as

  8. LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE BASED GRANSHLAK

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    NETESA M. I.

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Raising of problem. Concrete advisable to obtain a low strength with local secondary resources for recycling and reduce the environmental burden on the environment. But it is important to design such concrete compositions with a reduced flow of cement. It is known that the coefficient of efficiency of use of cement in the concrete of the heavy and B10 is less than about 0.5, which is almost two times smaller than in class B15 concrete and above. Even lower coefficient of efficiency in light concrete cement low strength. Therefore, it is important to find patterns determining the composition of lightweight concrete based on local-products industry with more efficient use of cement in them. Purpose.. Based on the analysis of earlier research results, including with the use of methods of mathematical planning of experiments to determine the concrete contents, which can provide the requirements for the underlying layers of the floor, the compressive strength of which should correspond to the class B5. It is important to provide the required strength at minimum flow of the cement, which is the most expensive and energy-intensive part of concrete. Conclusion. Analysis of the test results of control samples of concrete in 28-day-old, the following laws. The required tensile strength of concrete compressive strength of 7.0 MPa can be obtained in the test range when used in formulations as a filler as the Dnieper hydroelectric power station fly ash and tailings Krivoy Rog iron ore YuGOK. To ensure providing the required characteristic strength of the concrete in the underlying layers of the floor is advisable to use a nominal composition per cubic meter of concrete: cement 160 kg granshlaka Plant named after Petrovsky, 675 kg of fly ash Dnieper HPP 390 kg, 400 kg of sand, 230 liters of water. Thus, while ensuring rational grain composition components can obtain the desired strength lightweight concrete based granshlaka plant Petrovsky, using as fillers

  9. Alkali-activated binders/geopolymer and an application to environmental engineering

    OpenAIRE

    Nida Chaimoon; Krit Chaimoon

    2014-01-01

    For environmental reason, new binders that can be used as Portland cement replacement materials are being needed. Recently, alkali-activated binders (AAB) and geopolymer have found increasing interest. As several research reports have showed that the two new binders are likely to have high potential to be developed and become an alternative to OPC. However, confusion in the classification of both binders is still there. This paper reviews knowledge about AAB and geopolymer including historica...

  10. Greener durable concretes through geopolymerisation of blast furnace slag

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rajamane, N P; Nataraja, M C; Jeyalakshmi, R; Nithiyanantham, S

    2015-01-01

    The eco-friendliness of concrete is quantified by parameters such as ‘embodied energy’ (EE) and ‘embodied CO 2 emission’ (ECO 2 e), besides duration of designed ‘service life’. It may be noted that ECO 2 e is also referred as carbon footprint (CF) in the literature. Geopolymer (GP) is an inorganic polymeric gel, a type of amorphous alumino-silicate product, which can be synthesised by polycondensation reactions. The concrete reported in this paper was prepared using industrial wastes in the form of blast furnace slag, fly ash as geopolymeric source materials and sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide as activators. Many mechanical properties such as compressive strength, chloride diffusion, steel corrosion, rapid chloride permeability test and rapid migration test are compared with Portland cement. (paper)

  11. New composites of nanoparticle Cu (I) oxide and titania in a novel inorganic polymer (geopolymer) matrix for destruction of dyes and hazardous organic pollutants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Falah, Mahroo [MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand); MacKenzie, Kenneth J.D., E-mail: Kenneth.mackenzie@vuw.ac.nz [MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand); Knibbe, Ruth [Robinson Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand); Page, Samuel J.; Hanna, John V. [Department of Physics, Warwick University, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom)

    2016-11-15

    Highlights: • Synthesis reported of new photoactive nano-oxide composites in a geopolymer matrix. • The novel aluminosilicate matrix is expanded with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. • The photoactive component consists of a Cu(I) oxide and titania heterostructure. • Composites remove the model pollutant by both adsorption and photodegradation. • These new photocatalysts are extremely efficient and ecologically friendly. - Abstract: New photoactive composites to efficiently remove organic dyes from water are reported. These consist of Cu{sub 2}O/TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles in a novel inorganic geopolymer matrix modified by a large tertiary ammonium species (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, CTAB) whose presence in the matrix is demonstrated by FTIR spectroscopy. The CTAB does not disrupt the tetrahedral geopolymer structural silica and alumina units as demonstrated by {sup 29}Si and {sup 27}Al MAS NMR spectroscopy. SEM/EDS, TEM and BET measurements suggest that the Cu{sub 2}O/TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles are homogenously distributed on the surface and within the geopolymer pores. The mechanism of removal of methylene blue (MB) dye from solution consists of a combination of adsorption (under dark conditions) and photodegradation (under UV radiation). MB adsorption in the dark follows pseudo second-order kinetics and is described by Freundlich-Langmuir type isotherms. The performance of the CTAB-modified geopolymer based composites is superior to composites based on unmodified geopolymer hosts, the most effective composite containing 5 wt% Cu{sub 2}O/TiO{sub 2} in a CTAB-modified geopolymer host. These composites constitute a new class of materials with excellent potential in environmental protection applications.

  12. Synthesis of geopolymer composites from a mixture of volcanic scoria and metakaolin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J.N.Y. Djobo

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this work is to valorize volcanic scoria by using them as starting material for geopolymers production. Nevertheless, volcanic scoria possesses low reactivity. Various amounts of metakaolin (5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25% were added into two volcanic scoria (ZD and ZG in order to improve their reactivity. Two alkaline solutions were used to activate the aluminosilicate materials. The starting materials were characterized by particle size distribution, specific surface area, chemical and mineralogical composition. The geopolymers were characterized by the setting time, XRD, FTIR, SEM and compressive strength. The results indicated that volcanic scoria have low specific surface area (2.3 m2/g for ZD, 15.7 m2/g for ZG, high average particle size (d50 = 13.08 μm and 10.68 μm for ZD and for ZG respectively and low glass phase contents. Metakaolin have a smaller average particle size (d50 = 9.95 μm and high specific surface (20.5 m2/g. The compressive strength of geopolymers increased in the ranges of 23–68 MPa and 39–64 MPa for geopolymers from ZD–MK and ZG–MK respectively. This study shows that despite the low reactivity of volcanic scoria it can still be used to synthesize geopolymers with good physical and mechanical properties.

  13. Strength of Geopolymer Cement Curing at Ambient Temperature by Non-Oven Curing Approaches: An Overview

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wattanachai, Pitiwat; Suwan, Teewara

    2017-06-01

    At the present day, a concept of environmentally friendly construction materials has been intensively studying to reduce the amount of releasing greenhouse gases. Geopolymer is one of the cementitious binders which can be produced by utilising pozzolanic wastes (e.g. fly ash or furnace slag) and also receiving much more attention as a low-CO2 emission material. However, to achieve excellent mechanical properties, heat curing process is needed to apply to geopolymer cement in a range of temperature around 40 to 90°C. To consume less oven-curing energy and be more convenience in practical work, the study on geopolymer curing at ambient temperature (around 20 to 25°C) is therefore widely investigated. In this paper, a core review of factors and approaches for non-oven curing geopolymer has been summarised. The performance, in term of strength, of each non-oven curing method, is also presented and analysed. The main aim of this review paper is to gather the latest study of ambient temperature curing geopolymer and to enlarge a feasibility of non-oven curing geopolymer development. Also, to extend the directions of research work, some approaches or techniques can be combined or applied to the specific properties for in-field applications and embankment stabilization by using soil-cement column.

  14. DuraLith geopolymer waste form for Hanford secondary waste: Correlating setting behavior to hydration heat evolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, Hui; Gong, Weiliang; Syltebo, Larry; Lutze, Werner; Pegg, Ian L.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Quantitative correlations firstly established for cementitious waste forms. • Quantitative correlations firstly established for geopolymeric materials. • Ternary DuraLith geopolymer waste forms for Hanford radioactive wastes. • Extended setting times which improve workability for geopolymer waste forms. • Reduced hydration heat release from DuraLith geopolymer waste forms. - Abstract: The binary furnace slag-metakaolin DuraLith geopolymer waste form, which has been considered as one of the candidate waste forms for immobilization of certain Hanford secondary wastes (HSW) from the vitrification of nuclear wastes at the Hanford Site, Washington, was extended to a ternary fly ash-furnace slag-metakaolin system to improve workability, reduce hydration heat, and evaluate high HSW waste loading. A concentrated HSW simulant, consisting of more than 20 chemicals with a sodium concentration of 5 mol/L, was employed to prepare the alkaline activating solution. Fly ash was incorporated at up to 60 wt% into the binder materials, whereas metakaolin was kept constant at 26 wt%. The fresh waste form pastes were subjected to isothermal calorimetry and setting time measurement, and the cured samples were further characterized by compressive strength and TCLP leach tests. This study has firstly established quantitative linear relationships between both initial and final setting times and hydration heat, which were never discovered in scientific literature for any cementitious waste form or geopolymeric material. The successful establishment of the correlations between setting times and hydration heat may make it possible to efficiently design and optimize cementitious waste forms and industrial wastes based geopolymers using limited testing results

  15. THE CHARACTERIZATION OF THE Ca-K GEOPOLYMER/SOLIDIFIED FLUID FLY-ASH INTERLAYER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivana Perna

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available A Ca-K geopolymer matrix based on clay material and blast-furnace slag was filled with aggregates, ash pellets made from fluid fly ash, and the interlayer formed between the two components was studied. The scanning electron-microscopy investigation of the inseparable interlayer demonstrated that the pellets were not only enveloped in a geopolymer matrix but also incorporated through a thin, yet identifiable, surface pellet layer. The migration of calcium and potassium ions was detected and that changes in the quantity of these ions arise from their mobility. The interlayer on the edges of ash pellets was also studied by infrared analysis, which in this layer proved bands belonging to both participants, the matrix and the pellets. Based on the results, two different materials prepared from wastes could be used for the preparation of a new composite material and thus facilitate waste-material disposal.

  16. Geopolymer obtained from coal ash; Geopolimeros obtidos a partir de cinzas de carvao mineral

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Conte, V.; Bissari, E.S.; Uggioni, E.; Bernardin, A.M., E-mail: amb@unesc.net [Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense (UNESC), Criciuma, SC (Brazil). Grupo de Materiais Ceramicos e Vitreos

    2011-07-01

    Geopolymers are three-dimensional alumino silicates that can be rapidly formed at low temperature from naturally occurring aluminosilicates with a structure similar to zeolites. In this work coal ash (Tractebel Energy) was used as source of aluminosilicate according a full factorial design in eight formulations with three factors (hydroxide type and concentration and temperature) and two-levels. The ash was dried and hydroxide was added according type and concentration. The geopolymer was poured into cylindrical molds, cured (14 days) and subjected to compression test. The coal ash from power plants belongs to the Si-Al system and thus can easily form geopolymers. The compression tests showed that it is possible to obtain samples with strength comparable to conventional Portland cement. As a result, temperature and molarity are the main factors affecting the compressive strength of the obtained geopolymer. (author)

  17. Development of a geopolymer solidification method for radioactive wastes by compression molding and heat curing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shimoda, Chiaki; Matsuyama, Kanae; Okabe, Hirofumi; Kaneko, Masaaki; Miyamoto, Shinya

    2017-01-01

    Geopolymer solidification is a good method for managing waste because of it is inexpensive as compared with vitrification and has a reduced risk of hydrogen generation. In general, when geopolymers are made, water is added to the geopolymer raw materials, and then the slurry is mixed, poured into a mold, and cured. However, it is difficult to control the reaction because, depending on the types of materials, the viscosity can immediately increase after mixing. Slurries of geopolymers easily attach to the agitating wing of the mixer and easily clog the plumbing during transportation. Moreover, during long-term storage of solidified wastes containing concentrated radionuclides in a sealed container without vents, the hydrogen concentration in the container increases over time. Therefore, a simple method using as little water as possible is needed. In this work, geopolymer solidification by compression molding was studied. As compared with the usual methods, it provides a simple and stable method for preparing waste for long-term storage. From investigations performed before and after solidification by compression molding, it was shown that the crystal structure changed. From this result, it was concluded that the geopolymer reaction proceeded during compression molding. This method (1) reduces the energy needed for drying, (2) has good workability, (3) reduces the overall volume, and (4) reduces hydrogen generation. (author)

  18. Alkali-Activated Geopolymers: A Literature Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    strength and reasonable toughness, while adding short basalt fibers reduced the strength of tested specimens and drastically improved the work of fracture...27 6.3.1. Fiber Reinforcement...characteristics  Mineralogical and microstructural analysis of products  Chemical and thermal resistance properties of geopolymer matrices  Fiber

  19. Testing a Novel Geopolymer Binder as a Refractory Material for Rocket Plume Environments at SSC Project

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The project involved the development and testing of a new alumina-silicate based multi-purpose, cost-effective, ‘green’ cementitious binder (geopolymer)...

  20. Impact properties of geopolymeric concrete: a state-of-the-art review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Chi; Xie, Jianhe; Zhang, Bingxue; Yuan, Bing; Wang, Chonghao

    2018-01-01

    The application of geopolymer instead of cement in construction engineering provides an effective way to achieve sustainable development. A large number of studies have shown that geopolymeric concrete (GC) has excellent static performance. However, there are relatively few studies on the dynamic performance of GC which is of dominate importance in cases such as explosion, earthquake and other impact loads. This paper presents a brief review of recent research on the impact properties of GC, in order to facilitate the research development in this field. The effects of strain rate, fiber type, alkali type, elevated temperature, water environment and flow state on the impact resistance performance of GC were analysed. Research findings revealed that GC exhibited better impact properties than ordinary Portland concrete (OPC).

  1. The Properties of Nano Silver (Ag-Geopolymer as Antibacterial Composite for Functional Surface Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Armayani. M

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this research was to produce and characterize nano silver (Ag-geopolymer composite for functional surface materials. Geopolymer matrix was synthesized through alkali activation of metakaolin and nano silver was added into geopolymers paste with a mass of 0, 0.5 g, 1 g, 1.5 g and 2 g keeping the mass of metakaolin constant. The mixture was cured at 70°C/1 hour and stored for 7 days before conducting any measurements. The structure of the resulting composite was examined by using Rigaku Mini Flex II x-ray diffraction (XRD. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM coupled with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS was used to examine the morphology of the composite surface as well as the capability of the composite to isolate the growth of bacteria. The thermal properties of composites in terms of their working temperature and enthalpy were examined by using Perkin Elmer Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC. The heat resistance of composite was observed through calcination at 750°C for 18 hours. The results indicate that the resulting composites were able resist up 750°C. SEM examinations showed that nano Ag-geopolymer composites were effectively restraining the growth of bacteria. It is suggested that nano Ag-geopolymer composites are suitable for functional surface applications such as floor and wall, kitchen ware utensils, hospital instruments, art and decoration materials.

  2. Production of fly ash-based geopolymers using activator solutions with different Na{sub 2}O and Na{sub 2}SiO{sub 3} compositions; Producao de geopolimeros a base de cinza volante usando solucoes ativadoras com diferentes composicoes de Na{sub 2}O e Na{sub 2}SiO{sub 3}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Azevedo, A.G. de S.; Strecker, K.; Araujo Junior, A.G. de; Silva, C.A. da [Universidade Federal de Sao Joao del-Rei (UFSJ), MG (Brazil)

    2017-04-15

    Geopolymers are a new class of binder with high mechanical strength, chemical inertia and can be made of by-products. In this work fly ash from a Brazilian power station was used to produce the geopolymer cement. To produce the geopolymers, different activator solutions were used in order to study the influence of the chemical composition of these solutions on the production of the fly ash-based geopolymers. The results showed that the Brazilian fly ash has the potential to be used in the geopolymerization process. The specimens presented high compression strength, 28 MPa after 24 h and 48 MPa after 28 days of cure. The X-ray diffraction of the original fly ash and the geopolymers samples exhibited some mineral phases presents in the fly ash and new zeolitic phases formed after the geopolymerization process. The infrared spectroscopic of all samples showed some modifications of absorption bands besides new bands corresponding to the geopolymerization process. The physical properties, such as the water absorption, porosity and permeability, changed when the activator solution changed and the curing time was modified. (author)

  3. Geopolymers with a high percentage of bottom ash for solidification/immobilization of different toxic metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boca Santa, Rozineide A. Antunes; Soares, Cíntia; Riella, Humberto Gracher

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Geopolymers from bottom ash and metakaolin (BA/M). • Solidification/immobilization (S/I) waste of heavy metals. • Activators: Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), potassium hydroxide (KOH) and sodium silicate (Na 2 SiO 3 ). - Abstract: Geopolymers are produced using alkali-activated aluminosilicates, either as waste or natural material obtained from various sources. This study synthesized geopolymers from bottom ash and metakaolin (BA/M) in a 2:1 wt ratio to test the solidification/immobilization (S/I) properties of heavy metals in geopolymer matrices, since there is very little research using BA in this type of matrices. Therefore, a decision was made to use more than 65% of BA in geopolymer synthesis with and without the addition of heavy metals. The S/I tests with metals used 10, 15 and 30 ml of a waste solution after pickling of printed circuit boards containing metals, including Pb, Cr, Cu, Fe, Sn, As and Ni, in different proportions. As alkali activator, the NaOH and KOH were used in the concentrations of 8 and 12 M in the composition of Na 2 SiO 3 in 1:2 vol ratios. To test S/I efficiency, tests were conducted to obtain the leached and solubilized extract. The analysis was carried out through X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and compressive strength tests. The geopolymer showed a high degree of S/I of the metals; in some samples, the results reached nearly 100%.

  4. Geopolymers with a high percentage of bottom ash for solidification/immobilization of different toxic metals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boca Santa, Rozineide A. Antunes, E-mail: roosebs@gmail.com; Soares, Cíntia; Riella, Humberto Gracher

    2016-11-15

    Highlights: • Geopolymers from bottom ash and metakaolin (BA/M). • Solidification/immobilization (S/I) waste of heavy metals. • Activators: Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), potassium hydroxide (KOH) and sodium silicate (Na{sub 2}SiO{sub 3}). - Abstract: Geopolymers are produced using alkali-activated aluminosilicates, either as waste or natural material obtained from various sources. This study synthesized geopolymers from bottom ash and metakaolin (BA/M) in a 2:1 wt ratio to test the solidification/immobilization (S/I) properties of heavy metals in geopolymer matrices, since there is very little research using BA in this type of matrices. Therefore, a decision was made to use more than 65% of BA in geopolymer synthesis with and without the addition of heavy metals. The S/I tests with metals used 10, 15 and 30 ml of a waste solution after pickling of printed circuit boards containing metals, including Pb, Cr, Cu, Fe, Sn, As and Ni, in different proportions. As alkali activator, the NaOH and KOH were used in the concentrations of 8 and 12 M in the composition of Na{sub 2}SiO{sub 3} in 1:2 vol ratios. To test S/I efficiency, tests were conducted to obtain the leached and solubilized extract. The analysis was carried out through X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and compressive strength tests. The geopolymer showed a high degree of S/I of the metals; in some samples, the results reached nearly 100%.

  5. Durability studies on the high calcium flyash based GPC

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Keywords: Geopolymer concrete, high calcium flyash, durability, corrosion resistance, polarisation test. ... Reddy, et al (2011) reported that excellent resistance to chloride .... being the metal on the higher electro potential range, to the negative ...

  6. Geopolymers with a high percentage of bottom ash for solidification/immobilization of different toxic metals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boca Santa, Rozineide A Antunes; Soares, Cíntia; Riella, Humberto Gracher

    2016-11-15

    Geopolymers are produced using alkali-activated aluminosilicates, either as waste or natural material obtained from various sources. This study synthesized geopolymers from bottom ash and metakaolin (BA/M) in a 2:1wt ratio to test the solidification/immobilization (S/I) properties of heavy metals in geopolymer matrices, since there is very little research using BA in this type of matrices. Therefore, a decision was made to use more than 65% of BA in geopolymer synthesis with and without the addition of heavy metals. The S/I tests with metals used 10, 15 and 30ml of a waste solution after pickling of printed circuit boards containing metals, including Pb, Cr, Cu, Fe, Sn, As and Ni, in different proportions. As alkali activator, the NaOH and KOH were used in the concentrations of 8 and 12M in the composition of Na2SiO3 in 1:2vol ratios. To test S/I efficiency, tests were conducted to obtain the leached and solubilized extract. The analysis was carried out through X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and compressive strength tests. The geopolymer showed a high degree of S/I of the metals; in some samples, the results reached nearly 100%. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Synthesis of a one-part geopolymer system for soil stabilizer using fly ash and volcanic ash

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tigue April Anne S.

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available A novel approach one-part geopolymer was employed to investigate the feasibility of enhancing the strength of in-situ soil for possible structural fill application in the construction industry. Geopolymer precursors such as fly ash and volcanic ash were utilized in this study for soil stabilization. The traditional geopolymer synthesis uses soluble alkali activators unlike in the case of ordinary Portland cement where only water is added to start the hydration process. This kind of synthesis is an impediment to geopolymer soil stabilizer commercial viability. Hence, solid alkali activators such as sodium silicate (SS, sodium hydroxide (SH, and sodium aluminate (SA were explored. The influence of amount of fly ash (15% and 25%, addition of volcanic ash (0% and 12.5%, and ratio of alkali activator SS:SH:SA (50:50:0, 33:33:33, 50:20:30 were investigated. Samples cured for 28 days were tested for unconfined compressive strength (UCS. To evaluate the durability, sample yielding highest UCS was subjected to sulfuric acid resistance test for 28 days. Analytical techniques such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF, X-ray diffraction (XRD, and scanning electron microscope/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX were performed to examine the elemental composition, mineralogical properties, and microstructure of the precursors and the geopolymer stabilized soil.

  8. A comparative study of geopolymers synthesized from OXY-combustion and chemical looping combustion bottom ashes

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Nkuna, CN

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available silicate (Na2SiO2) and sodium hydroxide solutions (5M, 10M and 15M) and the pastes were cured at 60°C for 10days. The properties of the geopolymers were characterized using: TGA, FTIR and SEM-EDX techniques. TGA analysis showed that FBC geopolymer with 5M...

  9. A novel method to produce dry geopolymer cement powder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H.A. Abdel-Gawwad

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Geopolymer cement is the result of reaction of two materials containing aluminosilicate and concentrated alkaline solution to produce an inorganic polymer binder. The alkali solutions are corrosive and often viscous solutions which are not user friendly, and would be difficult to use for bulk production. This work aims to produce one-mix geopolymer mixed water that could be an alternative to Portland cement by blending with dry activator. Sodium hydroxide (SH was dissolved in water and added to calcium carbonate (CC then dried at 80 °C for 8 h followed by pulverization to a fixed particle size to produce the dry activator consisting of calcium hydroxide (CH, sodium carbonate (SC and pirssonite (P. This increases their commercial availability. The dry activator was blended with granulated blast-furnace slag (GBFS to produce geopolymer cement powder and by addition of water; the geopolymerization process is started. The effect of W/C and SH/CC ratio on the physico-mechanical properties of slag pastes was studied. The results showed that the optimum percent of activator and CC content is 4% SH and 5% CC, by the weight of slag, which give the highest physico-mechanical properties of GBFS. The characterization of the activated slag pastes was carried out using TGA, DTG, IR spectroscopy and SEM techniques.

  10. A Review on the Development of New Materials for Construction of Prestressed Concrete Railway Sleepers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raj, Anand; Nagarajan, Praveen; Shashikala, A. P.

    2018-03-01

    Railways form the backbone of all economies, transporting goods, and passengers alike. Sleepers play a pivotal role in track performance and safety in rail transport. This paper discusses in brief about the materials that have been used in making sleepers in the early stages of railways. Extensive studies have been carried out on the static, dynamic and impact analysis of prestressed sleepers all around the globe. It has been shown that majority of the sleepers do not last till their expected design life resulting in massive replacement and repair cost. The primary reasons leading to the failure of sleepers have been summarised. This article also highlights the use of new materials developed recently for the construction of prestressed concrete sleepers to improve the performance and life of railway sleepers. Use of geopolymer concrete and steel fibre reinforced concrete, assist in the reduction of flexural cracking, whereas rubber concrete enhances the impact resistance of concrete by three folds. This paper presents a review of state of the art of new materials for railway sleepers.

  11. POROUS MICROSTRUCTURE OF THE INTERFACIAL TRANSITION ZONE IN GEOPOLYMER COMPOSITES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steinerová M.

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The study deals with a comparison of the differences in the structure, composition and micromechanical properties of a metakaolinite geopolymer composite matrix, inside and outside of the interfacial transition zone (ITZ with quartz grains of added silica sand. The microstructure is investigated by a measurement of the mercury porosimetry, microscopy and by a measurement in SEM and AFM, completed by Raman spectroscopy. Weaker mechanical properties, micropores in the ITZ, a higher concentration of Al atoms and hydroxyl groups than in the ambient matrix were detected. The water transport is probably the reason for the micropore formation, caused by disequilibrium in the course of solid-phase building from geopolymer dispersion.

  12. Physicochemical characterization of pulverized phyllite rocks to geopolymer resin synthesis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Melo, L.G.A. [Instituto Militar de Enegenharia (IME), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Pires, E.F.C. [Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niteroi, RJ (Brazil); Pereira, R.A.; Silva, F.J. [Instituto Federal de Educacao, Ciencia e Tecnologia do Rio de Raneiro (IFRJ), RJ (Brazil)

    2016-07-01

    Full text: Geopolymeric materials have common properties considered unique, such as: early-high compressive strength, durability, high chemical resistance to acids and sulfates attacks, ability to immobilize toxic and radioactive compounds, low porosity, low permeability, and resistance to high temperatures. Together with its environmental benefits, such as low energy consumption and low carbon dioxide emissions during production, these inorganic polymers are strategic materials for sustainable development and a good alternative to Portland cement. The main objective for introducing alternative materials is to lower the associated costs of its industrial process. Thus, the use of phyllite as the geopolymer precursor, is encouraged by its abundance, low cost, and the fact that it already is applied to the ceramic industries as kaolin substitute. This paper presents a physical characterization using TEM, SEM, XRD and XRF techniques of two pulverized phyllite rocks used as geopolymer precursors for refractory applications. It was found that both phyllite rocks studied have a high quartz content of approximately 50% that can be explored as 'filler' function in the microstructure, which stabilizes residual tensions after curing. Kaolinite and muscovite minerals are present up to 40% and are responsible for the high strengths in the geopolymer resins, as determined by compressive strength tests. (author)

  13. The solidification of aluminum production waste in geopolymer matrix

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Perná, Ivana; Hanzlíček, Tomáš

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 84, DEC 1 (2014), s. 657-662 ISSN 0959-6526 Institutional support: RVO:67985891 Keywords : aluminum waste * solidification * recycling * geopolymer Subject RIV: DM - Solid Waste and Recycling Impact factor: 3.844, year: 2014

  14. Properties of fly ash and metakaolín based geopolymer panels under fire resistance tests

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luna-Galiano, Y.

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the results of a study about the effect of fire on geopolymer paste composed of fly ashes, metakaolin and sodium silicate. 2 cm thick, 28 cm high and 18 cm wide panels were filled with the paste obtained. After 28 days of curing at 20 °C and 45% of relative humidity, different tests were carried out in the geopolymers: physico-chemical (density, water absorption, porosity, mechanical (flexural and compressive strength, fire resistance and environmental (leaching and radioactivity. The panels manufactured have been compared with other commercial panels in order to determine the recycling possibilities of fly ashes in manufacturing new fire-insulating geopolymers. The panels obtained can be utilized for the production of interior wall materials, with a good physical, mechanical, fire resistant properties without any environmental problem.Este documento presenta los resultados de un estudio sobre el efecto del fuego sobre pastas de geopolímeros compuestas de cenizas volantes, metacaolín y silicato sódico. Con la pasta obtenida se han rellenado paneles de dimensiones 2 cm de espesor, 28 cm de altura y 18 cm de ancho. Tras 28 días de curado a 20 °C y un 45% de humedad relativa, diferentes ensayos fueron realizados en los geopolímeros obtenidos: fisicoquímicos (densidad, absorción de agua, porosidad, mecánicos (resistencia a compresión y a flexión, de resistencia al fuego y medioambientales (lixiviación y radioactividad. Los paneles fabricados han sido comparados con paneles comerciales para determinar las posibilidades de reciclaje de las cenizas volantes para la fabricación de nuevos productos geopoliméricos con propiedades aislantes al fuego. Los paneles obtenidos pueden ser utilizados para la producción de paredes interiores, con buenas propiedades físicas, mecánicas y de resistencia al fuego sin ningún problema medioambiental.

  15. Optimizing and Characterizing Geopolymers from Ternary Blend of Philippine Coal Fly Ash, Coal Bottom Ash and Rice Hull Ash

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martin Ernesto Kalaw

    2016-07-01

    , scanning electron microscopy (SEM and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA. Using a Scheffé-based mixture design, targeting applications with low thermal conductivity, light weight and moderate strength and allowing for a maximum of five percent by mass of rice hull ash in consideration of the waste utilization of all three components, it has been determined that an 85-10-5 by weight ratio of CFA-CBA-RHA activated with 80-20 by mass ratio of 12 M NaOH and sodium silicate (55% H2O, modulus = 3 produced geopolymers with a compressive strength of 18.5 MPa, a volumetric weight of 1660 kg/m3 and a thermal conductivity of 0.457 W/m-°C at 28-day curing when pre-cured at 80 °C for 24 h. For this study, the estimates of embodied energy and CO2 were all below 1.7 MJ/kg and 0.12 kg CO2/kg, respectively.

  16. Optimizing and Characterizing Geopolymers from Ternary Blend of Philippine Coal Fly Ash, Coal Bottom Ash and Rice Hull Ash.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalaw, Martin Ernesto; Culaba, Alvin; Hinode, Hirofumi; Kurniawan, Winarto; Gallardo, Susan; Promentilla, Michael Angelo

    2016-07-15

    electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Using a Scheffé-based mixture design, targeting applications with low thermal conductivity, light weight and moderate strength and allowing for a maximum of five percent by mass of rice hull ash in consideration of the waste utilization of all three components, it has been determined that an 85-10-5 by weight ratio of CFA-CBA-RHA activated with 80-20 by mass ratio of 12 M NaOH and sodium silicate (55% H₂O, modulus = 3) produced geopolymers with a compressive strength of 18.5 MPa, a volumetric weight of 1660 kg/m³ and a thermal conductivity of 0.457 W/m-°C at 28-day curing when pre-cured at 80 °C for 24 h. For this study, the estimates of embodied energy and CO₂ were all below 1.7 MJ/kg and 0.12 kg CO₂/kg, respectively.

  17. Rheological characterization of geopolymer binder modified by organic resins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cekalová, M.; Kovárík, T.; Rieger, D.

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study is going to investigate properties of alkali-activated powder (calcined kaoilinitic clay and granulated blast furnace slag) prepared as a geopolymer paste and modified by various amount of organic resin. Hybrid organic-inorganic binders were prepared as a mix of organic resin and geopolymer inorganic paste under vacuum conditions. The process of solidification was investigated by measurements of storage (G’) and loss modulus ( G’) in torsion. The measurement was conducted in oscillatory mode by constant strain of 0.01 %. This strain is set in linear visco-elastic region for minimization influence of paste structure. The effect of organic resin is presented and determined by changes of viscosity (‘n*), modules in torsion and tangent of loss angle (tan 8). Results indicate that addition of organic resin significantly affects the initial viscosity and hardening kinetics.

  18. The Experience on Geopolymer Technology in Semi-Industrial Production

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Boura, P.; Ertl, Z.; Hanzlíček, Tomáš; Perná, Ivana

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 2, č. 4 (2012), s. 300-305 ISSN 2161-6221 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30460519 Keywords : geopolymer * semi-industrial * production Subject RIV: JI - Composite Materials http://davidpublishing.org/journals_show_abstract.html?5272-0

  19. The Properties of Nano TiO2-Geopolymer Composite as a Material for Functional Surface Application

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Syamsidar D.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study is to examine the properties of Nano TiO2-geopolymer as a material for functional surface applications such as walls, floors, bench top, arts and decoration materials. Class-C fly ash and metakaolin were used as raw materials to produce geopolymers pastes (binder. Geopolymers were synthesized through alkali activation method cured at 50°C for 2 hours using molar oxide ratios of SiO2/Al2O3 = 3.0, Na2O/SiO2 = 0.2, and H2O/Na2O = 10. Nano TiO2 was added into geopolymers paste at different concentration namely 0 wt%, 5wt%, 10wt% and 15wt % relative the weight of fly ash or metakaolin. The measurements were commenced after the samples aged 7 days. The samples made from fly ash were immersed in 1 M H2SO4 solution for 3 days for acid resistance examination. The self-cleaning properties of the composites were observed by immersing the sample into red clays solution. The X-Ray Diffraction (XRD was performed to examine the structure and phase of the samples before and after acid resistance measurement. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM was performed to examine the surface morphology of the resulting composites. The measurements results showed that Nano TiO2–geopolymers composite can be applied as functionally surface materials.

  20. Effect of Alkaline Solution with Varying Mix Proportion on Geopolymer Mortar

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karuppuchamy, K.; Ananthkumar, M.; Raghavapriya, S. M.

    2018-02-01

    Cement production is attributed by emission of carbon dioxide which causes severe environmental impacts. This has led to the invention of special construction materials which can replace cement. On the other hand, these construction materials (like Fly ash, Metakaolin) also need to be inexpensive and should possess all the characteristics of cementitious materials. In this project, the effect of geopolymerization on the properties of the end product were studied with varying distillation of NaOH solution (10M, 12M and 15M) for different mix proportion (1:1, 1:2 and 1:3). Curing was done for 1 day at a temperature of 60°C and 80°C respectively. The densities, compressive strength, alkalinity, co-efficient of absorption were determined. As a result, the experiments showed the effect of factors such as mix proportion, curing temperature and curing day on the physical and mechanical properties such as mix proportion of the geopolymer concrete. Results of NaOH concentration of 12M concentration cured for 24 hours at 80°C and 60°C showed better mechanical performance than the rest of the concentrations.

  1. The effect of heat treatment on the mechanical and structural properties of one-part geopolymer-zeolite composites

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sturm, P.; Gluth, G.J.G.; Simon, S.; Brouwers, H.J.H.; Kühne, H.C.

    2016-01-01

    This contribution presents the results of structural and compressive strength investigations on cured and high-temperature treated silica-based one-part geopolymer-zeolite composites. The specimens were synthesized from two different silica sources, sodium aluminate and water. The phase content as

  2. Waste Foundry Sand Usage for Building Material Production: A First Geopolymer Record in Material Reuse

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neslihan Doğan-Sağlamtimur

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available In order to bring a solution to the problem of waste foundry sand (WFS in the foundry sector and achieve its reuse, geopolymer building material (as a cementless technology was produced from the WFS for the first time in the literature in this study. The physical and mechanical characteristics of this material were determined. In the first part of the experimental step, the sieve analysis, loose/tight unit weight, and loss of ignition of the WFS were obtained as well as the ultimate analysis. In the second step, the water absorption percentage, porosity, unit weight, and compressive strength tests were conducted on the WFS-based geopolymer specimens activated by chemical binders (sodium hydroxide: NaOH and sodium silicate: Na2SiO3. As the unit weights of all the produced samples were lower than 1.6 g/cm3, they may be considered as lightweight building materials. The minimum compressive strength value for building wall materials was accepted as 2.5 MPa by national standards. In this study, the maximum compressive strength value was measured as 12.3 MPa for the mixture incorporation of 30% Na2SiO3 at the curing temperature of 200°C in 28 days. It was concluded that this geopolymer material is suitable for using as a building wall material.

  3. Elasticity and expansion test performance of geopolymer as oil well cement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ridha, S.; Hamid, A. I. Abd; Halim, A. H. Abdul; Zamzuri, N. A.

    2018-04-01

    History has shown that geopolymer cement provides high compressive strength as compared to Class G cement. However, the research had been done at ambient temperature, not at elevated condition which is the common oil well situation. In this research, the physical and mechanical properties performance of the oil well cement were investigated by laboratory work for two types of cement that are geopolymer and Class G cement. The cement samples were produced by mixing the cement according to the API standards. Class C fly ash was used in this study. The alkaline solution was prepared by mixing sodium silicate with NaOH solution. The NaOH solution was prepared by diluting NaOH pellets with distilled water to 8M. The cement samples were cured at a pressure of 3000 psi and a temperature of 130 °C to simulate the downhole condition. After curing, the physical properties of the cement samples were investigated using OYO Sonic Viewer to determine their elastic properties. Autoclave expansion test and compressive strength tests were conducted to determine the expansion value and the strength of the cement samples, respectively. The results showed that the geopolymer cement has a better physical and mechanical properties as compared with Class G cement at elevated condition.

  4. Basic Physical - Mechanical Properties of Geopolymers Depending on the Content of Ground Fly Ash and Fines of Sludge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sičáková, Alena; Števulová, Nadežda

    2017-06-01

    The binding potential of fly ash (FA) as a typical basic component of building mixtures can be improved in mechanical way, which unfolds new possibilities of its utilization. This paper presents the possibilities of preparing the geopolymer mixtures based on ground (dm = 31.0 μm) FA, used in varying percentages to the original (unground; dm = 74.1 μm) one. As a modification, fine-grain sludge from the process of washing the crushed aggregates was used as filler in order to obtain mortar-type material. The basic physical-mechanical properties of mixtures are presented and discussed in the paper, focusing on time dependence. The following standard tests were executed after 2, 7, 28, and 120 days: density, total water absorption, flexural strength, and compressive strength. Ground FA provided for positive effect in all tested parameters, while incorporation of fine portion of sludge into the geopolymer mixture does not offer a significant technical profit. On the other hand, it does not cause the decline in the properties, so the environmental effect (reduction of environmental burden) can be applied through its incorporation into the geopolymer mixtures.

  5. The effects of the sequential addition of synthesis parameters on the performance of alkali activated fly ash mortar

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean-Baptiste Mawulé Dassekpo

    Full Text Available Geopolymer is an energy efficient and sustainable material that is currently used in construction industry as an alternative for Portland cement. As a new material, specific mix design method is essential and efforts have been made to develop a mix design procedure with the main focus on achieving better compressive strength and economy. In this paper, a sequential addition of synthesis parameters such as fly ash-sand, alkaline liquids, plasticizer and additional water at well-defined time intervals was investigated. A total of 4 mix procedures were used to study the compressive performance on fly ash-based geopolymer mortar and the results of each method were analyzed and discussed. Experimental results show that the sequential addition of sodium hydroxide (NaOH, sodium silicate (Na2SiO3, plasticizer (PL, followed by adding water (WA increases considerably the compressive strengths of the geopolymer-based mortar. These results clearly demonstrate the high significant influence of sequential addition of synthesis parameters on geopolymer materials compressive properties, and also provide a new mixing method for the preparation of geopolymer paste, mortar and concrete. Keywords: Mixing method, Sequential addition, Synthesis parameters, Fly ash-based geopolymer mortar, Compressive properties

  6. Characterization of Zeolite in Zeolite-Geopolymer Hybrid Bulk Materials Derived from Kaolinitic Clays

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hayami Takeda

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Zeolite-geopolymer hybrid materials have been formed when kaolin was used as a starting material. Their characteristics are of interest because they can have a wide pore size distribution with micro- and meso-pores due to the zeolite and geopolymer, respectively. In this study, Zeolite-geopolymer hybrid bulk materials were fabricated using four kinds of kaolinitic clays (a halloysite and three kinds of kaolinite. The kaolinitic clays were first calcined at 700 °C for 3 h to transform into the amorphous aluminosilicate phases. Alkali-activation treatment of the metakaolin yielded bulk materials with different amounts and types of zeolite and different compressive strength. This study investigated the effects of the initial kaolinitic clays on the amount and types of zeolite in the resultant geopolymers as well as the strength of the bulk materials. The kaolinitic clays and their metakaolin were characterized by XRD analysis, chemical composition, crystallite size, 29Si and 27Al MAS NMR analysis, and specific surface area measurements. The correlation between the amount of zeolite formed and the compressive strength of the resultant hybrid bulk materials, previously reported by other researchers was not positively observed. In the studied systems, the effects of Si/Al and crystalline size were observed. When the atomic ratio of Si/Al in the starting kaolinitic clays increased, the compressive strength of the hybrid bulk materials increased. The crystallite size of the zeolite in the hybrid bulk materials increased with decreasing compressive strength of the hybrid bulk materials.

  7. Build 'em high, and make them green

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nowak, R.

    2008-01-26

    It eats power station waste for breakfast, but has E-Crete got what it takes to replace ordinary concrete? Zeobond, a company in Melbourne, Australia is due to start transforming waste from power stations and blast furnaces into geopolymer concrete, releasing just 10 to 20% of the greenhouse gases associated with making traditional concrete. The starting materials for the novel E-crete are silicon- and oxygen-containing silicates and aluminium and oxygen-containing aluminates both of which are present in fly ash and slag waste. These undergo polymerization to a geopolymer when alkali is added, producing no CO{sub 2} and requiring no heating. Zeobond is the first company to start making geopolymers commercially for construction projects. Tests show they are just as strong as ordinary concrete but it is not yet clear that they are as durable. 1 fig., 1 photo.

  8. Long Term Corrosion Experiment of Steel Rebar in Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer Concrete in NaCl Solution

    OpenAIRE

    Asmara, Y. P.; Siregar, J. P.; Tezara, C.; Nurlisa, Wan; Jamiluddin, J.

    2016-01-01

    This research focuses on an experimental investigation to identify the effects of fly ash on the electrochemical process of concrete during the curing time. A rebar was analysed using potentiostat to measure the rest potential, polarization diagram, and corrosion rate. Water-to-cement ratio and amount of fly ash were varied. After being cured for 24 hours at a temperature of 65°C, the samples were immersed in 3.5% of NaCl solution for 365 days for electrochemical measurement. Measurements of ...

  9. PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF AN INNOVATIVE FIBER REINFORCED GEOPOLYMER SPRAY-APPLIED MORTAR FOR LARGE DIAMETER WASTEWATER MAIN REHABILITATION IN HOUSTON, TX

    Science.gov (United States)

    This report describes the performance evaluation of a fiber reinforced geopolymer spray-applied mortar, which has potential as a structural alternative to traditional open cut techniques used in large-diameter sewer pipes. Geopolymer is a sustainable green material that incorpor...

  10. Basic Physical – Mechanical Properties of Geopolymers Depending on the Content of Ground Fly Ash and Fines of Sludge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sičáková Alena

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The binding potential of fly ash (FA as a typical basic component of building mixtures can be improved in mechanical way, which unfolds new possibilities of its utilization. This paper presents the possibilities of preparing the geopolymer mixtures based on ground (dm = 31.0 μm FA, used in varying percentages to the original (unground; dm = 74.1 μm one. As a modification, fine-grain sludge from the process of washing the crushed aggregates was used as filler in order to obtain mortar-type material. The basic physical-mechanical properties of mixtures are presented and discussed in the paper, focusing on time dependence. The following standard tests were executed after 2, 7, 28, and 120 days: density, total water absorption, flexural strength, and compressive strength. Ground FA provided for positive effect in all tested parameters, while incorporation of fine portion of sludge into the geopolymer mixture does not offer a significant technical profit. On the other hand, it does not cause the decline in the properties, so the environmental effect (reduction of environmental burden can be applied through its incorporation into the geopolymer mixtures.

  11. Advances in 27Al MAS NMR studies of geopolymers

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Brus, Jiří; Abbrent, Sabina; Kobera, Libor; Urbanová, Martina; Cuba, P.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 88, č. 2016 (2016), s. 79-147 ISSN 0066-4103 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA13-24155S; GA MŠk(CZ) LO1507 Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : geopolymers * aluminosilicates * solid-state NMR Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry Impact factor: 2.600, year: 2016

  12. A Study of Hybrid Composite Hydroxyapatite (HA-Geopolymers as a Material for Biomedical Application

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saleha

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The main purpose of this research is to study the physical properties and microstructure characters of hybrid composites HA-geopolymers as a material for biomedical application. Hybrid composite HA–geopolymers were produced through alkaline activation method of metakaolin as a matrix and HA as the filler. HA was synthesized from eggshell particles by using a precipitation method. The addition of HA in metakaolin paste was varied from 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0% relative the weight of metakaolin. FTIR was used to examine the absorption bands the composites. X-ray diffraction (XRD was used to study the crystal structure of the starting and the resulting materials. Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS was used to investigate the surface morphology of the composites. The thermal properties of the samples was examined by means of Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC. Capacitance measurement was conducted to investigate the bioactive properties of HA. The study results suggest that hybrid composite HA-geopolymers has a potential to be applied as a biomedical such as biosensor material.

  13. Bacteria-based concrete: from concept to market

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiktor, V.; Jonkers, H. M.

    2016-08-01

    The concept of self-healing concrete—a concrete which can autonomously repair itself after crack formation, with no or limited human intervention—has received a lot of attention over the past 10 years as it could help structures to last longer and at a lower maintenance cost. This paper gives an overview on the key aspects and recent advances in the development of the bacteria-based self-healing concrete developed at the University of Technology of Delft (The Netherlands). Research started with the screening and selection of concrete compatible bacteria and nutrients. Several types of encapsulated bacteria and nutrients have been developed and tested. The functionality of these healing agents was demonstrated by showing metabolic activity of activated bacterial spores by oxygen consumption measurements and by regain of material functionality in form of regain of water tightness. Besides development of bacteria-based self-healing concrete, a bacteria-based repair mortar and liquid system were developed for the treatment of aged concrete structures. Field trials have been carried out with either type of bacteria-based systems and the promising results have led to a spinoff company Basilisk Self-Healing Concrete with the aim to further develop these systems and bring them to the market.

  14. PZT-Based Detection of Compactness of Concrete in Concrete Filled Steel Tube Using Time Reversal Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shi Yan

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available A smart aggregate-based approach is proposed for the concrete compactness detection of concrete filled steel tube (CFST columns. The piezoceramic-based smart aggregates (SAs were embedded in the predetermined locations prior to the casting of concrete columns to establish a wave-based smart sensing system for the concrete compactness detection purpose. To evaluate the efficiency of the developed approach, six specimens of the CFST columns with the rectangular cross-section were produced by placing some artificial defects during casting of concrete for simulating various uncompacted voids such as cavities, cracks, and debond. During the test, the time reversal technology was applied to rebuild the received signals and launch the reversed signals again by SAs, to overcome the issue of the lack of the prototype. Based on the proposed nonprototype, two indices of time reversibility (TR and symmetry (SYM were applied to relatively evaluate the level of concrete compactness in the range of the two SAs. The experimental results show that the developed method can effectively detect the compactness of concrete in CFST columns.

  15. The effects of the sequential addition of synthesis parameters on the performance of alkali activated fly ash mortar

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dassekpo, Jean-Baptiste Mawulé; Zha, Xiaoxiong; Zhan, Jiapeng; Ning, Jiaqian

    Geopolymer is an energy efficient and sustainable material that is currently used in construction industry as an alternative for Portland cement. As a new material, specific mix design method is essential and efforts have been made to develop a mix design procedure with the main focus on achieving better compressive strength and economy. In this paper, a sequential addition of synthesis parameters such as fly ash-sand, alkaline liquids, plasticizer and additional water at well-defined time intervals was investigated. A total of 4 mix procedures were used to study the compressive performance on fly ash-based geopolymer mortar and the results of each method were analyzed and discussed. Experimental results show that the sequential addition of sodium hydroxide (NaOH), sodium silicate (Na2SiO3), plasticizer (PL), followed by adding water (WA) increases considerably the compressive strengths of the geopolymer-based mortar. These results clearly demonstrate the high significant influence of sequential addition of synthesis parameters on geopolymer materials compressive properties, and also provide a new mixing method for the preparation of geopolymer paste, mortar and concrete.

  16. STRENGTH AND SHORT-TERM DURABILITY OF 6M, 8M, 10M GEO-POLYMERS CONCRETE

    OpenAIRE

    Gladwin Vimal Raj.P*, Tamilvanan.K, Jose Ravindra Raj.B

    2017-01-01

    India is a developing country concentrated to develop the infrastructure and implement new construction techniques. Concrete is a main source of developing structure. It makes a great demand second only after water. So need an alternative to prevent this demand. Concrete is the mixture of cement, river sand and coarse aggregate. Cement manufacture produce carbon-di oxide and make ozone layer depletion cause global warming. Scarcity of river sand makes a demand in construction. So need an alte...

  17. Study of the geopolymer restructuration by impulse rheology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rouyer, J.; Frizon, F.; Poulesquen, A.

    2015-01-01

    The aim of the study is to describe the evolution of the microstructure during the setting process of the geo-polymer using an original rheological method named Optimal Fourier Rheology (OFR). The alkali activation of meta-kaolin enables physicochemical transformation from a fresh paste to a hard meso-porous matrix. Classically, oscillatory rheology technique provides viscoelastic moduli spectrum and enables to determine rheological comportment of the material under investigation. However the duration to perform a complete spectrum (more than 2.5 h) makes useless this technique in the case of changing material. The OFR technique decreases the measurement duration under 10 minutes and enables to perform several snapshots of the evolving rheological behaviour. Contrary to monochromatic iterations, here the applied stress takes the form of a chirp function which contains the full usable bandwidth. Interpretations of spectrums provide efficient access to structural evolution along the setting. Results show that the number of oligomers increases into the solution due to the dissolution of the meta-kaolin leading to a constant increase of the viscoelastic parameters until the gradual appearance of the percolating networks. The gelling time was rigorously assessed by using the Winter and Chambon criterion. A fractal percolating network is formed inside the material after a reaction time depending on the formulation parameters; corresponding fractal dimensions were established. After the gel point, the viscoelastic moduli grow rapidly until geo-polymers reach a classic viscoelastic state. Structural unit size were determined using moduli curves crossover and equalled to 2.1 nm in the case of Na geo-polymer; this value fits extremely well with value previously obtained by SAXS. Finally, the elasticity becomes constant in a large frequency range and the viscous parameter strongly decreases which means that the solid porous network is under formation. In conclusion, this

  18. Environmental, physical and structural characterisation of geopolymer matrixes synthesised from coal (co-)combustion fly ashes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alvarez-Ayuso, E.; Querol, X.; Plana, F.; Alastuey, A.; Moreno, N.; Izquierdo, M.; Font, O.; Moreno, T.; Diez, S.; Vazquez, E.; Barra, M.

    2008-01-01

    The synthesis of geopolymer matrixes from coal (co-)combustion fly ashes as the sole source of silica and alumina has been studied in order to assess both their capacity to immobilise the potentially toxic elements contained in these coal (co-)combustion by-products and their suitability to be used as cement replacements. The geopolymerisation process has been performed using (5, 8 and 12 M) NaOH solutions as activation media and different curing time (6-48 h) and temperature (40-80 o C) conditions. Synthesised geopolymers have been characterised with regard to their leaching behaviour, following the DIN 38414-S4 [DIN 38414-S4, Determination of leachability by water (S4), group S: sludge and sediments. German standard methods for the examination of water, waste water and sludge. Institut fuer Normung, Berlin, 1984] and NEN 7375 [NEN 7375, Leaching characteristics of moulded or monolithic building and waste materials. Determination of leaching of inorganic components with the diffusion test. Netherlands Normalisation Institute, Delft, 2004] procedures, and to their structural stability by means of compressive strength measurements. In addition, geopolymer mineralogy, morphology and structure have been studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), respectively. It was found that synthesised geopolymer matrixes were only effective in the chemical immobilisation of a number of elements of environmental concern contained in fly ashes, reducing (especially for Ba), or maintaining their leachable contents after the geopolymerisation process, but not for those elements present as oxyanions. Physical entrapment does not seem either to contribute in an important way, in general, to the immobilisation of oxyanions. The structural stability of synthesised geopolymers was mainly dependent on the glass content of fly ashes, attaining at the optimal activation conditions (12 M NaOH, 48 h, 80 o C

  19. Hydrogen formation under gamma and heavy ions irradiation of geopolymers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chupin, F.; Dannoux-Papin, A.; D'Espinose de Lacaillerie, J.B.; Ngono Ravache, Y.

    2015-01-01

    This study examines the behavior under irradiation of geo-polymer which is not yet well known and attempts to highlight the importance of water radiolysis. For their use as embedding matrices, stability under ionizing radiation as well as low hydrogen gas released must be demonstrated. Different formulations of geo-polymers have been irradiated either with γ-rays ( 60 Co sources) or 75 MeV 36 Ar ions beams and the production of hydrogen released has been quantified. This paper presents the results of gas analysis in order to identify important structural parameters that influence confined water radiolysis. Indeed, a correlation between pore size, water content on one side, and the hydrogen production radiolytic yield (G(H 2 )) on the other side, has been demonstrated. For the 75 MeV 36 Ar ions irradiation, the effect of porosity has not been well emphasized. For both, the results have revealed the water content influence. (authors)

  20. Influence of Molarity and Chemical Composition on the Development of Compressive Strength in POFA Based Geopolymer Mortar

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. M. Alamgir Kabir

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The investigation concerns the use of the optimum mix proportion of two locally available pozzolanic waste materials, namely, ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS and palm oil fuel ash (POFA, together with metakaolin (MK as binders. In addition, another local waste material, manufactured sand (M-sand, was used as a replacement for conventional sand in the development of green geopolymer mortar. Twenty-four mortar mixtures were designed with varying binder contents and alkaline activators. The oven dry curing was also kept consistent for all the mix proportions at a temperature of 65°C for 24 hours. The highest 28-day compressive strength of about 48 MPa was obtained for the mortar containing 20% of MK, 35% of GGBS, and 45% of POFA. The increment of MK beyond 20% leads to reduction of the compressive strength. The GGBS replacement beyond 35% also reduced the compressive strength. The entire specimen achieved average 80% of the 28-day strength at the age of 3 days. The density decreased with the increase of POFA percentage. The finding of this research by using the combination of MK, GGBS, and POFA as binders to wholly replace conventional ordinary Portland cement would lead to alternate eco-friendly geopolymer matrix.

  1. Development of Nano TiO2–Geopolymer Functional Composite as Antifouling Bricks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kusuma Wardani Nurul

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of study is to examine the ability of nano TiO2 – geopolymer functional composite as antifouling bricks. The samples were synthesized through alkali-activation method at 70°C for 1 hour by mixing metaclay with TiO2 nanoparticles and activated with sodium silicate solution. There were two series of samples produced, namely, GT_A with addition of 2% nanoTiO2 and GT_B with addition of 4% nano TiO2 relative to the mass of metaclay. The samples were immersed in water and in 1M H2SO4 solution for 4 days to examine the resistance of composites in hars environment. The x-ray diffraction (XRD was performed to examine the chemical compositions of the samples before and after environmental test. The morphology of the samples surfaces was examined by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS. Based on this study, sample GT_A shows its excellent properties as antifouling bricks. The addition of nano TiO2 was found to improve the quality of geopolymers as a high performance bricks.

  2. The relationship between compressive strength and flexural strength of pavement geopolymer grouting material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, L.; Han, X. X.; Ge, J.; Wang, C. H.

    2018-01-01

    To determine the relationship between compressive strength and flexural strength of pavement geopolymer grouting material, 20 groups of geopolymer grouting materials were prepared, the compressive strength and flexural strength were determined by mechanical properties test. On the basis of excluding the abnormal values through boxplot, the results show that, the compressive strength test results were normal, but there were two mild outliers in 7days flexural strength test. The compressive strength and flexural strength were linearly fitted by SPSS, six regression models were obtained by linear fitting of compressive strength and flexural strength. The linear relationship between compressive strength and flexural strength can be better expressed by the cubic curve model, and the correlation coefficient was 0.842.

  3. Low-reactive circulating fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) fly ashes as source material for geopolymer synthesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Hui; Li Qin; Shen Lifeng; Zhang Mengqun; Zhai Jianping

    2010-01-01

    In this contribution, low-reactive circulating fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) fly ashes (CFAs) have firstly been utilized as a source material for geopolymer synthesis. An alkali fusion process was employed to promote the dissolution of Si and Al species from the CFAs, and thus to enhance the reactivity of the ashes. A high-reactive metakaolin (MK) was also used to consume the excess alkali needed for the fusion. Reactivities of the CFAs and MK were examined by a series of dissolution tests in sodium hydroxide solutions. Geopolymer samples were prepared by alkali activation of the source materials using a sodium silicate solution as the activator. The synthesized products were characterized by mechanical testing, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffractography (XRD), as well as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results of this study indicate that, via enhancing the reactivity by alkali fusion and balancing the Na/Al ratio by additional aluminosilicate source, low-reactive CFAs could also be recycled as an alternative source material for geopolymer production.

  4. Porous Geopolymer Insulating Core from a Metakaolin/Biomass Ash Composite

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annalisa Natali Murri

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Ashes derived from the combustion of vegetal and animal biomass still represent a mostly unexplored secondary raw material for the production of alkali-activated materials, given their peculiar chemical nature. In this work, calcium phosphate biomass ashes were successfully used as partially reactive fillers in a metakaolin-based geopolymer composite to produce, by direct foaming, sustainable and lightweight boards with thermal insulating properties. The investigated materials were obtained by activating a blend of metakaolin and biomass ash in a weight ratio of 1: 1 and foamed with the addition of H2O2 in measure of 5 wt. %, to maximize the volume of disposed ash and ensure adequate properties to the material at the same time. The obtained geopolymer composite was characterized by microstructural, chemical-physical, mechanical and thermal analysis: the obtained results showed that biomass ash and metakaolin well integrated in the microstructure of the final porous material, which was characterized by a density of about 310 kg/m3 and a thermal conductivity of 0.073 W/mK at a mean test temperature of 30 °C, coupled with an acceptable compressive strength of about 0.6 MPa. Dilatometric and thermogravimetric analysis, performed up to 1000 °C, highlighted the thermal stability of the composite, which could be regarded as a promising material for low-cost, self-bearing thermal insulating partitions or lightweight cores for thermostructural sandwich panels.

  5. Characterization of bauxite mud of Alumar to be used as a geopolymer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soares, A.F.B.; Cartaxo, J.M.; Sousa, B.V.; Menezes, R.R.

    2011-01-01

    The process of Geopolymerization aluminium-siliceous materials has prompted several scientific works to develop materials with interesting thermomechanical properties. Currently, one of the problems encountered by the industries responsible for the production of aluminum is the waste from the Bayer process, known as mud bauxite. In our study, the characterization of bauxite (fresh) and residue from two different lakes company ALUMAR to be applied in obtaining geopolymers. Through the results of analysis by X-ray fluorescence (EDX) was observed after the Bayer process, the presence of oxides of sodium, silicon, aluminum and iron in larger quantities. It was found through a combination of diffraction and vibration obtained by infrared spectrometry the presence of silicates and aluminate groups. Thus, the analyzed material will be activated and tested as geopolymer. (author)

  6. Synthesis and Characterization of Functional Composite Carbon-Geopolymers for Precast Panel Application

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Noor Afifah Kharisma

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of carbon (C particles as filler (aggregate in the production of geopolymers functional composite for possible precast panel application. Geopolymers was synthesized through alkali activation of metakaolin added with carbon particles relative to the mass of metakaolin. The mixture was cured at 70°C for 2 hours and the resulting composites were stored in open air for 28 days. The bulk density and the apparent porosity of the composites were measured by using Archimedes method. The thermal properties of the samples was examined by using thermal conductivity measurement and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC. The microstructure characterization of the samples were performed by using x-ray diffraction (XRD and Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS.

  7. The identification of geopolymer affinity in specific cases of clay materials

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Perná, Ivana; Hanzlíček, Tomáš; Šupová, Monika

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 102, December (2014), s. 213-219 ISSN 0169-1317 R&D Projects: GA MPO FR-TI2/390 Institutional support: RVO:67985891 Keywords : geopolymer * raw material * infrared spectroscopy * shale Subject RIV: JI - Composite Materials Impact factor: 2.467, year: 2014

  8. A Novel MK-based Geopolymer Composite Activated with Rice Husk Ash and KOH: Performance at High Temperature; Nuevo material compuesto de matriz geopolimérica activado con ceniza de cascarilla de arroz y KOH: Desempeño a alta temperatura.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Villaquirán-Caicedo, M.A.; Mejía de Gutiérrez, R.; Gallego, N.C.

    2017-07-01

    Geopolymers were produced using an environmentally friendly alkali activator (based on Rice Husk Ash and potassium hydroxide). Aluminosilicates particles, carbon and ceramic fibres were used as reinforcement materials. The effects of reinforcement materials on the flexural strength, linear-shrinkage, thermophysical properties and microstructure of the geopolymers at room and high temperature (1200 °C) were studied. The results indicated that the toughness of the composites is increased 110.4% for geopolymer reinforced by ceramic fibres (G-AF) at room temperature. The presence of particles improved the flexural behaviour 265% for geopolymer reinforced by carbon fibres and particles after exposure to 1200 .C. Linear-shrinkage for geopolymer reinforced by ceramic fibres and particles and the geopolymer G-AF compared with reference sample (without fibres and particles) is improved by 27.88% and 7.88% respectively at 900 °C. The geopolymer materials developed in this work are porous materials with low thermal conductivity and good mechanical properties with potential thermal insulation applications for building applications. [Spanish] Compuestos geopoliméricos fueron producidos usando un activador alcalino alternativo (basado en ceniza de cascarilla de arroz e hidróxido de potasio), partículas aluminosilicatos, fibras de carbono y cerámicas. Se estudió el efecto de fibras y partículas en la resistencia a la flexión, contracción lineal, propiedades termofísicas y microestructura de los geopolímeros a temperatura ambiente y 1200 °C. Los resultados indican que la tenacidad se incrementó 110.4% para el geopolímero reforzado con fibras cerámicas (G-AF) a temperatura ambiente. La presencia de partículas mejora el comportamiento a la flexión 265% para el geopolímero reforzado con fibras de carbono y partículas después de la exposición a 1200 °C. La contracción lineal para el geopolímero reforzado con fibras cerámicas y partículas y el geopolímero G

  9. Application of thermodynamics-based rate-dependent constitutive models of concrete in the seismic analysis of concrete dams

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leng Fei

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper discusses the seismic analysis of concrete dams with consideration of material nonlinearity. Based on a consistent rate-dependent model and two thermodynamics-based models, two thermodynamics-based rate-dependent constitutive models were developed with consideration of the influence of the strain rate. They can describe the dynamic behavior of concrete and be applied to nonlinear seismic analysis of concrete dams taking into account the rate sensitivity of concrete. With the two models, a nonlinear analysis of the seismic response of the Koyna Gravity Dam and the Dagangshan Arch Dam was conducted. The results were compared with those of a linear elastic model and two rate-independent thermodynamics-based constitutive models, and the influences of constitutive models and strain rate on the seismic response of concrete dams were discussed. It can be concluded from the analysis that, during seismic response, the tensile stress is the control stress in the design and seismic safety evaluation of concrete dams. In different models, the plastic strain and plastic strain rate of concrete dams show a similar distribution. When the influence of the strain rate is considered, the maximum plastic strain and plastic strain rate decrease.

  10. The Role of Clay Swelling and Mineral Neoformation in the Stabilization of High Plasticity Soils Treated with the Fly Ash- and Metakaolin-Based Geopolymers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahmoud A. Mahrous

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available In the southern U.S. states, expansive soils are frequently encountered, presenting an important hazard in geotechnical engineering. This research relies on mineralogical and geochemical clues to explain the swelling behavior of smectite-rich, high-plasticity soils, documented in a series of geomechanical swelling tests that were performed on the soils stabilized with the metakaolin (MKG and fly ash (FAG based geopolymers. These geopolymers were mixed with the soil at several concentration levels. The lowest swelling percentage was shown to correspond to the sample stabilized with 12% FAG and was attributed to the neoformation of calcium silicate hydrates that acted as a cementitious material, preventing the soil from expanding by occupying the pore space, thus binding the clay particles together. Conversely, the 12% MKG-stabilized soil exhibited enormous expansion, which was explained by montmorillonite swelling to the point that it gradually began to lose its structural periodicity. The relatively high abundance of the newly formed feldspathoids in MKG-treated samples is believed to have greatly contributed to the overall soil expansion. Finally, the cation exchange capacity tests showed that the percentage of Na+ and Ca2+, as well as the pH value, exercised strong control on the swelling behavior of smectitic soils.

  11. Surface decoration of polyimide fiber with carbon nanotubes and its application for mechanical enhancement of phosphoric acid-based geopolymers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Tao; Han, Enlin; Wang, Xiaodong; Wu, Dezhen

    2017-09-01

    A new methodology to decorate the surface of polyimide (PI) fiber with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has been developed in this study. This surface decoration was carried out through a surface alkali treatment, a carboxylation modification, surface functionalization with acyl chloride groups and then with amino groups, and a surface graft of CNTs onto PI fiber. Fourier-transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic characterizations confirmed that CNTs were chemically grafted onto the surface of PI fiber, and scanning electron microscopic observation demonstrated the fiber surface was uniformly and densely covered with CNTs. The surface energy and wettability of PI fiber were improved in the presence of CNTs on the fiber surface, which made a contribution to enhance the interfacial adhesion of PI fiber with other inorganic matrices when used as a reinforcing fiber. The application of CNTs-decorated PI fiber for the reinforcement of phosphoric acid-based geopolymers was investigated, and the results indicated that the geopolymeric composites gained a noticeable reinforcement. Compared to unreinforced geopolymer, the geopolymeric composites achieved a remarkable increase in compressive strength by 120% and in flexural strength by 283%. Fractography investigation demonstrated that the interaction adhesion between the fibers and matrix was enhanced due to the surface decoration of PI fiber with CNTs, which contributed to an improvement in fracture-energy dissipation by fiber pullout and fiber debonding from the matrix. As a result, a significant reinforcement effect on geopolymeric composites was achieved through a fiber-bridging mechanism. This study provided an effective methodology to improve the interracial bonding force for PI fiber and also proves a highly efficient application of CNTs-decorated PI fiber for the mechanical enhancement of geopolymeric composites.

  12. Characterization of geo-polymer porosity: temporal evolution and study of the confined water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Benavent, Virginie

    2016-01-01

    In this study, we have investigated the porous network of geo-polymers. The first step consisted in characterizing the structure of the porous network by the means of both intrusive experimental techniques (water porosimetry, gas sorption and mercury intrusion) and non-intrusive techniques (small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering). By the same time, the evolutions of the porous structure as well as the mechanical properties were followed over time. The second step was to determine the structure, the thermodynamics and the dynamics of water confined in the porosity by differential scanning calorimetry, quasi-elastic neutron scattering and migration tests. Geo-polymer pore structure is a complex multi-scale porosity, a meso- and macroporous network, essentially open and connected. It consists in a vermicular meso-porous network which connects the macro-pores. The meso-pore characteristic size depends on the formulation of the geo-polymer paste and is ranged between about 4 and 10 nm. Geo-polymer have a total pore volume comprised between 40 and 50 %, the meso-porous volume represents between 7 and 15 % of the material global volume. The majority of the pore volume is then attributed to macro-pores. a slight closure of porosity was observed with time and was attributed to a dissolution-precipitation mechanism occurring at pore wall interfaces. The mechanical properties reach a maximum within 10 days, and then are stable over time when the samples were kept from drying and carbonation and at the temperature of 20 C. Besides, three kinds of water were highlighted inside the porosity: (i) an interfacial water linked at the pore surfaces, (ii) free water inside the meso-pores and (iii) free water inside macro-pores. at local time scale, the mobility of water was found close to the one of free water, and at the macroscopic scale, a decrease in diffusion coefficient of one order of magnitude was observed, together with an effect of meso-pore size. (author) [fr

  13. Development of geopolymers as candidate materials for low/intermediate level highly alkaline nuclear waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perera, D.S.; Vance, E.R.; Kiyama, S.; Aly, Z.; Yee, P.

    2006-01-01

    Full text: Geopolymers have been studied for many years as a possible improvement on cement in respect of compressive strength, resistance to fire, heat and acidity, and as a medium for the encapsulation of hazardous or low/ intermediate level radioactive waste. They are made by adding aluminosilicates to concentrated alkali solutions and the application of heat at 0 Cfor subsequent polymerisation. In this work we studied them as suitable candidate materials to incorporate NaOH/NaA10 2 containing waste with low levels of Cs, Sr and Nd. Geopolymers were produced by incorporating the highly alkaline solution as part of the composition with added metakaolinite, fumed silica and extra NaOH, such that the overall geopolymer composition was of molar ratios Si/Al = 2 and Na/Al = 1. The simulated waste contained Na2SO 4 , therefore Ba(OH) 2 was also added to precipitate the SO 4 x 2 as BaSO 4 . Three geoplymers of the same composition containing simulated wastes were leach tested in triplicate after heating at 400 0 Cfor 1 h (to remove -98% of free and interstitial water) under the PCT-B test protocol at 90 0 Cfor 7 days and their results are listed in Table 1. The Cs, Sr and Nd normalised leach rates were low. The Na leach rate was ∼ 4 g/L thus passing the PCT-B test protocol value of 13.5 g/L for EA glass. The X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy showed that BaS04 did precipitate, however all the S did not appear to have precipitated. The ANSI/ANS-16.1-2003 test was carried out on the above geopolymer composition for 5 days. The ANSI Leachability Index D (diffusivity of 10''cm sec'') for the elements released are listed in Table 2. A Portland cement was also tested for comparison and the Leachability index values are 11, 8 and 10 for Al, Na and Ca respectively. Both passed the test protocol insofar as they were > 6. Geopolymers thus passing the tests for high level nuclear waste glass (PCT-B) and for low level nuclear waste (ANSI) show promising potential

  14. The Effect of Sodium Hydroxide Molarity on Strength Development of Non-Cement Class C Fly Ash Geopolymer Mortar

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wardhono, A.

    2018-01-01

    The use of fly ash as cement replacement material can overcome the environmental issues, especially the global warming problem caused by the greenhouse effect. This is attributed to the CO2 gas produced during the cement manufacturing process, which 1 ton of cement is equivalent to 1 ton CO2. However, the major problem of fly ash is the requirement of activators to activate the polymer reactions. The most common activator used in non-cement or geopolymer material is the combination of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and sodium silicate. This study aims to identify the effect of NaOH molarity as activator on strength development of non-cement class C fly ash geopolymer mortar. The molarity variations of NaOH were 6 Molar (M), 8M, 10M, 12M, 14M and 15M. The compressive strength test was performed at the age of 3, 7 and 28 days in accordance with ASTM standard, and the specimens were cured at room temperature. The results show that the highest compressive strength was achieved by geopolymer mortar with a molarity of 12M. It exhibits a higher strength to that normal mortar at 28 days. However, the use of NaOH molarity more than 12M tends to decrease the strength of non-cement geopolymer mortar specimens.

  15. Durability of cement and geopolimer composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Błaszczyński, T.; Król, M.

    2017-10-01

    Concrete structures are constantly moving in the direction of improving the durability. This main feature depends on many factors, which are the composition of concrete mix, the usage of additives and admixtures and the place, where material will work and carry the load. The introduction of new geopolymer binders for geopolymer structures adds a new aspect that is type of used activator. This substance with strongly alkaline reaction is divided because of the physical state, the alkaline degree and above all the chemical composition. Taking into account, that at present the geopolymer binders are made essentially from waste materials or by products from the combustion of coal or iron ore smelting, unambiguous determination of the effect of the activator on the properties of the geopolymer material requires a number of trials, researches and observation. This paper shows the influence of the most alkaline activators on the basic parameters of the durability of geopolymer binders. In this study there were used a highly alkaline hydroxides, water glasses and granules, which are waste materials in a variety of processes taking place in a chemical plants. As the substrate of geopolymer binders there were used fly ash which came from coal and high calcium ash from the burning of lignite.

  16. Stress wave communication in concrete: I. Characterization of a smart aggregate based concrete channel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siu, Sam; Wu, Wenhao; Zhi Ding; Ji, Qing; Song, Gangbing

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, we explore the characteristics of a concrete block as a communication medium with piezoelectric transducers. Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) is a piezoceramic material used in smart materials intended for structural health monitoring (SHM). Additionally, a PZT based smart aggregate (SA) is capable of implementing stress wave communications which is utilized for investigating the properties of an SA based concrete channel. Our experiments characterize single-input single-output and multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) concrete channels in order to determine the potential capacity limits of SAs for stress wave communication. We first provide estimates and validate the concrete channel response. Followed by a theoretical upper bound for data rate capacity of our two channels, demonstrating a near-twofold increase in channel capacity by utilizing multiple transceivers to form an MIMO system. Our channel modeling techniques and results are also helpful to researchers using SAs with regards to SHM, energy harvesting and stress wave communications. (paper)

  17. Experimental Evaluation of Geopolymer and ‘Lunamer’ Binders as Radioactive Shielding Materials for Space Applications

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Geopolymers are inorganic cementitious binders produced by polymeric reaction between an aluminosilica rich material and an alkali metal hydroxide/silicate liquid,...

  18. Fly-Ash-Based Geopolymers: How the Addition of Recycled Glass or Red Mud Waste Influences the Structural and Mechanical Properties

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Toniolo, N.; Taveri, Gianmarco; Hurle, K.; Roether, J. A.; Ercole, P.; Dlouhý, Ivo; Boccaccini, A. R.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 8, č. 3 (2017), s. 411-420 ISSN 2190-9385 EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 642557 - CoACH Institutional support: RVO:68081723 Keywords : Geopolymers * Fly ash * Red mud * Waste glass Subject RIV: JH - Ceramic s, Fire-Resistant Materials and Glass OBOR OECD: Ceramic s Impact factor: 1.220, year: 2016 https://www. ceramic -science.com/articles/all-articles.html?article_id=100566

  19. The pore characteristics of geopolymer foam concrete and their impact on the compressive strength and modulus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zuhua; Wang, Hao

    2016-08-01

    The pore characteristics of GFCs manufactured in the laboratory with 0-16% foam additions were examined using image analysis (IA) and vacuum water saturation techniques. The pore size distribution, pore shape and porosity were obtained. The IA method provides a suitable approach to obtain the information of large pores, which are more important in affecting the compressive strength of GFC. By examining the applicability of the existing models of predicting compressive strength of foam concrete, a modified Ryshkevitch’s model is proposed for GFC, in which only the porosity that is contributed by the pores over a critical diameter (>100 μm) is considered. This “critical void model” is shown to have very satisfying prediction capability in the studied range of porosity. A compression-modulus model for Portland cement concrete is recommended for predicting the compression modulus elasticity of GFC. This study confirms that GFC have similar pore structures and mechanical behavior as those Portland cement foam concrete and can be used alternatively in the industry for the construction and insulation purposes.

  20. Concrete Infill Monitoring in Concrete-Filled FRP Tubes Using a PZT-Based Ultrasonic Time-of-Flight Method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Mingzhang; Li, Weijie; Hei, Chuang; Song, Gangbing

    2016-12-07

    Concrete-filled fiber-reinforced polymer tubes (CFFTs) have attracted interest for their structural applications in corrosive environments. However, a weak interfacial strength between the fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) tube and the concrete infill may develop due to concrete shrinkage and inadequate concrete compaction during concrete casting, which will destroy the confinement effect and thereby reduce the load bearing capacity of a CFFT. In this paper, the lead zirconate titanate (PZT)-based ultrasonic time-of-flight (TOF) method was adopted to assess the concrete infill condition of CFFTs. The basic idea of this method is that the velocity of the ultrasonic wave propagation in the FRP material is about half of that in concrete material. Any voids or debonding created along the interface between the FRP tube and the concrete will delay the arrival time between the pairs of PZT transducers. A comparison of the arrival times of the PZT pairs between the intact and the defected CFFT was made to assess the severity of the voids or the debonding. The feasibility of the methodology was analyzed using a finite-difference time-domain-based numerical simulation. Experiments were setup to validate the numerical results, which showed good agreement with the numerical findings. The results showed that the ultrasonic time-of-flight method is able to detect the concrete infill condition of CFFTs.

  1. Concrete Infill Monitoring in Concrete-Filled FRP Tubes Using a PZT-Based Ultrasonic Time-of-Flight Method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Mingzhang; Li, Weijie; Hei, Chuang; Song, Gangbing

    2016-01-01

    Concrete-filled fiber-reinforced polymer tubes (CFFTs) have attracted interest for their structural applications in corrosive environments. However, a weak interfacial strength between the fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) tube and the concrete infill may develop due to concrete shrinkage and inadequate concrete compaction during concrete casting, which will destroy the confinement effect and thereby reduce the load bearing capacity of a CFFT. In this paper, the lead zirconate titanate (PZT)-based ultrasonic time-of-flight (TOF) method was adopted to assess the concrete infill condition of CFFTs. The basic idea of this method is that the velocity of the ultrasonic wave propagation in the FRP material is about half of that in concrete material. Any voids or debonding created along the interface between the FRP tube and the concrete will delay the arrival time between the pairs of PZT transducers. A comparison of the arrival times of the PZT pairs between the intact and the defected CFFT was made to assess the severity of the voids or the debonding. The feasibility of the methodology was analyzed using a finite-difference time-domain-based numerical simulation. Experiments were setup to validate the numerical results, which showed good agreement with the numerical findings. The results showed that the ultrasonic time-of-flight method is able to detect the concrete infill condition of CFFTs. PMID:27941617

  2. Response of a PGNAA setup for pozzolan-based cement concrete specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Naqvi, A.A.; Garwan, M.A.; Maslehuddin, M.; Nagadi, M.M.; Al-Amoudi, O.S.B.; Raashid, M.

    2010-01-01

    Pozzolanic materials are added to Portland cement concrete to increase its durability, particularly corrosion-resistance. In this study the elemental composition of a pozzolanic cement concrete was measured non-destructively utilizing an accelerator-based Prompt Gamma Ray Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA) setup. The optimum size of the pozzolanic cement concrete specimen was obtained through Monte Carlo simulations. The simulation results were experimentally verified through the γ-ray yield measurement from the pozzolanic cement concrete specimens as a function of their radii. The concentration of the pozzolanic material in the cement concrete specimens was evaluated by measuring γ-ray yield for calcium and iron from pozzolanic cement concrete specimens containing 5-80 wt% pozzolan. A good agreement was noted between the experimental values and the Monte Carlo simulation results, indicating an excellent response of the KFUPM accelerator-based PGNAA setup for pozzolan based concrete.

  3. Response of a PGNAA setup for pozzolan-based cement concrete specimens

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Naqvi, A.A. [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia)], E-mail: aanaqvi@kfupm.edu.sa; Garwan, M.A. [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Maslehuddin, M. [Center for Engineering Research, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Nagadi, M.M. [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Al-Amoudi, O.S.B. [Department of Civil Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Raashid, M. [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia)

    2010-04-15

    Pozzolanic materials are added to Portland cement concrete to increase its durability, particularly corrosion-resistance. In this study the elemental composition of a pozzolanic cement concrete was measured non-destructively utilizing an accelerator-based Prompt Gamma Ray Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA) setup. The optimum size of the pozzolanic cement concrete specimen was obtained through Monte Carlo simulations. The simulation results were experimentally verified through the {gamma}-ray yield measurement from the pozzolanic cement concrete specimens as a function of their radii. The concentration of the pozzolanic material in the cement concrete specimens was evaluated by measuring {gamma}-ray yield for calcium and iron from pozzolanic cement concrete specimens containing 5-80 wt% pozzolan. A good agreement was noted between the experimental values and the Monte Carlo simulation results, indicating an excellent response of the KFUPM accelerator-based PGNAA setup for pozzolan based concrete.

  4. Performance and Compatibility of Phosphonate-Based Superplasticizers for Concrete

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luigi Coppola

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The paper deals with the effectiveness of an innovative phosphonate-based superplasticizer (PNH for ready mixed concrete. Concrete specimens were manufactured by considering a constant initial workability, equal to 220 mm slump at the end of the mixing procedure. Workability was measured at 0, 30, and 60 min to evaluate the workability retention performances of the innovative superplasticizer. Compressive tests at 1, 7, and 28 days were carried out to evaluate the influence of the phosphonate-based superplasticizer on concrete setting and hardening. The concrete mixes were designed by considering 13 different cements to assess the superplasticizer-cement compatibility. The PNH-based admixture showed a better performance in terms of water reduction and workability retention with respect to napthalenesulphonate based admixtures (NSF; however, a higher dosage of PNH with respect to polycarboxylate ethers (PCEs was needed to get the same initial fluidity.

  5. Simultaneous removal of Ni(II), As(III), and Sb(III) from spiked mine effluent with metakaolin and blast-furnace-slag geopolymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luukkonen, Tero; Runtti, Hanna; Niskanen, Mikko; Tolonen, Emma-Tuulia; Sarkkinen, Minna; Kemppainen, Kimmo; Rämö, Jaakko; Lassi, Ulla

    2016-01-15

    The mining industry is a major contributor of various toxic metals and metalloids to the aquatic environment. Efficient and economical water treatment methods are therefore of paramount importance. The application of natural or low-cost sorbents has attracted a great deal of interest due to the simplicity of its process and its potential effectiveness. Geopolymers represent an emerging group of sorbents. In this study, blast-furnace-slag and metakaolin geopolymers and their raw materials were tested for simultaneous removal of Ni(II), As(III) and Sb(III) from spiked mine effluent. Blast-furnace-slag geopolymer proved to be the most efficient of the studied materials: the experimental maximum sorption capacities for Ni, As and, Sb were 3.74 mg/g, 0.52 mg/g, and 0.34 mg/g, respectively. Although the capacities were relatively low due to the difficult water matrix, 90-100% removal of Ni, As, and Sb was achieved when the dose of sorbent was increased appropriately. Removal kinetics fitted well with the pseudo-second-order model. Our results indicate that geopolymer technology could offer a simple and effective way to turn blast-furnace slag to an effective sorbent with a specific utilization prospect in the mining industry. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Geopolymer Nanoceramic Mortar Liner System for Corrosion Protection and Rehabilitation of Stormwater Piping: Final Report on Project F14 AR05

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-07-01

    wrapping with plastic and burlap or immersed in water. If a sample is immersed, it should be taken out of the water one day prior to testing (samples...implementation to ultimately recommend use of geopolymer liners for DoD stormwater and wastewater infrastructure. A new Unified Facilities Guide...reference request was created for UFGS 33 40 00 Storm Drainage Utilities. Caution is advised, however, for using a geopolymer liner in extremely acidic

  7. EFFECTS OF BLAST-FURNACE SLAG ON NATURAL POZZOLAN-BASED GEOPOLYMER CEMENT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MAHSHAD YAZDANIPOUR

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available A number of geopolymer cement mixes were designed and produced by alkali-activation of a pumice-type natural pozzolan. Effects of blast-furnace slag on basic engineering properties of the mixes were studied. Different engineering properties of the mixes such as setting times and 28-day compressive strength were studied at different amounts of blast-furnace slag, sodium oxide content, and water-to-cement ratio. The mix comprising of 5 wt.% blast-furnace slag and 8 wt.% Na2O with a water-to-dry binder ratio of 0.30 exhibits the highest 28-day compressive strength, i.e. 36 MPa. Mixes containing 5 wt.% of ground granulated blast furnace slag showed the least efflorescence or best soundness. Laboratory techniques of X-ray diffractometry (XRD, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM were utilized for characterizing a number of mixes and studying their molecular and micro-structure. Investigations done by scanning electron microscopy confirm that smaller blast-furnace slag particles react totally while the larger ones react partially with alkaline activators and contribute to the formation of a composite microstructure.

  8. Microstructural analysis of geopolymer developed from wood fly ash, post-mortem doloma refractory and metakaolin; Analise microestrutural de geopolimero desenvolvido a partir de cinza de olaria, tijolo refratario dolomitico post-mortem e metacaulim

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moura, Jailes de Santana; Mafra, Marcio Paulo de Araujo; Rabelo, Adriano Alves; Fagury, Renata Lilian Ribeiro Portugal; Fagury Neto, Elias, E-mail: jailesmoura@hotmail.com, E-mail: fagury@unifesspa.edu.br [Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Para (UNIFESSPA), PA (Brazil). Faculdade de Engenharia de Materiais

    2016-07-01

    Geopolymers are one of the widely discussed topics of materials science in recent times due to its vast potential as an alternative binder material to cement. This work aimed to evaluate the microstructure of geopolymers developed from wood fly ash, post-mortem doloma refractory and metakaolin. A preliminary study has been completed and achieved significant results compressive strength: the best formulation of geopolymer paste obtained approximately 25 MPa. Microstructural analysis by scanning electron microscopy, the geopolymer paste, allowed to verify the homogeneity, distribution of components, and providing evidence of raw materials that do not respond if there was crystalline phase, porosity and density of the structure. (author)

  9. Influence of formulation parameters on the texturing and and the structural evolution of geo-polymers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Steins, Prune

    2014-01-01

    In the context of conditioning of nuclear waste, geo-polymers represent a potential alternative to conventional hydraulic binders. Currently, it is recognized that the formation of geo-polymer proceeds according to a mechanism of dissolution - restructuring - polymerization resulting in a solid material. Despite the availability of many studies to understand these mechanisms, the precise relationship between the chemical nature of the activating solution, the geo-polymerization process and the final microstructure should be determined from the point of view of the texturing and the structural evolution of the material. In this work, several parameters were studied: the nature of the alkali activator, the silica concentration and the addition of an aluminum source. It appears that the chemical environment of the silicate or aluminosilicate precursors is controlled by the activating solution composition. During the consolidation of the geo-polymer network, these precursors play an important role on the dissolution rate of meta kaolin, the size, the rearrangement and the aggregation of aluminosilicate oligomers involved in the porous solid network formation. Subsequently, some characteristics of the porous network which are controlled by the size and the rearrangement of oligomers vary slightly over time. The refinement of the porosity associated to first, a densification of the solid network, and secondly, a partial closure of the porosity at the nanometer scale leads to an increase in the pore size and a decrease of the pore volume. (author) [fr

  10. CONCRETE BASED ON MODIFIED DISPERSE CEMENT SYSTEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. V. Rudenko

    2016-08-01

    and chemical processes of hydration of clinker minerals allowed developing technological bases for special-purpose concrete.

  11. Influence of water on stability of geopolymers investigated by NMR solid state spectroscopy

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kobera, Libor; Brus, Jiří; Urbanová, Martina; Slavík, R.

    2008-01-01

    Roč. 33, - (2008), s. 86 ISSN 1896-2203. [Mid-European Clay Conference MECC 08 /4./. 22.09.2008-27.09.2008, Zakopane] R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA400500602 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40500505 Keywords : stability * NMR * solid state spectroscopy * geopolymer Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry

  12. Investigation of Concrete Electrical Resistivity As a Performance Based Test

    OpenAIRE

    Malakooti, Amir

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this research project was to identify the extent that concrete resistivity measurements (bulk and/or surface) can be used as a performance based lab test to improve the quality of concrete in Utah bridge decks. By allowing UDOT to specify a required resistivity, concrete bridge deck quality will increase and future maintenance costs will decrease. This research consisted of two phases: the field phase and the lab phase. In the field phase, concrete samples were gathered from...

  13. Concrete

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2015-01-01

    Concrete is a component of coherent transition between a concrete base and a wooden construction. The structure is based on a quantity of investigations of the design possibilities that arise when combining digital fabrication tools and material capacities. Through tangible experiments the project...... specific for this to happen. And the knowledge and intention behind the drawing becomes specialised through the understanding of the fabrication processes and their affect on the materials.The structure Concrete is a result of a multi-angled kerf series in ash wood and a concrete base. The ash wood is cut...... using a 5-axis CNC router with a thin saw blade attached. The programming of the machining results in variations of kerfs that lets the ash wood twist into unique shapes.The shapes of the revolving ash ribbons continue into the concrete creating a cohesive shape. The form for the concrete itself is made...

  14. Characteristics of alkali activated material (geopolymer) in sulfuric acid solution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simatupang, Partogi H.

    2017-09-01

    Alkali Activated Material (AAM) or Geopolymer is a solid material which made by mixing rich silica alumina material with alkaline activator. AAM is a well known candidate to replace cement based material. Many researches have claimed that AAM has better durability compared to cement based material in agressive environment. However, there was rare paper presented the direct comparison of material characteristics between Class F fly ash based AAM and Class C fly ash based AAM in such aggresive environment. Because of that, this paper present material characteristics of Class F fly ash based AAM and Class C fly ash based AAM if the materials were immersed in 10% sulfuric acid solution for 65 days. Material characteristics evaluated were (1) weight loss, (2) mineral of the material which evaluated by XRD (X-Ray Diffraction), (3) morphology and oxide compounds of material which evaluated by SEM/EDXA (Scanning Electron Microscopic/Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analyzer) and (4) compound bond which evaluated by FTIR (Fourier Transform Infra Red) Spectroscopy Testing. Alkali Activated Material used were Class F fly ash based AAM Mortar and Class C fly ash based AAM Mortar. The result is a quite difference of material characteristics between Class F fly ash based AAM and Class C fly ash based AAM.

  15. Red-clay ceramic powders as geopolymer precursors: Consideration of amorphous portion and CaO content

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Keppert, M.; Vejmelková, E.; Bezdička, Petr; Doleželová, M.; Čáchová, M.; Scheinherrová, L.; Pokorný, J.; Vyšvařil, M.; Rovnaníková, P.; Černý, R.

    2018-01-01

    Roč. 161, SEP (2018), s. 82-89 ISSN 0169-1317 Institutional support: RVO:61388980 Keywords : Amorphous content * Calcium oxide * Composition * Geopolymers * Red-clay ceramics Subject RIV: CA - Inorganic Chemistry OBOR OECD: Inorganic and nuclear chemistry Impact factor: 3.101, year: 2016

  16. Comparative study of illite clay and illite-based geopolymer products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sperberga, I; Sedmale, G; Zeila, K; Ulme, D; Stinkulis, G

    2011-01-01

    Quaternary (Q-clay) clayey deposits are one of the dominating parts of mineral raw materials of the sedimentary cover at present area of Latvia. These clays can be characterised by illite content up to 75-80 %. Two ways for use of illite clays were studied: conventional and geopolymers method. Purpose of the second mentioned method was showing the influence of alkali (KOH) on the transformation of Q-clay/illite structure. Obtained products were investigated by IR-spectroscopy, DTA and XRD, pore size distribution was determined as well. Some ceramic properties and compressive strength were determined and compared. IR-spectrum showed the effect of alkali on the transformation of Q-clay/illite structure in three main absorption bands: 3620-3415 cm -1 which is related to the vibrational modes of adsorbed water between SiO 4 and AlO 6 layers; new stronger absorption bands at 1635 cm -1 and 1435 cm -1 indicate on the appearance of vibrations in Q-KOH and are related to the K-O-Si bonds; the most essential changes are vibrations at 850 cm -1 showing the changes in the coordination number of Al from 6 to 4 for Q-KOH. Investigations of the bulk density in dependence on temperature showed the small increase of bulk density for Q-clay while - the relatively remarkable decrease for Q-clay/KOH. Mentioned values correlate with the compressive strength of Q-clay and Q-KOH products.

  17. Investigation into Suitability of Geopolymers (Illite & Metakaolin) for the Space Environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-09-13

    TML Total mass loss ULE Ultra low expansion (glass) UV Ultraviolet VOC Volatile organic compound VUV Vacuum ultraviolet XPS X-ray photoelectron...hour time period at 125 deg C and less than 5 x 10 -5 torr. CVCM is the amount of volatiles that will condense on a collector plate controlled to...complex shapes (such as parabolic solids) can be made by pouring the uncured material over a mold. Additionally, geopolymers have an adhesive quality

  18. On The Physico-Mechanics, Thermal and Microstructure Properties of Hybrid Composite Epoxy-Geopolymer for Geothermal Pipe Application

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Firawati Ira

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study is to determine the effect of epoxy resin on the physico-mechanics, thermal and microstructure properties of geopolymers hybrid composites for geothermal pipe application. Hybrid composite epoxy-geopolymers pipes were produced through alkali activation method of class-C fly ash and epoxy resin. The mass of epoxy-resin was varied relative to the mass of fly ash namely 0% (SPG01, 5% (SPG02, 10% (SPG03, 15% (SPG04, and 20% (SPG05. The resulting materials were stored in open air for 28 days before conducting any measurements. The densities of the product composites were measured before and after the samples immersed in boiling water for 3 hours. The mechanical strength of the resulting geothermal pipes was measured by using splitting tensile measurement. The thermal properties of the pipes were measured by means of thermal conductivity measurement, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC and fire resistance measurements. The chemical resistance was measured by immersing the samples into 1M H2SO4 solution for 4 days. The microstructure properties of the resulting materials were examined by using x-ray diffraction (XRD and Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS. The results of this study showed that hybrid composite epoxy-geopolymers SPG02 and SPG03 are suitable to be applied as geothermal pipes.

  19. Performance based design of reinforced concrete beams under impact

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Tachibana

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this research is to collect fundamental data and to establish a performance-based design method for reinforced concrete beams under perpendicular impact load.

    Series of low speed impact experiments using reinforced concrete beams were performed varying span length, cross section and main reinforcement.

    The experimental results are evaluated focusing on the impact load characteristics and the impact behaviours of reinforced concrete beams. Various characteristic values and their relationships are investigated such as the collision energy, the impact force duration, the energy absorbed by the beams and the beam response values. Also the bending performance of the reinforced concrete beams against perpendicular impact is evaluated.

    An equation is proposed to estimate the maximum displacement of the beam based on the collision energy and the static ultimate bending strength. The validity of the proposed equation is confirmed by comparison with experimental results obtained by other researchers as well as numerical results obtained by FEM simulations. The proposed equation allows for a performance based design of the structure accounting for the actual deformation due to the expected impact action.

  20. Radioactivity in houses built of aerated concrete based on alum shale

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Swedjemark, G.A.

    1980-01-01

    The highest activities in commonly used Swedish building materials are found in aerated concrete based on alum shale. The enhanced activity level is due to the high content of radium-226. The average activity concentration of radium-226 varies between different producers of aerated concrete based on alum shale from 700 Bq kg - (20 pCi g - ) to 2 400 Bq kg - (65 pCi g - ). Houses built in the same way with the same amounts of aerated concrete can therefore have very different gamma levels and very different concentrations of radon in the air with the same air exchange rate. Aerated concrete based on alum shale was used as a building material in Sweden from 1930 to 1975. The average concentration of radon daughters found in houses built of aerated concrete based to a major extent on alum shale is about 100 bq/m 3 (2.7 pCi 1 - ). The highest radon concentrations have been found in houses built entirely of aerated concrete based on alum shale. A group of 9 houses with natural draught ventilation systems has been investigated with regard to the concentration of radon, the equilibrium equivalent concentration of radon (EEC) and the gamma dose rate. The air exchange rates varied between the houses from 0.21 to 0.43 h - and the radon concentration from 540 Bq m - (15 pCi 1 - ) to 1 160 Bq m - (31 pCi 1 - ). The values given are averages for each house. (author)

  1. Micostructural and mechanical properties of geopolymers synthesised from three coal fly ashes from South Africa

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Dludlu, MK

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In this study, coal fly ashes (CFAs) from three different boiler sites in South Africa, Eskom (E coal fly ash), George Mukhari Academic Hospital (GMH coal fly ash), and KarboChem (KBC coal fly ash), were used to produce geopolymers. The coal fly...

  2. The characterization of the Ca–K geopolymer/solidified fluid fly-ash interlayer

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Perná, Ivana; Šupová, Monika; Hanzlíček, Tomáš

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 61, č. 1 (2017), s. 26-33 ISSN 0862-5468 Institutional support: RVO:67985891 Keywords : fluid fly ash * blast-furnace slag * geopolymer * interlayer * recycling Subject RIV: DM - Solid Waste and Recycling OBOR OECD: Composites (including laminates, reinforced plastics, cermets, combined natural and synthetic fibre fabrics Impact factor: 0.439, year: 2016 https://www.irsm.cas.cz/materialy/cs_content/2016_doi/Perna_CS_2016_0056.pdf

  3. Reinforcement of the concrete base slab of the ATLAS cavern

    CERN Multimedia

    Maximilien Brice

    2002-01-01

    Photo 02: UX15 cavern, preparation for concreting of base slab first lift. Photo 05: UX15 cavern, placing of reinforcement for base slab first lift. Photo 07: UX15 cavern, preparation for concreting of base slab first lift. Photo 09: UX15 cavern, placing of reinforcement for base slab first lift. Photo 10: UX15 cavern, view into PX14 shaft above. Photo 12: UX15 cavern, temporary access platform of RB16 tunnel. Photo 15: UJ17 chamber, invert excavation.

  4. Aqueous dissolution of sodium aluminosilicate geopolymers derived from metakaolin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aly, Z., E-mail: zaynab.aly@ansto.gov.au [Institute of Materials Engineering, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Locked Bag 2001, Kirrawee DC, NSW 2232 (Australia); Vance, E.R. [Institute of Materials Engineering, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Locked Bag 2001, Kirrawee DC, NSW 2232 (Australia); Perera, D.S. [School of Materials Science, University of NSW, Kensington, NSW 2052 (Australia)

    2012-05-15

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer In dilute solutions, Na, Al and Si releases were not sensitive to pH in range 4-10. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer On heating from 18 to 90 Degree-Sign C in DIW, Na dissolution rate increased by a factor of {approx}4. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Elemental extractions in DIW at 18 Degree-Sign C increased linearly with time over 1-7 days. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Na release kinetics in DIW followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Contact with KCl, KHCO{sub 3} and phthalate buffers (pH6 and 10) resulted in Na{sup +} {r_reversible} K{sup +} exchange. - Abstract: In dilute aqueous solutions, the elemental releases of Na, Al and Si from a metakaolin-based sodium aluminosilicate geopolymer were not very sensitive to pH in the range of 4-10 but increased outside this range, particularly on the acidic side. To minimise pH drifts, experiments were carried out using small amounts of graded powders in relatively large volumes of water. In deionised water, the Na dissolution rate in 7 days was dominant and increased by at least a factor of {approx}4 on heating from 18 to 90 Degree-Sign C, with greater increases in the extractions of Al and Si. At 18 Degree-Sign C the elemental extractions in deionised water increased approximately linearly with time over the 1-7 days period. Further exposure led to a slower extraction into solution for Na and Si, with a decrease in extraction of Al. It was deduced that framework dissolution was important in significantly acidic or alkaline solutions, but that contributions from water transfer from pores to elemental extractions were present, even at low temperatures in neutral solutions. It was also deduced from the Na release data that the Na leaching kinetics of geopolymer in deionised water (dilute solutions) followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the pseudo-second-order rate constant evaluated. Contact with KCl, KHCO{sub 3}, and pH {approx}6 and 10

  5. Usage of Crushed Concrete Fines in Decorative Concrete

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pilipenko, Anton; Bazhenova, Sofia

    2017-10-01

    The article is devoted to the questions of usage of crushed concrete fines from concrete scrap for the production of high-quality decorative composite materials based on mixed binder. The main problem in the application of crushed concrete in the manufacture of decorative concrete products is extremely low decorative properties of crushed concrete fines itself, as well as concrete products based on them. However, crushed concrete fines could have a positive impact on the structure of the concrete matrix and could improve the environmental and economic characteristics of the concrete products. Dust fraction of crushed concrete fines contains non-hydrated cement grains, which can be opened in screening process due to the low strength of the contact zone between the hydrated and non-hydrated cement. In addition, the screening process could increase activity of the crushed concrete fines, so it can be used as a fine aggregate and filler for concrete mixes. Previous studies have shown that the effect of the usage of the crushed concrete fines is small and does not allow to obtain concrete products with high strength. However, it is possible to improve the efficiency of the crushed concrete fines as a filler due to the complex of measures prior to mixing. Such measures may include a preliminary mechanochemical activation of the binder (cement binder, iron oxide pigment, silica fume and crushed concrete fines), as well as the usage of polycarboxylate superplasticizers. The development of specific surface area of activated crushed concrete fines ensures strong adhesion between grains of binder and filler during the formation of cement stone matrix. The particle size distribution of the crushed concrete fines could achieve the densest structure of cement stone matrix and improve its resistance to environmental effects. The authors examined the mechanisms of structure of concrete products with crushed concrete fines as a filler. The results of studies of the properties of

  6. Modelling of autogenous shrinkage of concrete based on paste measurements

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schlangen, E.; Leegwater, G.; Koenders, E.A.B.

    2006-01-01

    In order to be able to improve concrete modelling based on its constituent, more knowledge is needed about the material behaviour of these constituents. In this research the focus is on the behaviour of hardening concrete, therefore the properties of hardening cement are of most relevance.

  7. Characterization of natural pozzolan-based geopolymeric binders

    KAUST Repository

    Moon, Juhyuk

    2014-10-01

    Properties and characteristics of fly ash- or slag-based geopolymers have been extensively explored but comparatively less information is available for natural pozzolan-based geopolymers. The present work focuses on microstructural characteristics of natural pozzolan-based geopolymers activated by sodium hydroxide and a mixture of sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate. Synchrotron XRD and SEM-EDS studies combined with compressive strength tests successfully demonstrate the feasibility of the use of natural pozzolan for sustainable construction material. It is concluded that the geopolymers have sufficient strength as structural materials and matrices contain C-S-H like crystal as well as zeolites of hydroxysodalite and zeolite Y. Two zeolites of hydroxysodalite and zeolite Y are found as the main activation products in sodium hydroxide activation. Substitution with sodium silicate solution yields higher compressive strength and a denser microstructure with dominant activation products of C-S-H like crystal, zeolite Y, and phillipsite. It has been proposed that the crystal size of the activation products ranges from 10 nm to 1 μm. Different microstructural characteristics found herein provide a valuable information to develop natural pozzolan-based sustainable structural materials with improved properties. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Evaluating performance-based test and specifications for sulfate resistance in concrete

    Science.gov (United States)

    2000-12-01

    This research project involved an experimental evaluation of the sulfate resistance of various concretes and mortars for the purpose of establishing performance-based specifications for the durability of concrete against sulfate attack. The research ...

  9. Studies on recycled aggregates-based concrete.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rakshvir, Major; Barai, Sudhirkumar V

    2006-06-01

    Reduced extraction of raw materials, reduced transportation cost, improved profits, reduced environmental impact and fast-depleting reserves of conventional natural aggregates has necessitated the use of recycling, in order to be able to conserve conventional natural aggregate. In this study various physical and mechanical properties of recycled concrete aggregates were examined. Recycled concrete aggregates are different from natural aggregates and concrete made from them has specific properties. The percentages of recycled concrete aggregates were varied and it was observed that properties such as compressive strength showed a decrease of up to 10% as the percentage of recycled concrete aggregates increased. Water absorption of recycled aggregates was found to be greater than natural aggregates, and this needs to be compensated during mix design.

  10. Long-term heat storage in calcium sulfoaluminate cement (CSA) based concrete

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaufmann, Josef P.; Winnefeld, Frank [Empa Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Duebendorf (Switzerland). Lab. for Concrete and Construction Chemistry

    2011-07-01

    In general, the selection of materials proposed for solar heat storage is based on one of two principal processes: sensible heat storage or latent heat storage. Sensible heat storage utilizes the specific heat capacity of a material, while latent heat storage is based on the change in enthalpy (heat content) associated with a phase change of the material. Long time sensible heat storage requires excellent thermal insulation whereas latent heat storage allows permanent (seasonal) storage without significant energy losses and any special insulation. Ettringite, one of the cement hydration products, exhibits a high dehydration enthalpy. Calcium sulfoaluminate cement based concrete containing a high amount of ettringite is henceproposed as an efficient latent heat storage material. Compared to conventional heat storage materials this innovative concrete mixture has a high loss-free storage energy density (> 100-150 kWh/m{sup 3}) which is much higher than the one of paraffin or the (loss-sensitive) sensible heat of water. Like common concrete the CSA-concrete is stable and even may carry loads. The dehydration of the CSA-concrete is achieved at temperatures below 100 C. The rehydration process occurs as soon as water (liquid or vapor) is added. In contrast to paraffin, the phase change temperature is not fixed and the latent heat may be recovered at any desired temperature. Furthermore the heat conductivity of this material is high, so that the energy transfer from/to an exchange medium is easy. Additionally CSA-concrete is not flammable and absolutely safe regarding any health aspects. The cost of such CSA-concrete isin the order of normal concrete. The main application is seen in house heating systems. Solar heat, mostly generated during the summer period by means of roof collectors, can be stored in CSA-concrete until the winter. A part or even the whole annual heatingenergy may be produced and saved locally by the householder himself. Additional applications may be

  11. Constitutive equations for cracked reinforced concrete based on a refined model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Geistefeldt, H.

    1977-01-01

    Nonlinear numerical methods to calculate structures of reinforced concrete or of prestressed concrete are mostly based on two idealizing assumptions: tension stiffness perpendicular to cracks is equal to the stiffness of reinforcement alone and shear modulus is taken as constant. In real reinforced concrete structures concrete contributes to the tension-stiffness perpendicular to cracks and thus to the global stiffness matrix because of bond action between concrete and reinforcement and shear transfer in cracks is depending on stresses acting in cracks. Only few authors are taking these aspects into account and only with rough semiempirical assumptions. In this paper a refined nonlinear three-dimensional mechanical model for reinforced concrete is presented which can include these effects, hitherto neglected, depending on the given state of stress. The model is composed of three model-elements: component u - uncracked reinforced concrete with perfect bond (stiffness equal to the sum of the stiffnesses of concrete and reinforcement), component r - reinforcement free in surrounding concrete (reinforcement and concrete are having equal normal strains in noncracked directions and equal shear strains), component c - crack-part (shear stiffnesses in cracks is equal to the sum of shear stiffnesses of the reinforcement mesh, interface shear transfer and dowel action in cracks). (Auth.)

  12. Very early age concrete hydration characterization monitoring using piezoceramic based smart aggregates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kong, Qingzhao; Song, Gangbing; Hou, Shuang; Ji, Qing; Mo, Y L

    2013-01-01

    Very early age (0–20 h) concrete hydration is a complicated chemical reaction. During the very early age period, the concrete condition dramatically changes from liquid state to solid state. This paper presents the authors’ recent research on monitoring very early age concrete hydration characterization by using piezoceramic based smart aggregates. The smart aggregate (SA) transducer is designed as a sandwich structure using two marble blocks and a pre-soldered lead zirconate titanate (PZT) patch. Based on the electromechanical property of piezo materials, the PZT patches function as both actuators and sensors. In addition, the marble blocks provide reliable protection to the fragile PZT patch and develop the SA into a robust embedded actuator or sensor in the structure. The active-sensing approach, which involved a pair of smart aggregates with one as an actuator and the other one as a sensor, was applied in this paper’s experimental investigation of concrete hydration characterization monitoring. In order to completely understand the hydration condition of the inhomogeneous, over-cluttering, high-scattering characteristics of concrete (specifically of very early concrete), a swept sine wave and several constant frequency sine waves were chosen and produced by a function generator to excite the embedded actuating smart aggregate. The PZT vibration induced ultrasonic wave propagated through the concrete and was sent to the other smart aggregate sensor. The electrical signal transferred from the smart aggregate sensor was recorded during the test. As the concrete hydration reaction was occurring, the characteristic of the electrical signal continuously changed. This paper describes the successful investigation of the three states (the fluid state, the transition state, and the hardened state) of very early age concrete hydration based on classification of the received electrical signal. Specifically, the amplitude and frequency response of the electrical

  13. Optimization of NaOH Molarity, LUSI Mud/Alkaline Activator, and Na2SiO3/NaOH Ratio to Produce Lightweight Aggregate-Based Geopolymer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafiza Abdul Razak

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the mechanical function and characterization of an artificial lightweight geopolymer aggregate (ALGA using LUSI (Sidoarjo mud and alkaline activator as source materials. LUSI stands for LU-Lumpur and SI-Sidoarjo, meaning mud from Sidoarjo which erupted near the Banjarpanji-1 exploration well in Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia on 27 May 2006. The effect of NaOH molarity, LUSI mud/Alkaline activator (LM/AA ratio, and Na2SiO3/NaOH ratio to the ALGA are investigated at a sintering temperature of 950 °C. The results show that the optimum NaOH molarity found in this study is 12 M due to the highest strength (lowest AIV value of 15.79% with lower water absorption and specific gravity. The optimum LUSI mud/Alkaline activator (LM/AA ratio of 1.7 and the Na2SiO3/NaOH ratio of 0.4 gives the highest strength with AIV value of 15.42% with specific gravity of 1.10 g/cm3 and water absorption of 4.7%. The major synthesized crystalline phases were identified as sodalite, quartz and albite. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM image showed more complete geopolymer matrix which contributes to highest strength of ALGA produced.

  14. Optimization of NaOH Molarity, LUSI Mud/Alkaline Activator, and Na2SiO3/NaOH Ratio to Produce Lightweight Aggregate-Based Geopolymer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdul Razak, Rafiza; Abdullah, Mohd Mustafa Al Bakri; Hussin, Kamarudin; Ismail, Khairul Nizar; Hardjito, Djwantoro; Yahya, Zarina

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents the mechanical function and characterization of an artificial lightweight geopolymer aggregate (ALGA) using LUSI (Sidoarjo mud) and alkaline activator as source materials. LUSI stands for LU-Lumpur and SI-Sidoarjo, meaning mud from Sidoarjo which erupted near the Banjarpanji-1 exploration well in Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia on 27 May 2006. The effect of NaOH molarity, LUSI mud/Alkaline activator (LM/AA) ratio, and Na2SiO3/NaOH ratio to the ALGA are investigated at a sintering temperature of 950 °C. The results show that the optimum NaOH molarity found in this study is 12 M due to the highest strength (lowest AIV value) of 15.79% with lower water absorption and specific gravity. The optimum LUSI mud/Alkaline activator (LM/AA) ratio of 1.7 and the Na2SiO3/NaOH ratio of 0.4 gives the highest strength with AIV value of 15.42% with specific gravity of 1.10 g/cm3 and water absorption of 4.7%. The major synthesized crystalline phases were identified as sodalite, quartz and albite. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) image showed more complete geopolymer matrix which contributes to highest strength of ALGA produced. PMID:26006238

  15. In situ monitoring of the hydration process of K-PS geopolymer cement with ESEM

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Wei; Zhang Yunsheng; Lin Wei; Liu Zhiyong

    2004-01-01

    Environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) was used to in situ quantitatively study the hydration process of K-PS geopolymer cement under an 80% RH environment. An energy dispersion X-ray analysis (EDXA) was also employed to distinguish the chemical composition of hydration product. The ESEM micrographs showed that metakaolin particles pack loosely at 10 min after mixing, resulting in the existence of many large voids. As hydration proceeds, a lot of gels were seen and gradually precipitated on the surfaces of these particles. At later stage, these particles were wrapped by thick gel layers and their interspaces were almost completely filled. The corresponding EDXA results illustrated that the molar ratios of K/Al increase while Si/Al decrease with the development of hydration. As a result, the molar ratios of K/Al and Si/Al of hydration products at an age of 4 h amounted to 0.99 and 1.49, respectively, which were close to the theoretical values (K/Al=1.0, Si/Al=1.0 for K-PS geopolymer cement paste). In addition, well-developed crystals could not been found at any ages; instead, spongelike amorphous gels were always been observed

  16. Stress-based topology optimization of concrete structures with prestressing reinforcements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Yangjun; Wang, Michael Yu; Deng, Zichen

    2013-11-01

    Following the extended two-material density penalization scheme, a stress-based topology optimization method for the layout design of prestressed concrete structures is proposed. The Drucker-Prager yield criterion is used to predict the asymmetrical strength failure of concrete. The prestress is considered by making a reasonable assumption on the prestressing orientation in each element and adding an additional load vector to the structural equilibrium function. The proposed optimization model is thus formulated as to minimize the reinforcement material volume under Drucker-Prager yield constraints on elemental concrete local stresses. In order to give a reasonable definition of concrete local stress and prevent the stress singularity phenomenon, the local stress interpolation function and the ɛ -relaxation technique are adopted. The topology optimization problem is solved using the method of moving asymptotes combined with an active set strategy. Numerical examples are given to show the efficiency of the proposed optimization method in the layout design of prestressed concrete structures.

  17. Physical-chemistry of Nawangan’s phyropyllite and its prospective as environmental friendly geopolymer materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mutrofin, S.; Setyaningsih, T.; Wati, F. N.; Purwonugroho, D.

    2018-01-01

    The chemical composition and thermal behaviour of Nawangan-phyropyllite have been studied using XRF, powder XRD and FTIR. The fourier transfornation infrared was applied to analyze the phyropyllite after treating by calcinating at variuos temperature. Initial investigation has also been carried out by adding sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide to study the possiblity of phyropyllite as geopolymer materials. The phyropyllite contains Si(57.7% ), Al(16,7%), K (20.6%), Fe (2.47%) Ti (2.33%) and Cu (0.088%). Based on the XRD difractogram, peaks at 2 theta (9°, 20°, 21°, 26°, 34°, 36° and 39°) were characteristic for phyropyllite. While, infrared study showed that at 3630 cm-1, 756 cm-1 and 938 cm-1 are responsible for phyropyllite’s peaks. The hydroxyl bonded to alumina still existed under heating up to 400 °C and disappered at 600 °C. It indicted that covalent bond of Al-OH was broken. By heating at 600 °C, the peak at 1021 cm-1 splitted into two peaks, 990 cm-1 and 1049 cm-1. It may be due to the displacive transition. By adding NaOH 10 M, the peak intensity of Al-OH (3630 cm-1) reduced to 17% but the peak intensity of Al=O (1661 cm-1) incresed to 14% and the new peak (5%) emerged at 1387 cm-1(O-Al-O). The most reactive phyropyllite was obatained by adding KOH 5 M. The present of reactive functional groups (Al=O, O-Al-O and Al-OH) indicates that the local phyropyllite has a good change as geopolymer materials.

  18. Adding Concrete Syntax to a Prolog-Based Program Synthesis System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, Bernd; Visser, Eelco

    2003-01-01

    Program generation and transformation systems manipulate large, pa- rameterized object language fragments. Support for user-definable concrete syntax makes this easier but is typically restricted to certain object and meta languages. We show how Prolog can be retrofitted with concrete syntax and describe how a seamless interaction of concrete syntax fragments with an existing legacy meta-programming system based on abstract syntax is achieved. We apply the approach to gradually migrate the schemas of the AUTOBAYES program synthesis system to concrete syntax. Fit experiences show that this can result in a considerable reduction of the code size and an improved readability of the code. In particular, abstracting out fresh-variable generation and second-order term construction allows the formulation of larger continuous fragments and improves the locality in the schemas.

  19. Recycling of Clay Sediments for Geopolymer Binder Production. A New Perspective for Reservoir Management in the Framework of Italian Legislation: The Occhito Reservoir Case Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molino, Bruno; De Vincenzo, Annamaria; Ferone, Claudio; Messina, Francesco; Colangelo, Francesco; Cioffi, Raffaele

    2014-07-31

    Reservoir silting is an unavoidable issue. It is estimated that in Italy, the potential rate of silting-up in large reservoirs ranges from 0.1% to 1% in the presence of wooded river basins and intensive agricultural land use, respectively. In medium and small-sized reservoirs, these values vary between 0.3% and 2%. Considering both the types of reservoirs, the annual average loss of storage capacity would be of about 1.59%. In this paper, a management strategy aimed at sediment productive reuse is presented. Particularly, the main engineering outcomes of an extensive experimental program on geopolymer binder synthesis is reported. The case study deals with Occhito reservoir, located in Southern Italy. Clay sediments coming from this silted-up artificial lake were characterized, calcined and activated, by means of a wide set of alkaline activating solutions. The results showed the feasibility of this recovery process, optimizing a few chemical parameters. The possible reuse in building material production (binders, precast concrete, bricks, etc. ) represents a relevant sustainable alternative to landfill and other more consolidated practices.

  20. Recycling of Clay Sediments for Geopolymer Binder Production. A New Perspective for Reservoir Management in the Framework of Italian Legislation: The Occhito Reservoir Case Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bruno Molino

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Reservoir silting is an unavoidable issue. It is estimated that in Italy, the potential rate of silting-up in large reservoirs ranges from 0.1% to 1% in the presence of wooded river basins and intensive agricultural land use, respectively. In medium and small-sized reservoirs, these values vary between 0.3% and 2%. Considering both the types of reservoirs, the annual average loss of storage capacity would be of about 1.59%. In this paper, a management strategy aimed at sediment productive reuse is presented. Particularly, the main engineering outcomes of an extensive experimental program on geopolymer binder synthesis is reported. The case study deals with Occhito reservoir, located in Southern Italy. Clay sediments coming from this silted-up artificial lake were characterized, calcined and activated, by means of a wide set of alkaline activating solutions. The results showed the feasibility of this recovery process, optimizing a few chemical parameters. The possible reuse in building material production (binders, precast concrete, bricks, etc. represents a relevant sustainable alternative to landfill and other more consolidated practices.

  1. Determination of the bulk modulus of hydroxycancrinite, a possible zeolitic precursor in geopolymers, by high-pressure synchrotron X-ray diffraction

    KAUST Repository

    Oh, Jae Eun

    2011-11-01

    Crystalline zeolitic materials, such as hydroxycancrinite, hydroxysodalite, herschelite and nepheline, are often synthesized from geopolymerization using fly-ash and solutions of NaOH at high temperatures. Comprised mainly of 6-membered aluminosilicate rings that act as basic building units, their crystal structures may provide insight into the reaction products formed in NaOH-activated fly ash-based geopolymers. Recent research indicates that the hydroxycancrinite and hydroxysodalite may play an important role as possible analogues of zeolitic precursor in geopolymers. Herein is reported a high pressure synchrotron study of the behavior of hydroxycancrinite exposed to pressures up to 6.1 GPa in order to obtain its bulk modulus. A refined equation of state for hydroxycancrinite yielded a bulk modulus of Ko = 46 ± 5 GPa (assuming Ko′ = 4.0) for a broad range of applied pressure. When low pressure values are excluded from the fit and only the range of 2.5 and 6.1 GPa is considered, the bulk modulus of hydroxycancrinite was found to be Ko = 46.9 ± 0.9 GPa (Ko′ = 4.0 ± 0.4, calculated). Comparison with the literature shows that all zeolitic materials possessing single 6-membered rings (i.e., hydroxycancrinite, sodalite and nepheline) have similar bulk moduli. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Recycling of Pre-Washed Municipal Solid Waste Incinerator Fly Ash in the Manufacturing of Low Temperature Setting Geopolymer Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferone, Claudio; Colangelo, Francesco; Messina, Francesco; Santoro, Luciano; Cioffi, Raffaele

    2013-08-12

    In this work, three samples of municipal solid waste incinerators fly ash (MSWI-FA) have been stabilized in systems containing coal fly ash to create geopolymers through a polycondensation reaction. Monolithic products have been obtained with both MSWI fly ash as received and after the partial removal of chloride and sulfate by water washing. The polycondensation products have been characterized qualitatively by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy and quantitatively, through the determination of the volume of reacted water and silicate. Furthermore, the heavy metals and chloride releases together with the physico-mechanical properties have been evaluated on the hardened products. In conclusion, considering the technological and environmental performances of the obtained geopolymers, they could be suitable for many non-structural applications, such as backfilling of abandoned quarries, decorative materials or brick fireplaces, hearths, patios, etc.

  3. Study of technological features of tubular compressed concrete members in concreting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Voskobiinyk Olena

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The technological features of core concreting were analyzed as the main factor in ensuring of strength and reliability of compressed concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST members. We have conducted the analysis of existing concreting methods of CFST members. In this respect, the most dangerous types of possible technological defects of concrete core of CFST members are inhomogeneity along the height, voids, caverns, and concrete “weak spots”. The authors considered the influence of such technological factors of concreting: placeability, time, concrete mixture compaction method, concreting height on the concrete core strength of CFST members. Based on the experimental studies conducted we suggested the regression correlations for determining the concrete strength of CFST members of different length depending on the movability of concrete mixture and a time for its compaction. The authors performed the correlation analysis of technological factors of concreting on the strength of the concrete core. We carried out the comparison of data on the concrete core strength of CFST members, that were determined by non-destructive methods (sclerometer test results, ultrasonic method and direct compression strength tests. We experimentally proved that using movable mixtures with the slump of about 4 – 9 cm the overall variation coefficient of concrete core strength of CFST members along the height reaches nearly 13%. Based on the experimental studies conducted we suggested the guidelines on optimal regimes of concrete compaction during manufacturing CFST members at a construction site environment.

  4. Very heavy iron-punching concretes; Betons tres lourds a base de riblons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dubois, F [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay(France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

    1966-07-01

    The present report deals with all the heavy iron-punching concretes, metallic wastes produced by the transformation industry. After a detailed description of the physical properties of metallic aggregates, a classification of heavy mortars is given, into three main categories: steel-shot grouts d = 5,3 - 6; steel-shot grouts mixed with a mineral d = 3,7 - 4,2; injection heavy grouts d = 3,5 - 4. The following chapter describes iron-punching concretes the most used in the atomic industry: iron-punching concretes mixed with cast-iron - iron-punching concretes mixed with magnetite; iron-punching concretes mixed with barite; iron-punching concretes mixed with limonite; iron-punching concretes mixed with boron. The compositions of these concretes are given together with their physical and mechanical characteristics. Numerous diagrams make it possible to find rapidly the proportions of the constituents of these concretes as a function of the required density. Technical advice and specifications are given in an appendix together with a bibliography of these heavy concretes. (author) [French] Le present rapport traite de l'ensemble des betons lourds realises a l'aide de riblons, dechets metalliques fournis par l'industrie de transformation. Apres une description detaillee des proprietes physiques des agregats metalliques, les mortiers lourds sont d'abord presentes en les classant en trois grandes categories: les mortiers a base de grenailles d 5,3 a 6; les mortiers a base de grenailles avec addition d'un mineral d 3,7 a 4,2; les mortiers lourds injectables d = 3,5 a 4. Le chapitre suivant decrit les betons a base de riblons les plus utilises, dans l'industrie atomique: les betons de riblons avec addition de fonte; les betons de riblons avec addition de magnetite; les betons de riblons avec addition de barytine; les betons de riblons avec addition de limonite; les betons de riblons avec addition de bore. Les compositions de ces betons ainsi que leurs caracteristiques

  5. Very heavy iron-punching concretes; Betons tres lourds a base de riblons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dubois, F. [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay(France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

    1966-07-01

    The present report deals with all the heavy iron-punching concretes, metallic wastes produced by the transformation industry. After a detailed description of the physical properties of metallic aggregates, a classification of heavy mortars is given, into three main categories: steel-shot grouts d = 5,3 - 6; steel-shot grouts mixed with a mineral d = 3,7 - 4,2; injection heavy grouts d = 3,5 - 4. The following chapter describes iron-punching concretes the most used in the atomic industry: iron-punching concretes mixed with cast-iron - iron-punching concretes mixed with magnetite; iron-punching concretes mixed with barite; iron-punching concretes mixed with limonite; iron-punching concretes mixed with boron. The compositions of these concretes are given together with their physical and mechanical characteristics. Numerous diagrams make it possible to find rapidly the proportions of the constituents of these concretes as a function of the required density. Technical advice and specifications are given in an appendix together with a bibliography of these heavy concretes. (author) [French] Le present rapport traite de l'ensemble des betons lourds realises a l'aide de riblons, dechets metalliques fournis par l'industrie de transformation. Apres une description detaillee des proprietes physiques des agregats metalliques, les mortiers lourds sont d'abord presentes en les classant en trois grandes categories: les mortiers a base de grenailles d 5,3 a 6; les mortiers a base de grenailles avec addition d'un mineral d 3,7 a 4,2; les mortiers lourds injectables d = 3,5 a 4. Le chapitre suivant decrit les betons a base de riblons les plus utilises, dans l'industrie atomique: les betons de riblons avec addition de fonte; les betons de riblons avec addition de magnetite; les betons de riblons avec addition de barytine; les betons de riblons avec addition de limonite; les betons de riblons avec addition de bore. Les compositions de ces betons ainsi que

  6. The carbonaceous concrete based on sawdust

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    BELOUSOVA Elena Sergeevna

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Today there are many requirements for strength, ecology and economy of produced concretes. The authors of the paper study attenuation of electromagnetic radiation of carbonaceous powders in the concrete composition. Carbon black was selected as a carbon powder for addition in concrete composition. Carbon black is a nanomaterial with disoriented structure of particles (average size is about 50 nm. The composition of the carbon black contains at least 90 wt.% amorphous carbon, more than 5 wt. % chemisorbed oxygen and about 4 wt.% of impurities. Materials with the addition of carbon black have electrical conductivity due to the high content of carbon. These materials are able to absorb electromagnetic radiation. For cement composition with addition of carbon black (more than 30 wt. % and water transmission coefficient of electromagnetic radiation is about –10 dB, for cement composition with 20 wt. % of carbon black the reflection coefficient is –8 dB in the frequency range 8–12 GHz. The concretes with a saturated aqueous solution of calcium chloride and 10% of carbon black possess minimal reflection coefficient (–14... –8 dB. Electromagnetic radiation shielding of concrete with the addition of sawdust was investigated. The concrete with sawdust (40 wt. % impregnated with an aqueous solution with carbon black has the reflection coefficient less than –8 dB and transmission coefficient –40 dB in the frequency range 8–12 GHz. These concretes can be used for creation of a shielded room with the technical equipment for information processing to prevent data leakage through the compromising emanations and crosstalk.

  7. Improved Concrete Materials with Hydrogel-Based Internal Curing Agents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew J. Krafcik

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available This research article will describe the design and use of polyelectrolyte hydrogel particles as internal curing agents in concrete and present new results on relevant hydrogel-ion interactions. When incorporated into concrete, hydrogel particles release their stored water to fuel the curing reaction, resulting in reduced volumetric shrinkage and cracking and thus increasing concrete service life. The hydrogel’s swelling performance and mechanical properties are strongly sensitive to multivalent cations that are naturally present in concrete mixtures, including calcium and aluminum. Model poly(acrylic acid(AA-acrylamide(AM-based hydrogel particles with different chemical compositions (AA:AM monomer ratio were synthesized and immersed in sodium, calcium, and aluminum salt solutions. The presence of multivalent cations resulted in decreased swelling capacity and altered swelling kinetics to the point where some hydrogel compositions displayed rapid deswelling behavior and the formation of a mechanically stiff shell. Interestingly, when incorporated into mortar, hydrogel particles reduced mixture shrinkage while encouraging the formation of specific inorganic phases (calcium hydroxide and calcium silicate hydrate within the void space previously occupied by the swollen particle.

  8. Enhancement Experiment on Cementitious Activity of Copper-Mine Tailings in a Geopolymer System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lin Yu

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Copper-mine tailings are the residual products after the extraction of precious copper metal from copper ores, and their storage can create numerous environmental problems. Many researchers have used copper-mine tailings for the preparation of geopolymers. This paper studies the enhancement of the cementitious activity of copper-mine tailings in geopolymer systems. First, copper-mine tailings are activated through mechanical grinding activation. Then, the mechanically activated copper-mine tailings are further processed through thermal activation and alkaline-roasting activation. The cementitious activity index of copper-mine tailings is characterized through the degree of leaching concentration of Si and Al. It was observed that the Si and Al leaching concentration of mechanically activated tailings was increased by 26.03% and 93.33%, respectively. The concentration of Si and Al was increased by 54.19% and 119.92%, respectively. For alkaline-roasting activation, roasting time, temperature and the mass ratio of copper-mine tailings to NaOH (C/N ratio were evaluated through orthogonal tests, and the best condition for activation was 120 min at 600 °C with a C/N ratio of 5:1. In this study, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, X-ray diffraction (XRD and infra-red (IR analysis show that mechanical, thermal and alkaline-roasting activation could be used to improve the cementitious activity index of copper-mine tailings.

  9. Comparative Study of Portland Cement-based and Zeolite-based Concretes in Terms of Hexavalent Chromium Leaching

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oravec Jozef

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents the results of the leaching study of Portland cement-based and zeolite-based concretes regarding water soluble hexavalent chromium. Three leaching water media (distilled water, rain water, and Britton-Robinson buffer of various pH values were under investigation. The correlation between pH and leached-out concentrations of chromium was not confirmed. The content of hexavalent water-soluble chromium in leachates of zeolite-based concretes was found to be higher than that in leachates of Portland cement-based samples.

  10. Study on creep of fiber reinforced ultra-high strength concrete based on strength

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Wenjun; Wang, Tao

    2018-04-01

    To complement the creep performance of ultra-high strength concrete, the long creep process of fiber reinforced concrete was studied in this paper. The long-term creep process and regularity of ultra-high strength concrete with 0.5% PVA fiber under the same axial compression were analyzed by using concrete strength (C80/C100/C120) as a variable. The results show that the creep coefficient of ultra-high strength concrete decreases with the increase of concrete strength. Compared with ACI209R (92), GL2000 models, it is found that the predicted value of ACI209R (92) are close to the experimental value, and the creep prediction model suitable for this experiment is proposed based on ACI209R (92).

  11. Recycling of Pre-Washed Municipal Solid Waste Incinerator Fly Ash in the Manufacturing of Low Temperature Setting Geopolymer Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raffaele Cioffi

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available In this work, three samples of municipal solid waste incinerators fly ash (MSWI-FA have been stabilized in systems containing coal fly ash to create geopolymers through a polycondensation reaction. Monolithic products have been obtained with both MSWI fly ash as received and after the partial removal of chloride and sulfate by water washing. The polycondensation products have been characterized qualitatively by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy and quantitatively, through the determination of the volume of reacted water and silicate. Furthermore, the heavy metals and chloride releases together with the physico-mechanical properties have been evaluated on the hardened products. In conclusion, considering the technological and environmental performances of the obtained geopolymers, they could be suitable for many non-structural applications, such as backfilling of abandoned quarries, decorative materials or brick fireplaces, hearths, patios, etc.

  12. Acoustic performance and microstructural analysis of bio-based lightweight concrete containing miscanthus

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chen, Yuxuan; Yu, Q. L.; Brouwers, H. J.H.

    2017-01-01

    Miscanthus Giganteus (i.e. Elephant Grass) is a cost-effective and extensively available ecological resource in many agricultural regions. This article aims at a fundamental research on a bio-based lightweight concrete using miscanthus as aggregate, i.e. miscanthus lightweight concrete (MLC), with

  13. Novel Concrete Temperature Monitoring Method Based on an Embedded Passive RFID Sensor Tag.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yongsheng; Deng, Fangming; He, Yigang; Li, Bing; Liang, Zhen; Zhou, Shuangxi

    2017-06-22

    This paper firstly introduces the importance of temperature control in concrete measurement, then a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor tag embedded for concrete temperature monitoring is presented. In order to reduce the influences of concrete electromagnetic parameters during the drying process, a T-type antenna is proposed to measure the concrete temperature at the required depth. The proposed RFID sensor tag is based on the EPC generation-2 ultra-high frequency (UHF) communication protocol and operates in passive mode. The temperature sensor can convert the sensor signals to corresponding digital signals without an external reference clock due to the adoption of phase-locked loop (PLL)-based architecture. Laboratory experimentation and on-site testing demonstrate that our sensor tag embedded in concrete can provide reliable communication performance in passive mode. The maximum communicating distance between reader and tag is 7 m at the operating frequency of 915 MHz and the tested results show high consistency with the results tested by a thermocouple.

  14. Diffusion under water-saturated conditions in PFA/OPC-based structural concrete

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harris, A.W.; Nickerson, A.K.

    1990-05-01

    A substantial proportion of the volume of the UK radioactive waste repository is likely to be composed of materials based on hydraulic cements. This includes the structural components, which are likely to be manufactured from concrete. The mass transport characteristics of dissolved species for a typical structural concrete, based on a mixture of pulverised fuel ash and ordinary Portland cement, have been measured in a water-saturated condition. Both the water permeability and the diffusion parameters (for caesium, strontium and iodide ion and tritiated water diffusion) are low compared to values obtained for other structural concretes. The intrinsic diffusion coefficients for iodide and caesium ions are in the range 2-5x10 -14 m 2 s -1 . There is no evidence of significant sorption of any of the diffusants studied. (author)

  15. Two innovative solutions based on fibre concrete blocks designed for building substructure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pazderka, J.; Hájek, P.

    2017-09-01

    Using of fibers in a high-strength concrete allows reduction of the dimensions of small precast concrete elements, which opens up new ways of solution for traditional construction details in buildings. The paper presents two innovative technical solutions for building substructure: The special shaped plinth block from fibre concrete and the fibre concrete elements for new technical solution of ventilated floor. The main advantages of plinth block from fibre concrete blocks (compared with standard plinth solutions) is: easier and faster assembly, higher durability and thanks to the air cavity between the vertical part of the block, the building substructure reduced moisture level of structures under the waterproofing layer and a comprehensive solution to the final surface of building plinth as well as the surface of adjacent terrain. The ventilated floor based on fibre concrete precast blocks is an attractive structural alternative for tackling the problem of increased moisture in masonry in older buildings, lacking a functional waterproof layer in the substructure.

  16. Study on the compressive strength of fly ash based geo polymer concrete

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anand Khanna, Pawan; Kelkar, Durga; Papal, Mahesh; Sekar, S. K.

    2017-11-01

    Introduction of the alternative materials for complete replacement of cement in ordinary concrete will play an important role to control greenhouse gas and its effect. The 100% replacement of binder with fly ash (in integration with potassium hydroxide (koh) and potassium silicate (k2sio3) solutions) in concrete gives a significant alternative to conventional cement concrete. This paper focuses on the effect of alkaline solutions koh and k2sio3 on strength properties of fly ash based geo polymer concrete (fgpc); compared the strength at different molarities of alkaline activator koh at different curing temperature. Fly ash based geo polymer concrete was produced from low calcium fly ash, triggered by addition of koh and k2sio3 solution and by assimilation of superplasticizer for suitable workability. The molarities of potassium hydroxide as 8m, 10m and 12m molarities were used at various curing temperatures such as 60°c, 70 °c and 80°c. Results showed that for given proportion to get maximum compressive strength the optimum molarity of alkaline solution is 12m and optimum curing temperature is 70 °c.

  17. The setting time of a clay-slag geopolymer matrix: the influence of blast-furnace-slag addition and the mixing method

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Perná, Ivana; Hanzlíček, Tomáš

    112, Part 1, JAN 20 (2016), s. 1150-1155 ISSN 0959-6526 Institutional support: RVO:67985891 Keywords : blast-furnace slag * geopolymer * setting time * mixing method * solidification * recycling Subject RIV: DM - Solid Waste and Recycling Impact factor: 5.715, year: 2016

  18. Experimental Studies on Behaviour of Reinforced Geopolymer Concrete Beams Subjected to Monotonic Static Loading

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madheswaran, C. K.; Ambily, P. S.; Dattatreya, J. K.; Ramesh, G.

    2015-06-01

    This work describes the experimental investigation on behaviour of reinforced GPC beams subjected to monotonic static loading. The overall dimensions of the GPC beams are 250 mm × 300 mm × 2200 mm. The effective span of beam is 1600 mm. The beams have been designed to be critical in shear as per IS:456 provisions. The specimens were produced from a mix incorporating fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag, which was designed for a compressive strength of 40 MPa at 28 days. The reinforced concrete specimens are subjected to curing at ambient temperature under wet burlap. The parameters being investigated include shear span to depth ratio (a/d = 1.5 and 2.0). Experiments are conducted on 12 GPC beams and four OPCC control beams. All the beams are tested using 2000 kN servo-controlled hydraulic actuator. This paper presents the results of experimental studies.

  19. Concrete Hinges

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Halding, Philip Skov; Hertz, Kristian Dahl; Schmidt, Jacob Wittrup

    2014-01-01

    In the first part of the 20th century concrete hinges developed by Freyssinet and Mesnager were widely tested and implemented in concrete structures. The concrete hinges were used a great deal in closed-spandrel arch bridges. Since such a bridge type has not been competitive for the past 40 years......, the research in concrete hinges has not evolved significantly in that period. But introducing a new state-of-the-art concrete arch bridge solution (Pearl-Chain arches invented at the Technical University of Denmark) creates a necessity of a concrete hinge research based on modern standards. Back when research...... in concrete hinges was more common different designs were proposed for the geometry and reinforcement. Previous research focused on fatigue, multi-axial stresses around the hinge throat, and the relation between rotation- and moment. But many different test-setups were proposed by different researchers...

  20. Concrete

    OpenAIRE

    Kruse Aagaard, Anders

    2015-01-01

    Concrete is a component of coherent transition between a concrete base and a wooden construction. The structure is based on a quantity of investigations of the design possibilities that arise when combining digital fabrication tools and material capacities.Through tangible experiments the project discusses materiality and digitally controlled fabrications tools as direct expansions of the architect’s digital drawing and workflow. The project sees this expansion as an opportunity to connect th...

  1. Lunar concrete for construction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cullingford, Hatice S.; Keller, M. Dean

    1988-01-01

    Feasibility of using concrete for lunar-base construction has been discussed recently without relevant data for the effects of vacuum on concrete. Experimental studies performed earlier at Los Alamos have shown that concrete is stable in vacuum with no deterioration of its quality as measured by the compressive strength. Various considerations of using concrete successfully on the moon are provided in this paper along with specific conclusions from the existing data base.

  2. Analysis of Possibilities for Using Recycled Concrete Aggregate in Concrete Pavement

    OpenAIRE

    R. Pernicova; D. Dobias

    2016-01-01

    The present article describes the limits of using recycled concrete aggregate (denoted as RCA) in the top layer of concrete roads. The main aim of this work is to investigate the possibility of reuse of recycled aggregates obtained by crushing the old concrete roads as a building material in the new top layers of concrete pavements. The paper is based on gathering the current knowledge about how to use recycled concrete aggregate, suitability, and modification of the properties and its standa...

  3. Risk-based replacement strategies for redundant deteriorating reinforced concrete pipe networks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adey, B.; Bernard, O.; Gerard, B.

    2003-01-01

    This paper gives an example of how predictive models of the deterioration of reinforced concrete pipes and the consequences of failure can be used to develop risk-based replacement strategies for redundant reinforced concrete pipe networks. It also shows how an accurate deterioration prediction can lead to a reduction of agency costs, and illustrates the limitation of the incremental intervention step algorithm. The main conclusion is that the use of predictive models, such as those developed by Oxand S.A., in the determination of replacement strategies for redundant reinforced concrete pipe networks can lead to a significant reduction in overall costs for the owner of the structure. (author)

  4. On Reliability Based Optimal Design of Concrete Bridges

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thoft-Christensen, Palle

    In recent years important progress has been made in assessment of the lifetime behaviour of concrete bridges. Due to the large uncertainties related to the loading and the deterioration of such bridges, an assessment based on stochastic modelling of the significant parameters seems to be only...

  5. Stohastic Properties of Plasticity Based Constitutive Law for Concrete

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frier, Christian; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard

    1998-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to obtain a stochastic model for the parameters in a constitutive model for concrete based on associated plasticity theory and with emphasis placed on the pre-failure range. The constitutive model is based on a Drucker Prager yield surface augmented by a Rankine cut-o...

  6. Stochastic Properties of Plasticity Based Constitutive Law for Concrete

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frier, Christian; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard

    The purpose of this paper is to obtain a stochastic model for the parameters in a constitutive model for concrete based on associated plasticity theory and with emphasis placed on the pre-failure range. The constitutive model is based on a Drucker Prager yield surface augmented by a Rankine cut-o...

  7. Optimization-Based Inverse Identification of the Parameters of a Concrete Cap Material Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Král, Petr; Hokeš, Filip; Hušek, Martin; Kala, Jiří; Hradil, Petr

    2017-10-01

    Issues concerning the advanced numerical analysis of concrete building structures in sophisticated computing systems currently require the involvement of nonlinear mechanics tools. The efforts to design safer, more durable and mainly more economically efficient concrete structures are supported via the use of advanced nonlinear concrete material models and the geometrically nonlinear approach. The application of nonlinear mechanics tools undoubtedly presents another step towards the approximation of the real behaviour of concrete building structures within the framework of computer numerical simulations. However, the success rate of this application depends on having a perfect understanding of the behaviour of the concrete material models used and having a perfect understanding of the used material model parameters meaning. The effective application of nonlinear concrete material models within computer simulations often becomes very problematic because these material models very often contain parameters (material constants) whose values are difficult to obtain. However, getting of the correct values of material parameters is very important to ensure proper function of a concrete material model used. Today, one possibility, which permits successful solution of the mentioned problem, is the use of optimization algorithms for the purpose of the optimization-based inverse material parameter identification. Parameter identification goes hand in hand with experimental investigation while it trying to find parameter values of the used material model so that the resulting data obtained from the computer simulation will best approximate the experimental data. This paper is focused on the optimization-based inverse identification of the parameters of a concrete cap material model which is known under the name the Continuous Surface Cap Model. Within this paper, material parameters of the model are identified on the basis of interaction between nonlinear computer simulations

  8. The Vibration Based Fatigue Damage Assessment of Steel and Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete (SFRC Composite Girder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xu Chen

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The steel-concrete composite girder has been usually applied in the bridge and building structures, mostly consisting of concrete slab, steel girder, and shear connector. The current fatigue damage assessment for the composite girder is largely based on the strain values and concrete crack features, which is time consuming and not stable. Hence the vibration-based fatigue damage assessment has been considered in this study. In detail, a steel-steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC composite girder was tested. The steel fiber reinforced concrete is usually considered for dealing with the concrete cracks in engineering practice. The composite girder was 3.3m long and 0.45m high. The fatigue load and impact excitation were applied on the specimen sequentially. According to the test results, the concrete crack development and global stiffness degradation during the fatigue test were relatively slow due to the favourable performance of SFRC in tension. But on the other hand, the vibration features varied significantly during the fatigue damage development. Generally, it confirmed the feasibility of executing fatigue damage assessment of composite bridge based on vibration method.

  9. Research on Mechanical Properties of Concrete Constructs Based on Terrestrial Laser Scanning Measurement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hao Yang

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS technology is broadly accepted as a structural health monitoring device for reinforced concrete (RC composite structures. Both experiments and numerical analysis are considered. In this submit, measurements were conducted for the composite concrete beams. The emphasis in numerical simulation is given on finite element methods (FEM which is corrected by the response surface methodology (RSM. Aspects considered are effects of material parameters and variation in geometry. This paper describes our recent progress on FEM modeling of damages in concrete composite structures based on the TLS measurement. We also focus on the research about mechanical properties of concrete constructs here.

  10. Development of Laser Based Remote Sensing System for Inner-Concrete Defects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimada, Yoshinori; Kotyaev, Oleg

    Laser-based remote sensing using a vibration detection system has been developed using a photorefractive crystal to reduce the effect of concrete surface-roughness. An electric field was applied to the crystal and the reference beam was phase shifted to increase the detection efficiency (DE). The DE increased by factor of 8.5 times compared to that when no voltage and no phase shifting were applied. Vibration from concrete defects can be detected at a distance of 5 m from the system. A vibration-canceling system has also developed that appears to be promising for canceling vibrations between the laser system and the concrete. Finally, we have constructed a prototype system that can be transported in a small truck.

  11. Cracking in concrete-debonding length at the concrete/steel interface

    OpenAIRE

    Kjeldby, Liv Brox

    2016-01-01

    Investigation of the debonding length at the concrete/steel interface have been investigated based on different types of cracks in concrete. Different methods for investigation have been used in the laboratory.

  12. Integral procedure to assess crack filling and mechanical contribution of polymer-based healing agent in encapsulation-based self-healing concrete

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gilabert Villegas, Francisco Antonio; Van Tittelboom, Kim; Van Stappen, J.; Cnudde, Veerle; De Belie, Nele; Van Paepegem, Wim

    2017-01-01

    This work presents an experimental and numerical study to analyze the crack filling process in encapsulation-based self-healing concrete. A specimen consisting of two small concrete blocks has been designed containing capsules filled with a polyurethane-based healing agent. This design enables to

  13. Effect of chloride-based deicers on reinforced concrete structures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-07-01

    We conducted an extensive literature review and performed laboratory tests to assess the effect of chloride-based deicers on the rebars and dowel bars in concrete and to determine whether or not deicer corrosion inhibitors help preserve the transport...

  14. Secondary Waste Form Screening Test Results—THOR® Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming Product in a Geopolymer Matrix

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pires, Richard P.; Westsik, Joseph H.; Serne, R. Jeffrey; Mattigod, Shas V.; Golovich, Elizabeth C.; Valenta, Michelle M.; Parker, Kent E.

    2011-07-14

    Screening tests are being conducted to evaluate waste forms for immobilizing secondary liquid wastes from the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). Plans are underway to add a stabilization treatment unit to the Effluent Treatment Facility to provide the needed capacity for treating these wastes from WTP. The current baseline is to use a Cast Stone cementitious waste form to solidify the wastes. Through a literature survey, DuraLith alkali-aluminosilicate geopolymer, fluidized-bed steam reformation (FBSR) granular product encapsulated in a geopolymer matrix, and a Ceramicrete phosphate-bonded ceramic were identified both as candidate waste forms and alternatives to the baseline. These waste forms have been shown to meet waste disposal acceptance criteria, including compressive strength and universal treatment standards for Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) metals (as measured by the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure [TCLP]). Thus, these non-cementitious waste forms should also be acceptable for land disposal. Information is needed on all four waste forms with respect to their capability to minimize the release of technetium. Technetium is a radionuclide predicted to be in the secondary liquid wastes in small quantities, but the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF) risk assessment analyses show that technetium, even at low mass, produces the largest contribution to the estimated IDF disposal impacts to groundwater.

  15. Evaluation of ilmenite serpentine concrete and ordinary concrete as nuclear reactor shielding

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abulfaraj, W.H.; Kamal, S.M.

    1994-01-01

    The present study involves adapting a formal decision methodology to the selection of alternative nuclear reactor concrete shielding. Multiattribute utility theory is selected to accommodate decision maker's preferences. Multiattribute utility theory (MAU) is here employed to evaluate two appropriate nuclear reactor shielding concretes in terms of effectiveness to determine the optimal choice in order to meet the radiation protection regulations. These concretes are Ordinary concrete (O.C.) and Illmenite Serpentile concrete (I.S.C.). These are normal weight concrete and heavy weight heat resistive concrete, respectively. The effectiveness objective of the nuclear reactor shielding is defined and structured into definite attributes and subattributes to evaluate the best alternative. Factors affecting the decision are dose received by reactor's workers, the material properties as well as cost of concrete shield. A computer program is employed to assist in performing utility analysis. Based upon data, the result shows the superiority of Ordinary concrete over Illmenite Serpentine concrete. (Author)

  16. Reliability-based inspection of prestressed concrete containment structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pandey, M.D.

    1996-03-01

    A study was undertaken to develop a reliability-based approach to the planning of inspection programs for prestressed concrete containment structures. The main function of the prestressing system is to ensure the leak integrity of the containment by maintaining a compressive state of stress under the tensile forces which arise in a hypothesized loss of coolant accident. Prestressing force losses (due to creep and shrinkage, stress relaxation or tendon corrosion) can lead to tensile stresses under accident pressure, resulting in loss of containment leak integrity due to concrete cracking and tensile yielding of the non-prestressed reinforcement. Therefore, the evaluation of prestressing inspection programs was based on their effectiveness in maintaining an acceptable reliability level with respect to a limit state representing yeilding of non-prestressed reinforcement. An annual target reliability of 10 -4 was used for this limit state. As specified in CSA-N287.7, the evaluation of prestressing systems for containment structures is based on the results of lift-off tests to determine the prestressing force. For unbonded systems the tests are carried out on a randomly selected sample from each tendon group in the structure. For bonded systems, the test is carried out on an unbonded test beam that matches the section geometry and material properties of the containment structure. It was found that flexural testing is useful in updating the probability of concrete cracking under accident pressure. For unbonded systems, the analysis indicated that the sample size recommended by the CSA Standard (4% of the tendon population) is adequate. The CSA recommendation for a five year inspection interval is conservative unless severe degradation of the prestressing system, characterized by a high prestressing loss rate (>3%) and a large coefficient of variation of the measured prestressing force (>15%), is observed

  17. Bacteria-based self-healing concrete : An introduction

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mors, R.M.; Jonkers, H.M.

    2012-01-01

    Crack formation in concrete is common, but a typical phenomenon related to durability. Percolation of cracks may lead to leakage problems or ingress of deleterious materials, causing deterioration of the concrete matrix or corrosion of embedded steel reinforcement. Durability can be enhanced by

  18. Critical Quality Source Diagnosis for Dam Concrete Construction Based on Quality Gain-loss Function

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bo Wang

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available In dam concrete construction process, it not only has quality loss arising from quality fluctuation, but also gains quality compensation effect due to the mutual cooperation and adaptation coupling between working procedures (WPs. The calculation and transmission complexity of the quality loss and quality compensation affect the quality management of dam concrete construction. As the quality compensation effect existing in the production practice cannot be described by Taguchi quality loss function, the concept of quality gain-loss function was presented in this paper, which was based on endowing the constant term in the expansion of Taylor series with physical meaning—quality compensation. Based on quality gain-loss function theory, a new quality gain-loss transmission model of dam concrete construction based on GERT network was constructed and its effective algorithm was designed. WP quality gain-loss and its impact on the final product were reasonably measured, and the critical quality routes and critical quality WPs were detected and diagnosed in dam concrete construction network. Summer temperature-controlled concrete construction in the third phase of Three Gorges Project (TGP was taken as an example to carry out the study, and the calculation results showed the validity and practicability of the presented model and algorithm.

  19. HTGR Base Technology Program. Task 2: concrete properties in nuclear environment. A review of concrete material systems for application to prestressed concrete pressure vessels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Naus, D.J.

    1981-05-01

    Prestressed concrete pressure vessels (PCPVs) are designed to serve as primary pressure containment structures. The safety of these structures depends on a correct assessment of the loadings and proper design of the vessels to accept these loadings. Proper vessel design requires a knowledge of the component (material) properties. Because concrete is one of the primary constituents of PCPVs, knowledge of its behavior is required to produce optimum PCPV designs. Concrete material systems are reviewed with respect to constituents, mix design, placing, curing, and strength evaluations, and typical concrete property data are presented. Effects of extreme loadings (elevated temperature, multiaxial, irradiation) on concrete behavior are described. Finally, specialty concrete material systems (high strength, fibrous, polymer, lightweight, refractory) are reviewed. 235 references

  20. Historic Concrete : From Concrete Repair to Concrete Conservation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Heinemann, H.A.

    2013-01-01

    Concrete like materials were already applied during the Roman Empire. After the decline of the Roman Empire, a wide scale application of concrete only reappeared in the 19th century. Here lies also the origin of modern (reinforced) concrete. Since then, both concrete application and composition have

  1. Electrical impedance tomography-based sensing skin for quantitative imaging of damage in concrete

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hallaji, Milad; Pour-Ghaz, Mohammad; Seppänen, Aku

    2014-01-01

    This paper outlines the development of a large-area sensing skin for damage detection in concrete structures. The developed sensing skin consists of a thin layer of electrically conductive copper paint that is applied to the surface of the concrete. Cracking of the concrete substrate results in the rupture of the sensing skin, decreasing its electrical conductivity locally. The decrease in conductivity is detected with electrical impedance tomography (EIT) imaging. In previous works, electrically based sensing skins have provided only qualitative information on the damage on the substrate surface. In this paper, we study whether quantitative imaging of the damage is possible. We utilize application-specific models and computational methods in the image reconstruction, including a total variation (TV) prior model for the damage and an approximate correction of the modeling errors caused by the inhomogeneity of the painted sensing skin. The developed damage detection method is tested experimentally by applying the sensing skin to polymeric substrates and a reinforced concrete beam under four-point bending. In all test cases, the EIT-based sensing skin provides quantitative information on cracks and/or other damages on the substrate surface: featuring a very low conductivity in the damage locations, and a reliable indication of the lengths and shapes of the cracks. The results strongly support the applicability of the painted EIT-based sensing skin for damage detection in reinforced concrete elements and other substrates. (paper)

  2. Properties of geopolymer binders prepared from milled pond ash

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Temuujin

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Alkali-activated materials were prepared from pond ash from the Darkhan city (Mongolia thermal power station. This ash contains about 60 wt % X-ray amorphous material in addition to quartz, mullite, hematite and magnesioferrite, and presents significant storage problems since it is accumulating in large amounts and is a hazardous waste, containing 90–100 ppm of the heavy metals As, Pb and Cr, and about 800 ppm Sr. Alkali-activated materials synthesized from the as-received pond ash achieved compressive strengths of only 3.25 MPa. Reduction of the particle size by mechanical milling for up to 30 min progressively increases the compressive strength of the resulting alkali-activated geopolymer up to 15.4 MPa. Leaching tests indicate that the combination of milling and alkali treatment does not cause the release of the hazardous heavy metals from the product, making it suitable for construction applications.

  3. Fibre Concrete 2017

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-09-01

    9th international conference on fibre reinforced concretes (FRC), textile reinforced concretes (TRC) and ultra-high performance concretes (UHPC) Preface The Fibre Concrete Conference series is held biennially to provide a platform to share knowledge on fibre reinforced concretes, textile concretes and ultra-high performance concretes regarding material properties and behaviour, technology procedures, topics of long-term behaviour, creep, durability; sustainable aspects of concrete including utilisation of waste materials in concrete production and recycling of concrete. The tradition of Fibre Concrete Conferences started in eighties of the last century. Nowadays the conference is organized by the Department of Concrete and Masonry Structures of the Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Civil Engineering. The 9th International Conference Fibre Concrete 2017 had 109 participants from 27 countries all over the world. 55 papers were presented including keynote lectures of Professor Bažant, Professor Bartoš and Dr. Broukalová. The conference program covered wide range of topics from scientific research to practical applications. The presented contributions related to performance and behaviour of cement based composites, their long-term behaviour and durability, sustainable aspects, advanced analyses of structures from these composites and successful applications. This conference was organized also to honour Professor Zděnek P. Bažant on the occasion of his jubilee and to appreciate his merits and discoveries in the field of fibre reinforced composites, structural mechanics and engineering.

  4. Testing Silica Fume-Based Concrete Composites under Chemical and Microbiological Sulfate Attacks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adriana Estokova

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Current design practices based on descriptive approaches to concrete specification may not be appropriate for the management of aggressive environments. In this study, the durability of cement-based materials with and without the addition of silica fume, subjected to conditions that leach calcium and silicon, were investigated. Chemical corrosion was simulated by employing various H2SO4 and MgSO4 solutions, and biological corrosion was simulated using Acidithiobacillus sp. bacterial inoculation, leading to disrupted and damaged surfaces; the samples’ mass changes were studied following both chemical and biological attacks. Different leaching trends were observed via X-ray fluorescence when comparing chemical with biological leaching. Lower leaching rates were found for concrete samples fortified with silica fume than those without silica fume. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy confirmed a massive sulfate precipitate formation on the concrete surface due to bacterial exposure.

  5. Design of reinforced concrete members based on structural mechanics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diaz, B.E.; Schulz, M.

    1984-01-01

    Up to now the design of reinforced concrete linear members is performed with the help of an inconsistent design theory, which nevertherless is sufficiently safe and simple to be used in the practice. The purpose of this paper is to present a rational reinforced concrete design method which is not too dissimilar to the present design rules, but is capable of defining consistently internal stresses along a reinforced concrete section. The present status of the completed computer procedures allows the analysis of linear reinforced concrete members formed by laminar reinforced concrete plates presenting variable thickness. A practical approach is presented for which the concrete and steel section is constant along the member axis. In this case, the concept of the equivalent section is introduced, which allows a simple analysis of the stress pattern along the member section. (Author) [pt

  6. Monitoring Ingress of Moisture in Structural Concrete Using a Novel Optical-Based Sensor Approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yeo, T L; Cox, M A C; Boswell, L F; Sun, T; Grattan, K T V

    2006-01-01

    The detection of moisture ingress in concrete is important for structural monitoring and in this work is realised by monitoring the shift in the characteristic wavelength of a fibre Bragg grating-based sensor. The sensor relies upon a moisture-sensitive polymer layer deposited on the fibre Bragg grating (FBG) and the strain induced on it as a result of polymer swelling is monitored. Moisture ingress experiments were carried out using two such optical fibre sensors, placed at varying distances from the edge of the face of standard concrete cubes to the inner part of the concrete sample and subjected to water at a constant temperature. Information on the properties of different types of concrete and thus potentially on the migration of dissolved salts and their effect on reinforcement bars within concrete can be obtained

  7. Experimental study of sodium fires on concrete based on the sodium-concrete reaction and its consequences: study of the behavior of various concretes under metallic sheaths

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berlin; Colome, J.; Malet, J.C.

    The problem created by the violent reaction between hot sodium and concrete has only recently been recognized. Its importance was evidenced during experiments in which the sodium-barium oxide concrete reactions led to violent explosions. SESR approached this question during its experimental programs Cassandre and Lucifer. The Cassandre 01 experiment demonstrated the sodium-ordinary concrete reaction, where sodium was burned directly in a concrete vat. The consequences of this fire, pulverization of sodium particles, explosions and deterioration of the concrete led to consideration of protecting the concrete. Among possible shieldings sheath metal appeared to be the safest solution. The Cassandre 08, Lucifer 01 and Lucifer 04 experiments were used to study the behavior of various qualities of concrete protected from fire by a metal wall. The results show that a metal cladding efficiently protects concrete from sodium leaks

  8. Prestress Force Identification for Externally Prestressed Concrete Beam Based on Frequency Equation and Measured Frequencies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luning Shi

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available A prestress force identification method for externally prestressed concrete uniform beam based on the frequency equation and the measured frequencies is developed. For the purpose of the prestress force identification accuracy, we first look for the appropriate method to solve the free vibration equation of externally prestressed concrete beam and then combine the measured frequencies with frequency equation to identify the prestress force. To obtain the exact solution of the free vibration equation of multispan externally prestressed concrete beam, an analytical model of externally prestressed concrete beam is set up based on the Bernoulli-Euler beam theory and the function relation between prestress variation and vibration displacement is built. The multispan externally prestressed concrete beam is taken as the multiple single-span beams which must meet the bending moment and rotation angle boundary conditions, the free vibration equation is solved using sublevel simultaneous method and the semi-analytical solution of the free vibration equation which considered the influence of prestress on section rigidity and beam length is obtained. Taking simply supported concrete beam and two-span concrete beam with external tendons as examples, frequency function curves are obtained with the measured frequencies into it and the prestress force can be identified using the abscissa of the crosspoint of frequency functions. Identification value of the prestress force is in good agreement with the test results. The method can accurately identify prestress force of externally prestressed concrete beam and trace the trend of effective prestress force.

  9. Influence of Concrete Properties on Molten Core-Concrete Interaction: A Simulation Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jin-yang Jiang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available In a severe nuclear power plant accident, the molten core can be released into the reactor pit and interact with sacrificial concrete. In this paper, a simulation study is presented that aims to address the influence of sacrificial concrete properties on molten core-concrete interaction (MCCI. In particular, based on the MELCOR Code, the ferrosiliceous concrete used in European Pressurized Water Reactor (EPR is taken into account with respect to the different ablation enthalpy and Fe2O3 and H2O contents. Results indicate that the concrete ablation rate as well as the hydrogen generation rate depends much on the concrete ablation enthalpy and Fe2O3 and H2O contents. In practice, the ablation enthalpy of sacrificial concrete is the higher the better, while the Fe2O3 and H2O content of sacrificial concrete is the lower the better.

  10. Petrographic Analysis of Portland Cement Concrete Cores from Pease Air National Guard Base, New Hampshire

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-11-01

    Petrographic Analysis of Portland Cement Concrete Cores from Pease Air National Guard Base, New Hampshire E n g in e e r R e s e a rc h a n d...id, age of the concrete being evaluated and tests performed...4 3 Preface This study was conducted in support of the Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC) to assess concrete obtained from Pease

  11. A Solitary Wave-Based Sensor to Monitor the Setting of Fresh Concrete

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Piervincenzo Rizzo

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available We present a proof-of-principle study about the use of a sensor for the nondestructive monitoring of strength development in hydrating concrete. The nondestructive evaluation technique is based on the propagation of highly nonlinear solitary waves (HNSWs, which are non-dispersive mechanical waves that can form and travel in highly nonlinear systems, such as one-dimensional particle chains. A built-in transducer is adopted to excite and detect the HNSWs. The waves are partially reflected at the transducer/concrete interface and partially transmitted into the concrete. The time-of-flight and the amplitude of the waves reflected at the interface are measured and analyzed with respect to the hydration time, and correlated to the initial and final set times established by the penetration test (ASTM C 403. The results show that certain features of the HNSWs change as the concrete curing progresses indicating that it has the potential of being an efficient, cost-effective tool for monitoring strengths/stiffness development.

  12. Concrete quality assurance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Holz, N. [Harza Engineering Company, Chicago, IL (United States)

    2000-08-01

    This short article reports on progress at the world's largest civil construction project, namely China's Three Gorges hydro project. Work goes on around the clock to put in place nearly 28 M m{sup 3} of concrete. At every stage of the work there is strong emphasis on quality assurance (QA) and concrete is no exception. The US company Harza Engineering has been providing QA since the mid-1980s and concrete QA has been based on international standards. Harza personnel work in the field with supervisors developing educational tools for supervising concrete construction and quality, as well as providing training courses in concrete technology. Some details on flood control, capacity, water quality and environmental aspects are given..

  13. Comparative analysis of the influence of creep of concrete composite beams of steel - concrete model based on Volterra integral equation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Partov Doncho

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents analysis of the stress-strain behaviour and deflection changes due to creep in statically determinate composite steel-concrete beam according to EUROCODE 2, ACI209R-92 and Gardner&Lockman models. The mathematical model involves the equation of equilibrium, compatibility and constitutive relationship, i.e. an elastic law for the steel part and an integral-type creep law of Boltzmann - Volterra for the concrete part considering the above mentioned models. On the basis of the theory of viscoelastic body of Maslov-Arutyunian-Trost-Zerna-Bažant for determining the redistribution of stresses in beam section between concrete plate and steel beam with respect to time 't', two independent Volterra integral equations of the second kind have been derived. Numerical method based on linear approximation of the singular kernel function in the integral equation is presented. Example with the model proposed is investigated.

  14. Utilization of recycled concrete aggregates in structural concrete by applying a fraction partitioning model

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wouw, van de P.M.F.; Doudart de la Grée, G.C.H.; Florea, M.V.A.; Brouwers, H.J.H.; Bilek, V.; Kersner, Z.

    2014-01-01

    The recycling of concrete waste into new structural concrete reduces the utilization of raw materials, decreases transport and production energy cost, and saves the use of limited landfill space. Currently, recycling involves the use of recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) as road base material or in

  15. Experimental Evaluation of Sodium Silicate-Based Nanosilica against Chloride Effects in Offshore Concrete

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Kyoung-Min; Kim, Hak-Young; Heo, Young-Sun; Jung, Sang-Jin

    2014-01-01

    This study investigates the effect of a new pore filling material, named sodium silicate-based nanosilica (SS), on resisting the diffusion of the chloride ions. The proposed SS is chosen, mainly due to its smaller particle size, compared to the conventional ethyl silicate-based nanosilica. Each particle of SS is chemically treated to have the negative (−) charge on its surface. Four types of mixes with different amounts of partial replacement with fly ash and slag are prepared. Effect of water to binder ratios (0.35, 0.40, and 0.45) is also examined. Test results showed that the inclusion of SS was significantly beneficial for protecting the concrete from chloride attack. At a given strength, the SS inclusion in concrete was up to three times more effective than the control concrete without SS. It is believed that these excellent results are attributed to the small particle size and the chemical surface treatment of SS. In this study, experiments of compressive strength, hydration heat, accelerated neutralization, and sulfate erosion tests were also conducted to find the general effect of SS inclusion on the fundamental properties and durability of concrete. PMID:25574486

  16. Experimental Evaluation of Sodium Silicate-Based Nanosilica against Chloride Effects in Offshore Concrete

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kyoung-Min Kim

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This study investigates the effect of a new pore filling material, named sodium silicate-based nanosilica (SS, on resisting the diffusion of the chloride ions. The proposed SS is chosen, mainly due to its smaller particle size, compared to the conventional ethyl silicate-based nanosilica. Each particle of SS is chemically treated to have the negative (− charge on its surface. Four types of mixes with different amounts of partial replacement with fly ash and slag are prepared. Effect of water to binder ratios (0.35, 0.40, and 0.45 is also examined. Test results showed that the inclusion of SS was significantly beneficial for protecting the concrete from chloride attack. At a given strength, the SS inclusion in concrete was up to three times more effective than the control concrete without SS. It is believed that these excellent results are attributed to the small particle size and the chemical surface treatment of SS. In this study, experiments of compressive strength, hydration heat, accelerated neutralization, and sulfate erosion tests were also conducted to find the general effect of SS inclusion on the fundamental properties and durability of concrete.

  17. ''Geopolymers": same basic chemistry, different microstructures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Palomo, A.

    2004-09-01

    Full Text Available The present paper describes the effect of certain working variables on the microstructural evolution of oven-dried, alkali-activated fly ash. The results show that the main reaction product in the activation process (in all the systems studied is an amorphous aluminosilicate gel with a three-dimensional structure. Nonetheless, the type and concentration of the activator used as well as the natural ageing of the materials and origin of the prime materials were also found to have a substantial impact on microstructural development in the "geopolymers " synthesised, particularly from the morphological standpoint.

    Este trabajo describe el efecto de determinadas variables de trabajo sobre la evolución microestructural de sistemas basados en cenizas volantes térmica y alcalínamente activadas. Los resultados demuestran que el principal producto de reacción en el proceso de activación (en todos los sistemas estudiados es un aluminosilicato amorfo con características de gel y con estructura tridimensional. Sin embargo el tipo y la concentración del activador usado, así como el envejecimiento natural de los materiales y el origen diferente de las materias primas han demostrado también ser variables que afectan sustancialmente al desarrollo microestructural de los ''geopolimeros" sintetizados, especialmente desde el punto de vista morfológico.

  18. An embedded stress sensor for concrete SHM based on amorphous ferromagnetic microwires.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olivera, Jesús; González, Margarita; Fuente, José Vicente; Varga, Rastislav; Zhukov, Arkady; Anaya, José Javier

    2014-10-24

    A new smart concrete aggregate design as a candidate for applications in structural health monitoring (SHM) of critical elements in civil infrastructure is proposed. The cement-based stress/strain sensor was developed by utilizing the stress/strain sensing properties of a magnetic microwire embedded in cement-based composite (MMCC). This is a contact-less type sensor that measures variations of magnetic properties resulting from stress variations. Sensors made of these materials can be designed to satisfy the specific demand for an economic way to monitor concrete infrastructure health. For this purpose, we embedded a thin magnetic microwire in the core of a cement-based cylinder, which was inserted into the concrete specimen under study as an extra aggregate. The experimental results show that the embedded MMCC sensor is capable of measuring internal compressive stress around the range of 1-30 MPa. Two stress sensing properties of the embedded sensor under uniaxial compression were studied: the peak amplitude and peak position of magnetic switching field. The sensitivity values for the amplitude and position within the measured range were 5 mV/MPa and 2.5 µs/MPa, respectively.

  19. An Embedded Stress Sensor for Concrete SHM Based on Amorphous Ferromagnetic Microwires

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jesús Olivera

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available A new smart concrete aggregate design as a candidate for applications in structural health monitoring (SHM of critical elements in civil infrastructure is proposed. The cement-based stress/strain sensor was developed by utilizing the stress/strain sensing properties of a magnetic microwire embedded in cement-based composite (MMCC. This is a contact-less type sensor that measures variations of magnetic properties resulting from stress variations. Sensors made of these materials can be designed to satisfy the specific demand for an economic way to monitor concrete infrastructure health. For this purpose, we embedded a thin magnetic microwire in the core of a cement-based cylinder, which was inserted into the concrete specimen under study as an extra aggregate. The experimental results show that the embedded MMCC sensor is capable of measuring internal compressive stress around the range of 1–30 MPa. Two stress sensing properties of the embedded sensor under uniaxial compression were studied: the peak amplitude and peak position of magnetic switching field. The sensitivity values for the amplitude and position within the measured range were 5 mV/MPa and 2.5 µs/MPa, respectively.

  20. The influence of kind of coating additive on the compressive strength of RCA-based concrete prepared by triple-mixing method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urban, K.; Sicakova, A.

    2017-10-01

    The paper deals with the use of alternative powder additives (fly ash and fine fraction of recycled concrete) to improve the recycled concrete aggregate and this occurs directly in the concrete mixing process. Specific mixing process (triple mixing method) is applied as it is favourable for this goal. Results of compressive strength after 2 and 28 days of hardening are given. Generally, using powder additives for coating the coarse recycled concrete aggregate in the first stage of triple mixing resulted in decrease of compressive strength, comparing the cement. There is no very important difference between samples based on recycled concrete aggregate and those based on natural aggregate as far as the cement is used for coating. When using both the fly ash and recycled concrete powder, the kind of aggregate causes more significant differences in compressive strength, with the values of those based on the recycled concrete aggregate being worse.

  1. Constitutive model for reinforced concrete

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Feenstra, P.H.; Borst, de R.

    1995-01-01

    A numerical model is proposed for reinforced-concrete behavior that combines the commonly accepted ideas from modeling plain concrete, reinforcement, and interaction behavior in a consistent manner. The behavior of plain concrete is govern by fracture-energy-level-based formulation both in tension

  2. Maintenance and preservation of concrete structures. Report 3: Abrasion-erosion resistance of concrete

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, T. C.

    1980-07-01

    This report describes a laboratory test program on abrasion-erosion resistance of concrete, including the development of a new underwater abrasion-erosion test method. This program was designed to evaluate the relative abrasion-erosion resistance of various materials considered for use in the repair of erosion-damaged concrete structures. The test program encompassed three concrete types (conventional concrete, fiber-reinforced concrete, and polymer concrete); seven aggregate types (limestone, chert, trap rock, quartzite, granite, siliceous gravel, and slag); three principal water-cement rations (0.72, 0.54, and 0.40); and six types of surface treatment (vacuum, polyurethane coating, acrylic mortar coating, epoxy mortar coating, furan resin mortar coating, and iron aggregate topping). A total of 114 specimens made from 41 batches of concrete was tested. Based on the test data obtained, a comprehensive evaluation of the effects of various parameters on the abrasion-erosion resistance of concrete was presented. Materials suitable for use in the repair of erosion-damaged concrete structures were recommended. Additional work to correlate the reported findings with field performance was formulated.

  3. Strengthening of Concrete Structures with cement based bonded composites

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Täljsten, Björn; Blanksvärd, Thomas

    2008-01-01

    Polymers). The method is very efficient and has achieved world wide attention. However, there are some drawbacks with the use of epoxy, e.g. working environment, compatibility and permeability. Substituting the epoxy adherent with a cement based bonding agent will render a strengthening system...... with improved working environment and better compatibility to the base concrete structure. This study gives an overview of different cement based systems, all with very promising results for structural upgrading. Studied parameters are structural retrofit for bending, shear and confinement. It is concluded...

  4. Chloride transport under compressive load in bacteria-based self-healing concrete

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Binti Md Yunus, B.; Schlangen, E.; Jonkers, H.M.

    2015-01-01

    An experiment was carried out in this study to investigate the effect of compressive load on chloride penetration in self-healing concrete containing bacterial-based healing agent. Bacteria-based healing agent with the fraction of 2 mm – 4 mm of particles sizes were used in this contribution. ESEM

  5. Magnetic-based NDE of steel in prestressed and post-tensioned concrete bridges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghorbanpoor, Al

    1998-03-01

    This paper addresses a study, funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), that is currently underway at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The objective of the study is to develop an automated non-destructive testing system based on the magnetic flux leakage principle that would allow assessment of the condition of reinforcing and prestressing steels in concrete bridge components. Corrosion or cracking of steel within concrete members will be detected and evaluated. The system will be used as a self clamping and moving sensing device that can be installed on a concrete girder. Data from the sensing device is transmitted via a wireless communication system to data recording/analysis equipment on the ground. The sensing device may also be operated manually to allow inspection of local areas such as the end bearing or cable anchorage locations in cable bridges. Through performing a correlation analysis of recorded data, an assessment of the condition of the member under test is made. Reference data base for the correlation analysis is established through laboratory and field testing with known conditions.

  6. Performance Based Evaluation of Concrete Strength under Various Curing Conditions to Investigate Climate Change Effects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tae-Kyun Kim

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Recently, the manifestation of global warming-induced climate change has been observed through super typhoons, heavy snowfalls, torrential rains, and extended heat waves. These climate changes have been occurring all over the world and natural disasters have caused severe damage and deterioration of concrete structures and infrastructure. In an effort to deal with these problems due to extreme and abnormal climate changes, studies have been conducted to develop construction technologies and design guidelines. Nevertheless, study results applicable to construction sites continue to be ineffective and insufficient. Therefore, this study proposes ways to cope with climate change by considering the effect of concrete curing condition variations on concrete material performance. More specifically, the 3-, 7- and 28-day compressive and split tensile strength properties of concrete mix cured under various climatic factors including temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and sunlight exposure time were evaluated to determine whether the concrete meets the current design requirements. Thereafter, a performance based evaluation (PBE was performed using satisfaction probabilities based on the test values to understand the problems associated with the current mix proportion design practice and to identify countermeasures to deal with climate change-induced curing conditions.

  7. Olive pomace based lightweight concrete, an experimental approach and contribution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lynda Amel Chaabane

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Due to conventional aggregates resources depletion, material recycling has become an economic and ecologic alternative. In this paper, locally available natural residues such as olive pomace were investigated, when partially incorporated in the concrete formulation, since the mechanical characteristics of lightweight aggregate concrete strongly depend on its properties and proportions. Lightweight aggregates are more deformable than the cement matrix because of their high porosity, and their influence on the concrete strength remains complex. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the aggregates properties on lightweight concrete mechanical behaviour through an experimental approach. In addition, the different substitution sequences and the W/C ratio on lightweight concrete behaviour were evaluated, in order to determine the W/C ratio influence on the improvement of the lightweight concrete mechanical properties while knowing that the mixing water quantity gives the cement paste manoeuvrability and mechanical strength effects. The last part of this paper, therefore, was to provide statistical survey for estimating strength and weight reduction through the different natural aggregate substitutions to improve the lightweight concrete properties. The results achieved in a significant olive-pomace lower adhesion with the matrix after the cement setting, making the lightweight concrete mechanical strength weak. However, this work can open several perspectives: Results modeling and correlation with an experimental approach, the evolution and determination of lightweight concrete characteristics when exposed to high temperatures and thermohydric properties.

  8. Fracture Mechanics of Concrete

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ulfkjær, Jens Peder

    Chapter 1 Chapter l contains the introduction to this thesis. The scope of the thesis is partly to investigate different numerical and analytical models based on fracture mechanical ideas, which are able to predict size effects, and partly to perform an experimental investigation on high-strength......Chapter 1 Chapter l contains the introduction to this thesis. The scope of the thesis is partly to investigate different numerical and analytical models based on fracture mechanical ideas, which are able to predict size effects, and partly to perform an experimental investigation on high......-strength concrete. Chapter 2 A description of the factors which influence the strength and cracking of concrete and high strength concrete is made. Then basic linear fracture mechanics is outlined followed by a description and evaluation of the models used to describe concrete fracture in tension. The chapter ends...... and the goveming equations are explicit and simple. These properties of the model make it a very powerful tool, which is applicable for the designing engineer. The method is also extended to reinforced concrete, where the results look very promising. The large experimental investigation on high-strength concrete...

  9. Finite element model updating of concrete structures based on imprecise probability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biswal, S.; Ramaswamy, A.

    2017-09-01

    Imprecise probability based methods are developed in this study for the parameter estimation, in finite element model updating for concrete structures, when the measurements are imprecisely defined. Bayesian analysis using Metropolis Hastings algorithm for parameter estimation is generalized to incorporate the imprecision present in the prior distribution, in the likelihood function, and in the measured responses. Three different cases are considered (i) imprecision is present in the prior distribution and in the measurements only, (ii) imprecision is present in the parameters of the finite element model and in the measurement only, and (iii) imprecision is present in the prior distribution, in the parameters of the finite element model, and in the measurements. Procedures are also developed for integrating the imprecision in the parameters of the finite element model, in the finite element software Abaqus. The proposed methods are then verified against reinforced concrete beams and prestressed concrete beams tested in our laboratory as part of this study.

  10. Crack identification for reinforced concrete using PZT based smart rebar active sensing diagnostic network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, N. N.; Wu, F.

    2016-04-01

    An active sensing diagnostic system using PZT based smart rebar for SHM of RC structure has been currently under investigation. Previous test results showed that the system could detect the de-bond of concrete from reinforcement, and the diagnostic signals were increased exponentially with the de-bonding size. Previous study also showed that the smart rebar could function well like regular reinforcement to undertake tension stresses. In this study, a smart rebar network has been used to detect the crack damage of concrete based on guided waves. Experimental test has been carried out for the study. In the test, concrete beams with 2 reinforcements have been built. 8 sets of PZT elements were mounted onto the reinforcement bars in an optimized way to form an active sensing diagnostic system. A 90 kHz 5-cycle Hanning-windowed tone burst was used as input. Multiple cracks have been generated on the concrete structures. Through the guided bulk waves propagating in the structures from actuators and sensors mounted from different bars, crack damage could be detected clearly. Cases for both single and multiple cracks were tested. Different crack depths from the surface and different crack numbers have been studied. Test result shows that the amplitude of sensor output signals is deceased linearly with a propagating crack, and is decreased exponentially with increased crack numbers. From the study, the active sensing diagnostic system using PZT based smart rebar network shows a promising way to provide concrete crack damage information through the "talk" among sensors.

  11. TEXTILE TECHNOLOGIES IN CONCRETE ENVIRONMENTS."

    OpenAIRE

    Morrow, Ruth; Belford, Patricia

    2007-01-01

    Girli Concrete is a cross disciplinary funded research project based in the University of Ulster involving a textile designer/ researcher, an architect/ academic and a concrete manufacturing firm.Girli Concrete brings together concrete and textile technologies, testing ideas ofconcrete as textile and textile as structure. It challenges the perception of textiles as only the ‘dressing’ to structure and instead integrates textile technologies into the products of building products. Girli Concre...

  12. Physical barrier effect of geopolymeric waste form on diffusivity of cesium and strontium

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jang, J.G.; Park, S.M.; Lee, H.K., E-mail: haengki@kaist.ac.kr

    2016-11-15

    Highlights: • Physical immobilization of radionuclides in geopolymer was quantitatively assessed. • Fly ash-based geopolymer showed excellent immobilization performance. • Diffusivity of soluble Cs and Sr was highly correlated with critical pore diameter. - Abstract: The present study investigates the physical barrier effect of geopolymeric waste form on leaching behavior of cesium and strontium. Fly ash-based geopolymers and slag-blended geopolymers were used as solidification agents. The leaching behavior of cesium and strontium from geopolymers was evaluated in accordance with ANSI/ANS-16.1. The diffusivity of cesium and strontium in a fly ash-based geopolymer was lower than that in Portland cement by a factor of 10{sup 3} and 10{sup 4}, respectively, showing significantly improved immobilization performance. The leaching resistance of fly ash-based geopolymer was relatively constant regardless of the type of fly ash. The diffusivity of water-soluble cesium and strontium ions were highly correlated with the critical pore diameter of the binder. The critical pore diameter of the fly ash-based geopolymer was remarkably smaller than those of Portland cement and slag-blended geopolymer; consequently, its ability physically to retard the diffusion of nuclides (physical barrier effect) was superior.

  13. Sustainable monitoring of concrete structures : strength and durability performance of polymer-modified self-sensing concrete

    OpenAIRE

    Torgal, Fernando Pacheco; Gonzalez, J.; Jalali, Said

    2012-01-01

    Concrete structures all over the world are reaching the end of their service life sooner than expected. This is due to the fact that ordinary Portland cement-based concrete deteriorates under environmental actions and also that structural inspections and conservation actions are expensive. Besides, as they consume energy and non-renewable resources, they have negative environmental impacts. Self-sensing concrete provides an alternative way of monitoring concrete-reinforced structures...

  14. Geopolymerisation of fly ashes with waste aluminium anodising etching solutions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogundiran, M B; Nugteren, H W; Witkamp, G J

    2016-10-01

    Combined management of coal combustion fly ash and waste aluminium anodising etching solutions using geopolymerisation presents economic and environmental benefits. The possibility of using waste aluminium anodising etching solution (AES) as activator to produce fly ash geopolymers in place of the commonly used silicate solutions was explored in this study. Geopolymerisation capacities of five European fly ashes with AES and the leaching of elements from their corresponding geopolymers were studied. Conventional commercial potassium silicate activator-based geopolymers were used as a reference. The geopolymers produced were subjected to physical, mechanical and leaching tests. The leaching of elements was tested on 28 days cured and crushed geopolymers using NEN 12457-4, NEN 7375, SPLP and TCLP leaching tests. After 28 days ambient curing, the geopolymers based on the etching solution activator showed compressive strength values between 51 and 84 MPa, whereas the commercial potassium silicate based geopolymers gave compressive strength values between 89 and 115 MPa. Based on the regulatory limits currently associated with the used leaching tests, all except one of the produced geopolymers (with above threshold leaching of As and Se) passed the recommended limits. The AES-geopolymer geopolymers demonstrated excellent compressive strength, although less than geopolymers made from commercial activator. Additionally, they demonstrated low element leaching potentials and therefore can be suitable for use in construction works. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  15. Probabilistic design of fibre concrete structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pukl, R.; Novák, D.; Sajdlová, T.; Lehký, D.; Červenka, J.; Červenka, V.

    2017-09-01

    Advanced computer simulation is recently well-established methodology for evaluation of resistance of concrete engineering structures. The nonlinear finite element analysis enables to realistically predict structural damage, peak load, failure, post-peak response, development of cracks in concrete, yielding of reinforcement, concrete crushing or shear failure. The nonlinear material models can cover various types of concrete and reinforced concrete: ordinary concrete, plain or reinforced, without or with prestressing, fibre concrete, (ultra) high performance concrete, lightweight concrete, etc. Advanced material models taking into account fibre concrete properties such as shape of tensile softening branch, high toughness and ductility are described in the paper. Since the variability of the fibre concrete material properties is rather high, the probabilistic analysis seems to be the most appropriate format for structural design and evaluation of structural performance, reliability and safety. The presented combination of the nonlinear analysis with advanced probabilistic methods allows evaluation of structural safety characterized by failure probability or by reliability index respectively. Authors offer a methodology and computer tools for realistic safety assessment of concrete structures; the utilized approach is based on randomization of the nonlinear finite element analysis of the structural model. Uncertainty of the material properties or their randomness obtained from material tests are accounted in the random distribution. Furthermore, degradation of the reinforced concrete materials such as carbonation of concrete, corrosion of reinforcement, etc. can be accounted in order to analyze life-cycle structural performance and to enable prediction of the structural reliability and safety in time development. The results can serve as a rational basis for design of fibre concrete engineering structures based on advanced nonlinear computer analysis. The presented

  16. Research on working property and early age mechanical property of self-compacting concrete used in steel-concrete structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao Yongguang

    2013-01-01

    Background: Self-compacting concrete that has good working property is the prerequisite of steel-concrete structure. The early age mechanical property of self-compacting concrete is the important parameter when design steel-concrete structure. Purpose: This paper attempts to research the working property and early age mechanical property of self-compacting concrete. Methods: Test is used to research the working property and early age mechanical property of self-compacting concrete. Results: Self-compacting concrete that could meet the requirement of steel-concrete structure has been mixed and parameters of early age mechanical property of self-compacting concrete which is necessary for design of steel-concrete structure have been presented. Conclusions: Base on the results, this paper can guide the construction of self-compacting concrete in steel-concrete structure and the design and construction of steel-concrete structure. (author)

  17. Recycled Concrete as Aggregate for Structural Concrete Production

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mirjana Malešev

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available A comparative analysis of the experimental results of the properties of fresh and hardened concrete with different replacement ratios of natural with recycled coarse aggregate is presented in the paper. Recycled aggregate was made by crushing the waste concrete of laboratory test cubes and precast concrete columns. Three types of concrete mixtures were tested: concrete made entirely with natural aggregate (NAC as a control concrete and two types of concrete made with natural fine and recycled coarse aggregate (50% and 100% replacement of coarse recycled aggregate. Ninety-nine specimens were made for the testing of the basic properties of hardened concrete. Load testing of reinforced concrete beams made of the investigated concrete types is also presented in the paper. Regardless of the replacement ratio, recycled aggregate concrete (RAC had a satisfactory performance, which did not differ significantly from the performance of control concrete in this experimental research. However, for this to be fulfilled, it is necessary to use quality recycled concrete coarse aggregate and to follow the specific rules for design and production of this new concrete type.

  18. How Concrete Is Concrete?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gravemeijer, Koeno

    2011-01-01

    If we want to make something concrete in mathematics education, we are inclined introduce, what we call, "manipulatives", in the form of tactile objects or visual representations. If we want to make something concrete in a everyday-life conversation, we look for an example. In the former, we try to make a concrete model of our own,…

  19. Applications of Foamed Lightweight Concrete

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohd Sari Kamarul Aini

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Application of foamed concrete is increasing at present due to high demand on foamed concrete structures with good mechanical and physical properties. This paper discusses on the use of basic raw materials, their characteristics, production process, and their application in foamed lightweight concrete with densities between 300 kg/m3 and 1800 kg/m3. It also discusses the factors that influence the strengths and weaknesses of foamed concrete based on studies that were conducted previously.

  20. Proceedings of the national seminar on advanced construction techniques and geotechnical engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Partheeban, P.; Poornima, C.A.; Guru, V.

    2015-02-01

    The objective of this seminar is to emphasize the need for developing modern construction materials in the era of technology. It also provides a forum for National Research Scholars, Construction Specialists and Professionals, Planners, Faculty, PG and UG Students to discuss and evolve solutions for various difficulties faced during construction. Theme of seminar includes Geotechnical site Investigation, Ground improvement Techniques, Soil Dynamics, Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering, Geo- Environmental Engineering, Self Compacting Concrete, Geopolymer Concrete and Concrete Technology, Cost Effective Construction Techniques, Limit state performance state approach Elastic and Elasto-plastic behavior and Reduction of Corrosion in concrete using Chemical admixtures. Paper relevant to INIS are indexed separately

  1. Reliability-Based Approach for the Determination of the Required Compressive Strength of Concrete in Mix Design

    OpenAIRE

    Okasha , Nader M

    2017-01-01

    International audience; Concrete is recognized as the second most consumed product in our modern life after water. The variability in concrete properties is inevitable. The concrete mix is designed for a compressive strength that is different from, typically higher than, the value specified by the structural designer. Ways to calculate the compressive strength to be used in the mix design are provided in building and structural codes. These ways are all based on criteria related purely and on...

  2. Investigation of novel composite material based on extra-heavy concrete and basalt fiber for gamma radiation protection properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Romanenko, Yi.M.; Nosovs'kij, A.V.; Gulyik, V.Yi.; Golyuk, M.Yi.

    2018-01-01

    The paper presents a new composite material for radiation protection based on extra-heavy concrete reinforced by basalt fiber. Basalt fiber is a new material for concrete reinforcement, which provides improved mechanical characteristics of concrete, reduces the level of microcracks and increases the durability of concrete. Within the scope of present work, the gamma-ray radiation protection properties of concrete reinforced with basalt fiber was modeled. Two types of extra-heavy concrete were used for this paper. The main gamma-ray attenuation coefficients such as mean atomic number, mean atomic mass, mean electron density, effective atomic number, effective electron density, Murty effective atomic number were analyzed with help of WinXCom software. It has been shown that the addition of basalt fiber to concrete does not impair its gamma-ray radiation shielding properties. With increasing the basalt fiber dosage in concrete, the radiation properties against gamma radiation are improved.

  3. Portland cement concrete air content study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1987-04-20

    This study took the analysis of Portland cement concrete air content. Based on the information gathered, this study hold the results were : 1) air-entrained concrete was more durable than non-air entrained concrete all other factors being equal; 2) A...

  4. Characterization of Early Age Curing and Shrinkage of Metakaolin-Based Inorganic Binders with Different Rheological Behavior by Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palumbo, Giovanna; Iadicicco, Agostino; Messina, Francesco; Ferone, Claudio; Campopiano, Stefania; Cioffi, Raffaele; Colangelo, Francesco

    2017-12-22

    This paper reports results related to early age temperature and shrinkage measurements by means fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs), which were embedded in geopolymer matrices. The sensors were properly packaged in order to discriminate between different shrinkage behavior and temperature development. Geopolymer systems based on metakaolin were investigated, which dealt with different commercial aluminosilicate precursors and siliceous filler contents. The proposed measuring system will allow us to control, in a very accurate way, the early age phases of the binding systems made by metakaolin geopolymer. A series of experiments were conducted on different compositions; moreover, rheological issues related to the proposed experimental method were also assessed.

  5. A Study on Load Carrying Capacity of Fly Ash Based Polymer Concrete Columns Strengthened Using Double Layer GFRP Wrapping

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Nagan

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper investigates the suitability of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP sheets in strengthening of fly ash based polymer members under compression. Experimental results revealed that load carrying capacity of the confined columns increases with GFRP sheets wrapping. Altogether 18 specimens of M30 and G30 grade short columns were fabricated. The G30 specimens were prepared separately in 8 molarity and 12 molarity of sodium hydroxide concentration. Twelve specimens for low calcium fly ash based reinforced polymer concrete and six specimens of ordinary Portland cement reinforced concrete were cast. Three specimens from each molarity fly ash based reinforced polymer concrete and ordinary Portland cement reinforced concrete were wrapped with double layer of GFRP sheets. The load carrying capacity of fly ash based polymer concrete was tested and compared with control specimens. The results show increase in load carrying capacity and ductility index for all strengthened elements. The maximum increase in load carrying capacity was 68.53% and is observed in strengthened G30 specimens.

  6. CONCRETE MIX DESIGN FOR STRUCTURES SUBJECTED TO EXPOSURE CLASS XC1 DEPENDING ON CONCRETE COVER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O. Yu. Cherniakevich

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The reinforced steel corrosion which is the most important problem of reinforced concrete structures durability is generally stipulated for carbonization of concrete surrounding it. Concrete cover calculation at the design stage is predicated one because of the differences in manufacturing conditions and use of constructions. The applying of the probabilistic approaches to the carbonation process modeling allows to get predicated grade of the depth of carbonization of concrete and, thus, to settle minimum concrete cover thickness for a given projected service life of a construction. The procedures for concrete mix design for different strength classes of concrete are described in the article. Current recommendations on assignment of concrete strength class as well as concrete cover are presented. The European Standard EN 206:2013 defines the content requirements for the concrete structures operated in the exposure class XC1, including the minimum values of water-cement ratio, minimum cement content, and minimum strength class of concrete. Since the standard does not include any basis or explanations of the requirements, we made an effort to develop a scientific justification for the mentioned requirements. We developed the probabilistic models for the process of carbonation of concrete based on the concrete mix which was designed using the software VTK-Korroziya. The reinforced concrete structures with concrete cover 20–35 mm operated in the most unfavorable conditions within the exposure class XC1 were analyzed. The corresponding probabilistic calculations of the depth of carbonated concrete are described in the article. 

  7. ALKALINE TREATMENT AND IMMOBILIZATION OF SECONDARY WASTE FROM WASTE INCINERATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dariusz Mierzwiński

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available This paper regards the possibility of using geopolymer matrix to immobilize heavy metals present in ash and slag from combustion of waste. In the related research one used the fly ash from coal combustion in one Polish CHP plant and the waste from Polish incineration plants. It was studied if the above-named waste materials are useful in the process of alkali-activation. Therefore, three sets of geopolymer mixtures were prepared containing 60, 50 and 30% of ash and slag from the combustion of waste and fly ash combustion of sewage skudge. The remaining content was fly ash from coal combustion. The alkali-activation was conducted by means of 14M solution of NaOH and sodium water glass. The samples, whose dimensions were in accordance with the PN-EN 206-1 norm, were subjected to 75°C for 24h. According to the results, the geopolymer matrix is able to immobilize heavy metals and retain compressive strength resembling that of concrete.

  8. An historical examination of concrete

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mallinson, L.G.

    1986-03-01

    The requirement that concrete in nuclear waste repositories be stable physically and chemically for hundreds, if not thousands, of years has initiated studies of ancient and old concretes. The history of cement and concrete is described. The oldest know concrete, from Yugoslavia, is ca. 7,500 years old. Concrete was used in many ancient civilisations, including those of Egypt, Greece and Rome. Ancient concretes were usually based upon lime, but sometimes gypsum was used. Pure lime concretes hardened by atomospheric carbonation but the Ancients, in particular the Romans, also employed hydraulic limes and discovered pozzolanas to make superior concretes which, upon hardening, contained complex cementitious hydrates including calcium-silicate-hydrate (CSH), the principal binding element in Portland cement concrete. Portland cement was not invented until 1824 or later and consists principally of calcium silicates formed by clinkerisation of a mixture of limestone and clay in carefully measured proportions. The cement sets hydraulically to form, principally, calcium hydroxide and CSH, the latter being an amorphous or semi-amorphous substance of variable composition. The published literature relating to the analysis of old and ancient cements and concretes is reviewed. A suite of samples spanning the history of concrete has been obtained. A variety of physical and chemical techniques have been employed to characterise these samples. (author)

  9. Recycled Concrete as Aggregate for Structural Concrete Production

    OpenAIRE

    Mirjana Malešev; Vlastimir Radonjanin; Snežana Marinković

    2010-01-01

    A comparative analysis of the experimental results of the properties of fresh and hardened concrete with different replacement ratios of natural with recycled coarse aggregate is presented in the paper. Recycled aggregate was made by crushing the waste concrete of laboratory test cubes and precast concrete columns. Three types of concrete mixtures were tested: concrete made entirely with natural aggregate (NAC) as a control concrete and two types of concrete made with natural fine and recycle...

  10. Waste-Based Pervious Concrete for Climate-Resilient Pavements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Hsin-Lung; Huang, Ran; Hwang, Lih-Chuan; Lin, Wei-Ting; Hsu, Hui-Mi

    2018-05-27

    For the sake of environmental protection and circular economy, cement reduction and cement substitutes have become popular research topics, and the application of green materials has become an important issue in the development of building materials. This study developed green pervious concrete using water-quenched blast-furnace slag (BFS) and co-fired fly ash (CFFA) to replace cement. The objectives of this study were to gauge the feasibility of using a non-cement binder in pervious concrete and identify the optimal binder mix design in terms of compressive strength, permeability, and durability. For filled percentage of voids by cement paste (FPVs) of 70%, 80%, and 90%, which mixed with CFFA and BFS as the binder (40 + 60%, 50 + 50%, and 60 + 40%) to create pervious concrete with no cement. The results indicate that the complete (100%) replacement of cement with CFFA and BFS with no alkaline activator could induce hydration, setting, and hardening. After a curing period of 28 days, the compressive strength with different FPVs could reach approximately 90% that of the control cement specimens. The cementless pervious concrete specimens with BFS:CFFA = 7:3 and FPV = 90% presented better engineering properties and permeability.

  11. The Future Concrete: Self-Compacting Concrete

    OpenAIRE

    Iureş, Liana; Bob, Corneliu

    2010-01-01

    The paper presents the characteristics of the self-compacting concretes, their advantages and disadvantages when they are used in buildings. Due to its properties and composition, the self-compacting concrete is described here as being one of the future friendly enviromental material for buildings. Tests concerning to obtaining a self-compacting concrete, together with the specific fresh concrete properties tests, are described.

  12. Mathematical modeling for corrosion environment estimation based on concrete resistivity measurement directly above reinforcement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, Young-Chul; Lee, Han-Seung; Noguchi, Takafumi

    2009-01-01

    This study aims to formulate a resistivity model whereby the concrete resistivity expressing the environment of steel reinforcement can be directly estimated and evaluated based on measurement immediately above reinforcement as a method of evaluating corrosion deterioration in reinforced concrete structures. It also aims to provide a theoretical ground for the feasibility of durability evaluation by electric non-destructive techniques with no need for chipping of cover concrete. This Resistivity Estimation Model (REM), which is a mathematical model using the mirror method, combines conventional four-electrode measurement of resistivity with geometric parameters including cover depth, bar diameter, and electrode intervals. This model was verified by estimation using this model at areas directly above reinforcement and resistivity measurement at areas unaffected by reinforcement in regard to the assessment of the concrete resistivity. Both results strongly correlated, proving the validity of this model. It is expected to be applicable to laboratory study and field diagnosis regarding reinforcement corrosion. (author)

  13. Experimental study of a foam concrete based on local Tunisian materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ellouze Dorra

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The building sector in Tunisia is very energy-intensive, the largest share of energy consumption comes from factories of building materials namely brick and cement plants. This work is part of the reduction of the energy bill in the building envelope. Indeed, the foam concrete can be walls in single or double wall with better insulating power. This paper presents an experimental study on the technical problems related to the formulation and manufacture of a new cellular concrete in Tunisia, called "foam" concrete, from Tunisian local materials. Indeed, six varieties of sand of different provenance and grain size will be analyzed, the "good" sand is the one that is best suited for the manufacture of foam concrete. Two clean, fine-grained (0/2mm rolled grain sands were retained. Then four foam concretes were formulated using each time a single type of sand and varying the density namely 0.8 and 1. These four formulations were tested mechanically and thermally. The results found showed that compressive strengths do not exceed 1.5 MPa at 28 days. Thus, the foam concrete can be used only as a filling concrete in non-load bearing elements such as partition walls. The guarded hot plate method was used to determine the thermal conductivities of the four foamed concretes studied. A low thermal conductivity was found of the order of 0.22 W/m°K which prove the insulating power of foam concrete.

  14. Evaluation of crushed concrete base strength.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-12-01

    This research project was conducted with two primary objectives, which include: 1) determine whether current Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) requirements for recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) provide adequate materials for a roadway ...

  15. VISCOELASTIC STRUCTURAL MODEL OF ASPHALT CONCRETE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. Bogomolov

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The viscoelastic rheological model of asphalt concrete based on the generalized Kelvin model is offered. The mathematical model of asphalt concrete viscoelastic behavior that can be used for calculation of asphalt concrete upper layers of non-rigid pavements for strength and rutting has been developed. It has been proved that the structural model of Burgers does not fully meet all the requirements of the asphalt-concrete.

  16. Study of behavior of concrete and cement based composite materials exposed to high temperatures

    OpenAIRE

    Bodnárová, L.; Horák, D.; Válek, J.; Hela, R.; Sitek, L. (Libor)

    2013-01-01

    The paper describes possibilities of observation of behaviour of concrete and cement based composite material exposed to high temperatures. Nowadays, for large-scale tests of behaviour of concrete exposed to high temperatures, testing devices of certified fire testing stations in the Czech Republic and surrounding states are used. These tests are quite expensive. For experimental verification of smaller test specimens, a testing device was built at the Technical University in Brno, wher...

  17. The Future Concrete: Self-Compacting Concrete

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liana Iureş

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents the characteristics of the self-compacting concretes, their advantages and disadvantages when they are used in buildings. Due to its properties and composition, the self-compacting concrete is described here as being one of the future friendly enviromental material for buildings. Tests concerning to obtaining a self-compacting concrete, together with the specific fresh concrete properties tests, are described.

  18. Performance of Waterless Concrete

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toutanji, Houssam; Evans, Steve; Grugel, Richard N.

    2010-01-01

    The development of permanent lunar bases is constrained by performance of construction materials and availability of in-situ resources. Concrete seems a suitable construction material for the lunar environment, but water, one of its major components, is an extremely scarce resource on the Moon. This study explores an alternative to hydraulic concrete by replacing the binding mix of concrete (cement and water) with sulfur. Sulfur is a volatile element on the lunar surface that can be extracted from lunar soils by heating. Sulfur concrete mixes were prepared to investigate the effect of extreme environmental conditions on the properties of sulfur concrete. A hypervelocity impact test was conducted, having as its target a 5-cm cubic sample of sulfur concrete. This item consisted of JSC-1 lunar regolith simulant (65%) and sulfur (35%). The sample was placed in the MSFC Impact Test Facility s Micro Light Gas Gun target chamber, and was struck by a 1-mm diameter (1.4e-03 g) aluminum projectile at 5.85 km/s. In addition, HZTERN code, provided by NASA was used to study the effectiveness of sulfur concrete when subjected to space radiation.

  19. Bacteria-based self-healing concrete for application in the marine environment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Palin, D.; Wiktor, V.; Jonkers, H.M.

    2013-01-01

    Marine concrete structures are exposed to one of the most hostile of natural environments. Many physical and chemical phenomena are usually interdependent and mutually reinforcing in the deterioration of marine exposed concrete: expansion and microcracking due to physical effects increases concrete

  20. Long-term chloride migration coefficient in slag cement-based concrete and resistivity as an alternative test method

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Noort, R.; Hunger, M.; Spiesz, P.R.

    2016-01-01

    This article reports on investigations of the resistivity and chloride migration coefficient (DRCM) obtained in the accelerated Rapid Chloride Migration test for slag cement-based concretes. Determinations of the resistivity and DRCM were performed on 47 different concrete compositions, up to the

  1. Strain measurement in concrete using embedded carbon roving-based sensors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Quadflieg, Till; Gries, Thomas; Stolyarov, Oleg

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents the results of the application of carbon rovings as strain sensors for measuring the strain in concrete. In this work, three types of electrically conductive carbon roving with different characteristics were used. The possibility of using carbon rovings as a strain sensor is demonstrated via measurements in tensile and four point bending tests. The experimental setups and methods for measuring the electrical resistance of carbon roving in the roving and concrete are described. The results of the characterization of the electrical behavior as a function of strain of carbon rovings and concrete are presented and discussed. The obtained results indicate that the strain range of carbon rovings optimally corresponds to the strain range of concrete. This characteristic behavior makes the carbon rovings well suited for the use as strain sensors. A good correlation has been found between the electrical resistance-strain curve of the carbon roving and the measurements in the concrete.

  2. Reactive powder based concretes: Mechanical properties, durability and hybrid use with OPC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cwirzen, A.; Penttala, V.; Vornanen, C.

    2008-01-01

    The basic mechanical properties, frost durability and the bond strength with normal strength concretes of the ultra high strength (UHS) mortars and concretes were studied. The produced mixes had plastic or fluid-like consistency. The 28-day compressive strength varied between 170 and 202 MPa for the heat-treated specimens and between 130 and 150 MPa for the non-heat-treated specimens. The shrinkage values were two times higher for the UHS mortars in comparison with the UHS concretes. After the initial shrinkage, swelling was noticed in the UHS mortars. The lowest creep values were measured for the non-heat-treated UHS concretes. The frost-deicing salts durability of the UHS mortars and concretes appeared to be very good even despite the increased water uptake of the UHS concretes. The study of the hybrid concrete beams indicated the formation of low strength transition zone between the UHS mortar and normal strength concrete

  3. HYDRAULIC CONCRETE COMPOSITION AND PROPERTIES CONTROL SYSTEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O. M. Pshinko

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. Scientific work aims at the development and testing of information system to meet the challenges of concrete composition design and control (for railway structures and buildings based on the physico-analytical method algorithm for hydraulic concrete composition calculation. Methodology. The proposed algorithm of hydraulic concrete composition calculation is based on the physicochemical mechanics and in particular on the rheology of elastic–viscous–plastic bodies. The system of canonical equations consists of the equations for concrete strength, absolute volume, concrete mix consistency as well as the equation for optimal concrete saturation with aggregates while minimizing cement content. The joint solution of these four equations related to composition allows determining for the materials the concrete composition of required strength, concrete workability with minimum cement content. The procedure for calculation of hydraulic concrete composition according to the physico-analytical method consists of two parts: 1 physical, which is laboratory testing of concrete mix components in different concrete compositions; 2 analytical, which represents the calculation algorithm for concrete compositions equivalent in concrete strength and workability that comply with the specific conditions of concrete placing. Findings. To solve the problem of designing the concrete composition with the desired properties for railway structures and buildings it was proposed to use the information technology in the form of a developed computer program whose algorithm includes the physico-analytical method for hydraulic concrete composition determination. Originality. The developed concrete composition design method takes into account the basic properties of raw materials, concrete mix and concrete, which are pre-determined. The distinctive feature of physico-analytical method is obtaining of a set of equivalent compositions with a certain concrete mix

  4. Tensile behavior and tension stiffening of reinforced concrete

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choun, Young Sun; Seo, Jeong Moon

    2001-03-01

    For the ultimate behavior analysis of containment buildings under severe accident conditions, a clear understanding of tensile behaviors of plain and reinforced concrete is necessary. Nonlinear models for tensile behaviors of concrete are also needed. This report describe following items: tensile behaviors of plain concrete, test results of reinforced concrete panels in uniaxial and biaxial tension, tension stiffening. The tensile behaviors of reinforced concrete are significantly influenced by the properties of concrete and reinforcing steel. Thus, for a more reliable evaluation of tensile behavior and ultimate pressure capacity of a reinforced or prestressed concrete containment building, an advanced concrete model which can be considered rebar-concrete interaction effects should be developed. In additions, a crack behavior analysis method and tension stiffening models, which are based on fracture mechanics, should be developed. The model should be based on the various test data from specimens considering material and sectional properties of the containment building

  5. The Use of Alkaliphilic Bacteria-based Repair Solution for Porous Network Concrete Healing Mechanism

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sangadji, S.; Wiktor, V.A.C.; Jonkers, H.M.; Schlangen, H.E.J.G.

    2017-01-01

    Bacteria induced calcium carbonate precipitation based on metabolic conversion of nutrients has been acknowledged for having potentials in self-healing cement-based materials. Recent studies have shown the development of bacteria-based repair solution (liquid) for concrete surface repair. This

  6. Proportioning of light weight concrete

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Palmus, Lars

    1996-01-01

    Development of a method to determine the proportions of the raw materials in light weight concrete made with leight expanded clay aggregate. The method is based on composite theory......Development of a method to determine the proportions of the raw materials in light weight concrete made with leight expanded clay aggregate. The method is based on composite theory...

  7. The construction features of the deformation and force model of concrete and reinforced concrete resistance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Romashko Vasyl

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The main features of the deformation and force model of deformation of reinforced concrete elements and structures based on generalized diagrams of their state are considered in the article. Particular attention is focused on the basic methodological problems and shortcomings of modern "deformation" models. It is shown that in the most cases these problems can be solved by the generalized diagrams of reinforced concrete elements and structures real state. Thanks to these diagrams, the developed method: provides a single methodological approach to the calculation of reinforced concrete elements and structures normal sections for limit states; allows to reveal the internal static indeterminacy of heterogeneously deformable elements and structures in their ultimate limit state calculation; justifies the application of the basic and derived criteria of reinforced concrete elements and structures bearing capacity exhaustion; retains the essence of the physical processes of concrete and reinforced concrete structures deformation. The defining positions of the generalized (universal methodology for calculating reinforced concrete elements and structures are stated.

  8. TRANSPARENT CONCRETE

    OpenAIRE

    Sandeep Sharma*, Dr. O.P. Reddy

    2017-01-01

    Transparent concrete is the new type of concrete introduced in todays world which carries special property of light transmitting due to presence of light Optical fibres. Which is also known as translucent concrete or light transmitting concrete, it is achieved by replacing coarse aggregates with transparent alternate materials (Optical fibres). The binding material in transparent concrete may be able to transmit light by using clear resins the concrete mix. The concrete used in industry in pr...

  9. Investigation on dynamic performance of concrete column crumb rubber steel and fiber concrete

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siti Nurul Nureda, M. Z.; Mariyana, A. K.; Khiyon, M. Iqbal; Rahman, M. S. Abdul; Nurizaty, Z.

    2017-11-01

    In general the Normal Concrete (NC) are by quasi-brittle failure, where, the nearly complete loss of loading capacity, once failure is initiated especially under dynamic loadings. The significance of this study is to improve the damping properties of concrete structure by utilization of the recycled materials from waste tires to be used in concrete as structural materials that improve seismic performance. In this study, the concrete containing 10% of fine crumb rubber and 1 % volume fraction of steel fiber from waste tires is use to investigate the dynamic performance (natural frequency and damping ratio).A small scale column were fabricated from Treated Crumb Rubber and Steel Fiber Concrete (TCRSFC) and NC were cast and cured for 28 days to investigate the dynamic performance. Based on analysis, dynamic modulus, damping ratio and natural frequency of TCRSFC has improved considerably by 5.18%, 109% and 10.94% when compared with NC. The TCRSFC producing concrete with the desired properties as well as to introduce the huge potential as dynamic resistance structure from severe damage especially prevention on catastrophic failure.

  10. Mechanical and Physical Properties of Polyester Polymer Concrete Using Recycled Aggregates from Concrete Sleepers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francisco Carrión

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Currently, reuse of solid waste from disused infrastructures is an important environmental issue to study. In this research, polymer concrete was developed by mixing orthophthalic unsaturated polyester resin, artificial microfillers (calcium carbonate, and waste aggregates (basalt and limestone coming from the recycling process of concrete sleepers. The variation of the mechanical and physical properties of the polymer concrete (compressive strength, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, density, and water absorption was analyzed based on the modification of different variables: nature of the recycled aggregates, resin contents (11 wt%, 12 wt%, and 13 wt%, and particle-size distributions of microfillers used. The results show the influence of these variables on mechanical performance of polymer concrete. Compressive and flexural strength of recycled polymer concrete were improved by increasing amount of polyester resin and by optimizing the particle-size distribution of the microfillers. Besides, the results show the feasibility of developing a polymer concrete with excellent mechanical behavior.

  11. Mechanical and physical properties of polyester polymer concrete using recycled aggregates from concrete sleepers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrión, Francisco; Montalbán, Laura; Real, Julia I; Real, Teresa

    2014-01-01

    Currently, reuse of solid waste from disused infrastructures is an important environmental issue to study. In this research, polymer concrete was developed by mixing orthophthalic unsaturated polyester resin, artificial microfillers (calcium carbonate), and waste aggregates (basalt and limestone) coming from the recycling process of concrete sleepers. The variation of the mechanical and physical properties of the polymer concrete (compressive strength, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, density, and water absorption) was analyzed based on the modification of different variables: nature of the recycled aggregates, resin contents (11 wt%, 12 wt%, and 13 wt%), and particle-size distributions of microfillers used. The results show the influence of these variables on mechanical performance of polymer concrete. Compressive and flexural strength of recycled polymer concrete were improved by increasing amount of polyester resin and by optimizing the particle-size distribution of the microfillers. Besides, the results show the feasibility of developing a polymer concrete with excellent mechanical behavior.

  12. Spherical and cylindrical cavity expansion models based prediction of penetration depths of concrete targets.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaochao Jin

    Full Text Available The cavity expansion theory is most widely used to predict the depth of penetration of concrete targets. The main purpose of this work is to clarify the differences between the spherical and cylindrical cavity expansion models and their scope of application in predicting the penetration depths of concrete targets. The factors that influence the dynamic cavity expansion process of concrete materials were first examined. Based on numerical results, the relationship between expansion pressure and velocity was established. Then the parameters in the Forrestal's formula were fitted to have a convenient and effective prediction of the penetration depth. Results showed that both the spherical and cylindrical cavity expansion models can accurately predict the depth of penetration when the initial velocity is lower than 800 m/s. However, the prediction accuracy decreases with the increasing of the initial velocity and diameters of the projectiles. Based on our results, it can be concluded that when the initial velocity is higher than the critical velocity, the cylindrical cavity expansion model performs better than the spherical cavity expansion model in predicting the penetration depth, while when the initial velocity is lower than the critical velocity the conclusion is quite the contrary. This work provides a basic principle for selecting the spherical or cylindrical cavity expansion model to predict the penetration depth of concrete targets.

  13. Constitutive equations for cracked reinforced concrete based on a refined model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Geistefeldt, H.

    1977-01-01

    In this paper a refined nonlinear three-dimensional mechanical model for reinforced concrete is presented which can include the effects, depending on the given state of stress. The model is composed of three model-elements: component u-uncracked reinforced concrete with perfect bond (stiffness equal to the sum of the stiffnesses of concrete and reinforcement), component r-reinforcement free in surrounding concrete (reinforcement and concrete are having equal normal strains in noncracked directions and equal shear strains), component c-crack-part (shear stiffnesses in cracks is equal to the sum of shear stiffnesses of the reinforcement mesh, interface shear transfer and dowel action in cracks). The stress tensor of all components is equal to the global stress tensor. The strains are different from component to component corresponding to the local strain distribution in cracked reinforced concrete. For example the uniaxial behavior of reinforced concrete is modelled out of three springs k(u), k(r) and k(c) in series each having variable length l(u), l(r) or l(c). The uncracked structure is represented by k(u) only, l(r) and l(c) are zero. After cracking l(r) and l(c) are growing with the tensile load. When concrete tension stiffness between cracks has diminished, l(u) has reached the zero-value. The stress-dependent weights of the components in the model are derived from uniaxial theory and uniaxial test results

  14. Sulfur polymer cement concrete

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weber, H.H.; McBee, W.C.

    1990-01-01

    Sulfur-based composite materials formulated using sulfur polymer cement (SPC) and mineral aggregates are described and compared with conventional portland cement based materials. Materials characteristics presented include mechanical strength, chemical resistance, impact resistance, moisture permeation, and linear shrinkage during placement and curing. Examples of preparation and placement of sulfur polymer cement concrete (SC) are described using commercial scale equipment. SC applications presented are focused into hostile chemical environments where severe portland cement concrete (PCC) failure has occurred

  15. Revised Rules for Concrete Bridges

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thoft-Christensen, Palle; Jensen, F. M.; Middleton, C.

    This paper is based on research performed for the Highway Agency, London, UK under the project DPU/9/44 "Revision of Bridge Assessment Rules Based on Whole Life Performance: Concrete Bridges" It contains details of a methodology which can be used to generate Whole Life (WL) reliability profiles....... These WL reliability profiles may be used to establish revised rules for Concrete Bridges....

  16. Chlorine signal attenuation in concrete.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naqvi, A A; Maslehuddin, M; Ur-Rehman, Khateeb; Al-Amoudi, O S B

    2015-11-01

    The intensity of prompt gamma-ray was measured at various depths from chlorine-contaminated silica fume (SF) concrete slab concrete specimens using portable neutron generator-based prompt gamma-ray setup. The intensity of 6.11MeV chloride gamma-rays was measured from the chloride contaminated slab at distance of 15.25, 20.25, 25.25, 30.25 and 35.25cm from neutron target in a SF cement concrete slab specimens. Due to attenuation of thermal neutron flux and emitted gamma-ray intensity in SF cement concrete at various depths, the measured intensity of chlorine gamma-rays decreases non-linearly with increasing depth in concrete. A good agreement was noted between the experimental results and the results of Monte Carlo simulation. This study has provided useful experimental data for evaluating the chloride contamination in the SF concrete utilizing gamma-ray attenuation method. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Fatigue Performance of Fiber Reinforced Concrete

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jun, Zhang; Stang, Henrik

    1996-01-01

    The objective of the present study is to obtain basic data of fibre reinforced concrete under fatigue load and to set up a theoretical model based on micromechanics. In this study, the bridging stress in fiber reinforced concrete under cyclic tensile load was investigted in details. The damage...... mechanism of the interface between fiber and matrix was proposed and a rational model given. Finally, the response of a steel fiber reinforced concrete beam under fatigue loading was predicted based on this model and compared with experimental results....

  18. The effect of abstract versus concrete framing on judgments of biological and psychological bases of behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Nancy S; Johnson, Samuel G B; Ahn, Woo-Kyoung; Knobe, Joshua

    2017-01-01

    Human behavior is frequently described both in abstract, general terms and in concrete, specific terms. We asked whether these two ways of framing equivalent behaviors shift the inferences people make about the biological and psychological bases of those behaviors. In five experiments, we manipulated whether behaviors are presented concretely (i.e. with reference to a specific person, instantiated in the particular context of that person's life) or abstractly (i.e. with reference to a category of people or behaviors across generalized contexts). People judged concretely framed behaviors to be less biologically based and, on some dimensions, more psychologically based than the same behaviors framed in the abstract. These findings held true for both mental disorders (Experiments 1 and 2) and everyday behaviors (Experiments 4 and 5), and yielded downstream consequences for the perceived efficacy of disorder treatments (Experiment 3). Implications for science educators, students of science, and members of the lay public are discussed.

  19. Physical barrier effect of geopolymeric waste form on diffusivity of cesium and strontium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, J G; Park, S M; Lee, H K

    2016-11-15

    The present study investigates the physical barrier effect of geopolymeric waste form on leaching behavior of cesium and strontium. Fly ash-based geopolymers and slag-blended geopolymers were used as solidification agents. The leaching behavior of cesium and strontium from geopolymers was evaluated in accordance with ANSI/ANS-16.1. The diffusivity of cesium and strontium in a fly ash-based geopolymer was lower than that in Portland cement by a factor of 10(3) and 10(4), respectively, showing significantly improved immobilization performance. The leaching resistance of fly ash-based geopolymer was relatively constant regardless of the type of fly ash. The diffusivity of water-soluble cesium and strontium ions were highly correlated with the critical pore diameter of the binder. The critical pore diameter of the fly ash-based geopolymer was remarkably smaller than those of Portland cement and slag-blended geopolymer; consequently, its ability physically to retard the diffusion of nuclides (physical barrier effect) was superior. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. How Concrete is Concrete

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Koeno Gravemeijer

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available If we want to make something concrete in mathematics education, we are inclined introduce, what we call, ‘manipulatives’, in the form of tactile objects or visual representations. If we want to make something concrete in a everyday-life conversation, we look for an example. In the former, we try to make a concrete model of our own, abstract, knowledge; in the latter, we try to find an example that the others will be familiar with. This article first looks at the tension between these two different ways of making things concrete. Next another role of manipulatives, will be discussed, namely that of means for scaffolding and communication. In this role, manipulatives may function as means of support in a process that aims at helping students to build on their own thinking while constructing more sophisticated mathematics

  1. Hydraulic concrete composition and properties control system

    OpenAIRE

    PSHINKO O.M.; KRASNYUK A.V.; HROMOVA O.V.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose. Scientific work aims at the development and testing of information system to meet the challenges of concrete composition design and control (for railway structures and buildings) based on the physico-analytical method algorithm for hydraulic concrete composition calculation. Methodology. The proposed algorithm of hydraulic concrete composition calculation is based on the physicochemical mechanics and in particular on the rheology of elastic–viscous–plastic bodies. The system of canon...

  2. How Concrete is Concrete

    OpenAIRE

    Koeno Gravemeijer

    2010-01-01

    If we want to make something concrete in mathematics education, we are inclined introduce, what we call, ‘manipulatives’, in the form of tactile objects or visual representations. If we want to make something concrete in a everyday-life conversation, we look for an example. In the former, we try to make a concrete model of our own, abstract, knowledge; in the latter, we try to find an example that the others will be familiar with. This article first looks at the tension between these two diff...

  3. Effect of insulating concrete forms in concrete compresive strength

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinez Jerez, Silvio R.

    The subject presented in this thesis is the effect of Insulating Concrete Forms (ICF's) on concrete compressive strength. This work seeks to identify if concrete cured in ICF's has an effect in compressive strength due to the thermal insulation provided by the forms. Modern construction is moving to energy efficient buildings and ICF's is becoming more popular in new developments. The thesis used a concrete mixture and a mortar mixture to investigate the effects of ICF's on concrete compressive strength. After the experimentations were performed, it was concluded that the ICF's do affect concrete strength. It was found that the forms increase concrete strength without the need for additional curing water. An increase of 50% in strength at 56 days was obtained. It was concluded that the longer concrete cures inside ICF's, the higher strength it reaches, and that ICF's effect on concrete strength is proportional to volume of concrete.

  4. Probability based load factors for design of concrete containment structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hwang, H.; Kagami, S.; Reich, M.; Ellingwood, B.; Shinozuka, M.

    1985-01-01

    This paper describes a procedure for developing probability-based load combinations for the design of concrete containments. The proposed criteria are in a load and resistance factor design (LRFD) format. The load factors and resistance factors are derived for use in limit states design and are based on a target limit state probability. In this paper, the load factors for accident pressure and safe shutdown earthquake are derived for three target limit state probabilities. Other load factors are recommended on the basis of prior experience with probability-based design criteria for ordinary building construction. 6 refs

  5. Aspects of clay/concrete interactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oscarson, D.W.; Dixon, D.A.; Onofrei, M.

    1997-01-01

    In the Canadian concept for nuclear fuel waste management, both clay-based materials and concrete are proposed for use as barriers, seals or supporting structures. The main concern when clays and concrete are in proximity is the generation of a high-pH environment by concrete since clay minerals are relatively unstable at high pH. Here we examine the OH - -generating capacity of two high-performance concretes when in contact with several solutions. We also investigate various aspects of claylconcrete interactions. They are: (1) the alkalimetric titration of clay suspensions, (2) the effect of Ca(OH) 2 (portlandite) on the swelling and hydraulic properties of compacted bentonite, and (3) the influence of cement grout on a backfill clay retrieved from the 900-d Buffer/Container Experiment at the Underground Research Laboratory of AECL. The results indicate that although high-performance concretes establish significantly lower poresolution pH (9 to 10) than does ordinary portland cement, the pH is still somewhat higher than that of clay/groundwater systems of about pH 8. Hence, even if high-performance concrete is used in a disposal vault, the potential still exists for clay minerals to alter over long periods of time if in contact with this concrete. The data show, however, that clays have a substantial buffering capacity, and clay-based barriers can thus neutralize much of the OH - potentially released from concrete in a vault. Moreover, even after reacting for 120 d at 85 o C with up to 5 wt.% Ca(OH) 2 , compacted bentonite (dry density = 1.2 Mg/m 3 ) retains much of its swelling capacity and has a permeability low enough (hydraulic conductivity ≤ 10 -11 m/s) to ensure that molecular diffusion will be the main transport mechanism through compacted clay-based barriers. Furthermore, according to X-ray diffractometry, the clay mineral component of backfill was not altered by contact with a cement grout for 900 d in the Buffer/Container Experiment

  6. Self-Placing Concrete

    OpenAIRE

    ECT Team, Purdue

    2007-01-01

    Certain concrete pours have areas where the congestion of reinforcing bars make placement of concrete almost impossible. Using conventional placing and vibration techniques, the resulting concrete can have considerable honeycombing due to the development of voids. Self-placing concrete is a possible solution to the problem. Also known as self-compactable concrete, self-consolidating concrete, flowable concrete, and non-vibration concrete. These concretes eliminate the need for vibration in a ...

  7. Concrete material characterization reinforced concrete tank structure Multi-Function Waste Tank Facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Winkel, B.V.

    1995-01-01

    The purpose of this report is to document the Multi-Function Waste Tank Facility (MWTF) Project position on the concrete mechanical properties needed to perform design/analysis calculations for the MWTF secondary concrete structure. This report provides a position on MWTF concrete properties for the Title 1 and Title 2 calculations. The scope of the report is limited to mechanical properties and does not include the thermophysical properties of concrete needed to perform heat transfer calculations. In the 1970's, a comprehensive series of tests were performed at Construction Technology Laboratories (CTL) on two different Hanford concrete mix designs. Statistical correlations of the CTL data were later generated by Pacific Northwest Laboratories (PNL). These test results and property correlations have been utilized in various design/analysis efforts of Hanford waste tanks. However, due to changes in the concrete design mix and the lower range of MWTF operating temperatures, plus uncertainties in the CTL data and PNL correlations, it was prudent to evaluate the CTL data base and PNL correlations, relative to the MWTF application, and develop a defendable position. The CTL test program for Hanford concrete involved two different mix designs: a 3 kip/in 2 mix and a 4.5 kip/in 2 mix. The proposed 28-day design strength for the MWTF tanks is 5 kip/in 2 . In addition to this design strength difference, there are also differences between the CTL and MWTF mix design details. Also of interest, are the appropriate application of the MWTF concrete properties in performing calculations demonstrating ACI Code compliance. Mix design details and ACI Code issues are addressed in Sections 3.0 and 5.0, respectively. The CTL test program and PNL data correlations focused on a temperature range of 250 to 450 F. The temperature range of interest for the MWTF tank concrete application is 70 to 200 F

  8. Temperature Measurement and Damage Detection in Concrete Beams Exposed to Fire Using PPP-BOTDA Based Fiber Optic Sensors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bao, Yi; Hoehler, Matthew S; Smith, Christopher M; Bundy, Matthew; Chen, Genda

    2017-10-01

    In this study, distributed fiber optic sensors based on pulse pre-pump Brillouin optical time domain analysis (PPP-BODTA) are characterized and deployed to measure spatially-distributed temperatures in reinforced concrete specimens exposed to fire. Four beams were tested to failure in a natural gas fueled compartment fire, each instrumented with one fused silica, single-mode optical fiber as a distributed sensor and four thermocouples. Prior to concrete cracking, the distributed temperature was validated at locations of the thermocouples by a relative difference of less than 9 %. The cracks in concrete can be identified as sharp peaks in the temperature distribution since the cracks are locally filled with hot air. Concrete cracking did not affect the sensitivity of the distributed sensor but concrete spalling broke the optical fiber loop required for PPP-BOTDA measurements.

  9. Temperature measurement and damage detection in concrete beams exposed to fire using PPP-BOTDA based fiber optic sensors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bao, Yi; Hoehler, Matthew S.; Smith, Christopher M.; Bundy, Matthew; Chen, Genda

    2017-10-01

    In this study, Brillouin scattering-based distributed fiber optic sensor is implemented to measure temperature distributions and detect cracks in concrete structures subjected to fire for the first time. A telecommunication-grade optical fiber is characterized as a high temperature sensor with pulse pre-pump Brillouin optical time domain analysis (PPP-BODTA), and implemented to measure spatially-distributed temperatures in reinforced concrete beams in fire. Four beams were tested to failure in a natural gas fueled compartment fire, each instrumented with one fused silica, single-mode optical fiber as a distributed sensor and four thermocouples. Prior to concrete cracking, the distributed temperature was validated at locations of the thermocouples by a relative difference of less than 9%. The cracks in concrete can be identified as sharp peaks in the temperature distribution since the cracks are locally filled with hot air. Concrete cracking did not affect the sensitivity of the distributed sensor but concrete spalling broke the optical fiber loop required for PPP-BOTDA measurements.

  10. Bacteria-based self-healing concrete : Introduction

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mors, R.M.; Jonkers, H.M.

    2012-01-01

    Concrete in most structures is designed to crack in order to let embedded steel reinforcement take over tensile stresses. Crack formation is also a typical phenomenon related to durability. Percolation of cracks may lead to leakage problems or ingress of deleterious materials, causing deterioration

  11. Build-up Factor Calculation for Ordinary Concrete, Baryte Concrete and Blast-furnace Slugges Concrete as γ Radiation Shielding

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Isman MT; Elisabeth Supriatni; Tochrul Binowo

    2002-01-01

    Calculation of build up factor ordinary concrete, baryte concrete and blast-furnace sludge concrete have been carried out. The calculations have been carried out by dose rate measurement of Cs 137 source before and after passing through shielding. The investigated variables were concrete type, thickness of concrete and relative possession of concrete. Concrete type variables are ordinary concrete, baryte concrete and blast sludge furnace concrete. The thickness variables were 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 cm. The relative position variables were dose to the source and close to detector. The result showed that concrete type and position did not have significant effect to build-up factor value, while the concrete thickness (r) and the attenuation coefficient (μ) were influenced to the build-up factor. The higher μr value the higher build-up factor value. (author)

  12. Nonlinear micromechanics-based finite element analysis of the interfacial behaviour of FRP-strengthened reinforced concrete beams

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abd El Baky, Hussien

    This research work is devoted to theoretical and numerical studies on the flexural behaviour of FRP-strengthened concrete beams. The objectives of this research are to extend and generalize the results of simple experiments, to recommend new design guidelines based on accurate numerical tools, and to enhance our comprehension of the bond performance of such beams. These numerical tools can be exploited to bridge the existing gaps in the development of analysis and modelling approaches that can predict the behaviour of FRP-strengthened concrete beams. The research effort here begins with the formulation of a concrete model and development of FRP/concrete interface constitutive laws, followed by finite element simulations for beams strengthened in flexure. Finally, a statistical analysis is carried out taking the advantage of the aforesaid numerical tools to propose design guidelines. In this dissertation, an alternative incremental formulation of the M4 microplane model is proposed to overcome the computational complexities associated with the original formulation. Through a number of numerical applications, this incremental formulation is shown to be equivalent to the original M4 model. To assess the computational efficiency of the incremental formulation, the "arc-length" numerical technique is also considered and implemented in the original Bazant et al. [2000] M4 formulation. Finally, the M4 microplane concrete model is coded in FORTRAN and implemented as a user-defined subroutine into the commercial software package ADINA, Version 8.4. Then this subroutine is used with the finite element package to analyze various applications involving FRP strengthening. In the first application a nonlinear micromechanics-based finite element analysis is performed to investigate the interfacial behaviour of FRP/concrete joints subjected to direct shear loadings. The intention of this part is to develop a reliable bond--slip model for the FRP/concrete interface. The bond

  13. Inspection Strategies for Concrete Bridges

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, John Dalsgaard; Thoft-Christensen, Palle

    1989-01-01

    In this paper an optimal inspection strategy for concrete bridges based on periodic routine and detailed inspections is presented. The failure mode considered is corrosion of the reinforcement due to chlorides. A simple modelling of the corrosion and of the inspection strategy is presented....... The optimal inspection strategy is determined from an optimization problem, where the design variables are time intervals between detailed inspections and the concrete cover. The strategy is illustrated on a simple structure, namely a reinforced concrete beam....

  14. Radiation Damage In Reactor Cavity Concrete

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Field, Kevin G [ORNL; Le Pape, Yann [ORNL; Naus, Dan J [ORNL; Remec, Igor [ORNL; Busby, Jeremy T [ORNL; Rosseel, Thomas M [ORNL; Wall, Dr. James Joseph [Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)

    2015-01-01

    License renewal up to 60 years and the possibility of subsequent license renewal to 80 years has established a renewed focus on long-term aging of nuclear generating stations materials, and recently, on concrete. Large irreplaceable sections of most nuclear generating stations include concrete. The Expanded Materials Degradation Analysis (EMDA), jointly performed by the Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Industry, identified the urgent need to develop a consistent knowledge base on irradiation effects in concrete. Much of the historical mechanical performance data of irradiated concrete does not accurately reflect typical radiation conditions in NPPs or conditions out to 60 or 80 years of radiation exposure. To address these potential gaps in the knowledge base, The Electric Power Research Institute and Oak Ridge National Laboratory are working to disposition radiation damage as a degradation mechanism. This paper outlines the research program within this pathway including: (i) defining the upper bound of the neutron and gamma dose levels expected in the biological shield concrete for extended operation (80 years of operation and beyond), (ii) determining the effects of neutron and gamma irradiation as well as extended time at temperature on concrete, (iii) evaluating opportunities to irradiate prototypical concrete under accelerated neutron and gamma dose levels to establish a conservative bound and share data obtained from different flux, temperature, and fluence levels, (iv) evaluating opportunities to harvest and test irradiated concrete from international NPPs, (v) developing cooperative test programs to improve confidence in the results from the various concretes and research reactors, (vi) furthering the understanding of the effects of radiation on concrete (see companion paper) and (vii) establishing an international collaborative research and information exchange effort to leverage capabilities and knowledge.

  15. Novel techniques for concrete curing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kovler, Konstantin; Jensen, Ole Mejlhede

    2005-01-01

    It is known that some high-strength/high-performance concretes (HSC/HPC) are prone to cracking at an early age unless special precautions are taken. The paper deals with the methods of curing as one of the main strategies to ensure good performance of concrete. Curing by both external (conventional......) and internal methods is reviewed and analyzed, among other methods of mitigating shrinkage and cracking of concrete. The focus is on the mitigation of autogenous shrinkage of low water to binder ratio (w/b) concrete by means of internal curing. The concepts of internal curing are based on using lightweight...... aggregate, superabsorbent polymers or water-soluble chemicals, which reduce water evaporation (so called "internal sealing"). These concepts have been intensively researched in the 90s, but still are not widespread among contractors and concrete suppliers. The differences between conventional methods...

  16. Behaviour of concrete beams reinforced withFRP prestressed concrete prisms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Svecova, Dagmar

    same ultimate capacity, but reinforced with either steel, PCP or FRP rebars, the service load deflections of beams reinforced with PCP are comparable to that of a steel reinforced concrete beam, and are four times smaller than the deflection of the companion FRP reinforced beam. Similarly, the crack width of the PCP reinforced beams under service loads is comparable to that of the steel reinforced beam while the FRP reinforced beam developed unacceptably wide cracks. In the analytical part comprehensive analysis of the experimental data in both flexure and shear is performed. It is determined that the existing design expressions for ultimate flexural strength and service load deflection calculation cannot accurately predict the response of PCP reinforced beams. Accordingly, new expressions for calculation of deflection, crack width, tension stiffening, and ultimate capacity of the PCP reinforced beams are proposed. The predictions of the proposed methods of analysis agree very well with the corresponding experimental data. Based on the results of the current study, it is concluded that high strength concrete prisms prestressed with carbon fibre reinforced plastic bars can be used as reinforcement in concrete structures to avoid the problems of large deflections and wide cracks under service loads.

  17. Shear design and assessment of reinforced and prestressed concrete beams based on a mechanical model

    OpenAIRE

    Marí Bernat, Antonio Ricardo; Bairán García, Jesús Miguel; Cladera Bohigas, Antoni; Oller Ibars, Eva

    2016-01-01

    Safe and economical design and assessment of reinforced (RC) and prestressed concrete (PC) beams requires the availability of accurate but simple formulations which adequately capture the structural response. In this paper, a mechanical model for the prediction of the shear-flexural strength of PC and RC members with rectangular, I, or T sections, with and without shear reinforcement, is presented. The model is based on the principles of concrete mechanics and on assumptions supported by the ...

  18. Concrete under severe conditions. Environment and loading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2007-01-01

    The objective of the CONSEC Conferences is to focus on concrete infrastructures, either subjected to severe environment or severe loading, or any combination of severe conditions. Experience from the performance of existing concrete structures, and especially under severe environmental conditions, severe accidental loading or extended lifespan, has demonstrated the need for better integration of structural and durability design, new design concepts including reliability-based durability design, performance-based material requirements, structural robustness, and an improved basis for documentation of obtained construction quality and durability properties during concrete construction. An improved basis for operation and preventive maintenance of concrete structures including repairs and retrofitting is also very important. Premature corrosion of reinforcing steel, inadequate structural design for seismic or blast loading, are examples of reduced service life of concrete structures that not only represent technical and economical problems, but also a huge waste of natural resources and hence also, an environmental and ecological problem. Experience of structures effectively submitted to severe conditions represents a unique benchmark for quantifying the actual safety and durability margin of concrete structures. In fact for several reasons, most concrete design codes, job specifications and other requirements for concrete structures have frequently shown to yield insufficient and unsatisfactory results and ability to solve the above problems, as well as issues raised by specific very long-term or very severe requirements for nuclear and industrial waste management, or civil works of strategic relevance. Recently available high to ultra-high performance concrete may find rational and valuable application in such cases. It is very important, therefore, to bring people with different professional backgrounds together to exchange experience and develop multi

  19. NANOMODIFIED CONCRETE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. M. Khroustalev

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available One of the main directions in construction material science is the development of  next generation concrete that is ultra-dense, high-strength, ultra-porous, high heat efficient, extra corrosion-resistant. Selection of such direction is caused by extreme operational impacts on the concrete, namely: continuously increasing load on the concrete and various dynamics of such loads; the necessity in operation of concrete products in a wide temperature range and their exposure to various chemical and physical effects.The next generation concrete represents high-tech concrete mixtures with additives that takes on and retain the required properties when hardening and being used under any operational conditions. A differential characteristic of the next generation concrete is its complexity that presumes usage of various mineral dispersed components, two- and three fractional fine and coarse aggregates, complex chemical additives, combinations of polymer and iron reinforcement.Design strength and performance properties level of the next generation concrete is achieved by high-quality selection of the composition, proper selection of manufacturing techniques, concrete curing, bringing the quality of concrete items to the required level of technical condition during the operational phase. However, directed formation of its structure is necessary in order to obtain high-tech concrete.Along with the traditional methods for regulation of the next generation concrete structure, modification of concrete while using silica nanoparticles is also considered as a perspective one because the concrete patterning occurs due to introduction of a binder in a mineral matrix. Due to this it is possible to obtain nano-modified materials with completely new properties.The main problem with the creation of nano-modified concrete is a uniform distribution of nano-materials in the volume of the cement matrix which is particularly important in the cases of adding a modifier in

  20. Artificial Neural Network-Based Early-Age Concrete Strength Monitoring Using Dynamic Response Signals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Junkyeong; Lee, Chaggil; Park, Seunghee

    2017-06-07

    Concrete is one of the most common materials used to construct a variety of civil infrastructures. However, since concrete might be susceptible to brittle fracture, it is essential to confirm the strength of concrete at the early-age stage of the curing process to prevent unexpected collapse. To address this issue, this study proposes a novel method to estimate the early-age strength of concrete, by integrating an artificial neural network algorithm with a dynamic response measurement of the concrete material. The dynamic response signals of the concrete, including both electromechanical impedances and guided ultrasonic waves, are obtained from an embedded piezoelectric sensor module. The cross-correlation coefficient of the electromechanical impedance signals and the amplitude of the guided ultrasonic wave signals are selected to quantify the variation in dynamic responses according to the strength of the concrete. Furthermore, an artificial neural network algorithm is used to verify a relationship between the variation in dynamic response signals and concrete strength. The results of an experimental study confirm that the proposed approach can be effectively applied to estimate the strength of concrete material from the early-age stage of the curing process.

  1. Radiation shielding and effective atomic number studies in different types of shielding concretes, lead base and non-lead base glass systems for total electron interaction: A comparative study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurudirek, Murat

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Radiation shielding calculations for concretes and glass systems. • Assigning effective atomic number for the given materials for total electron interaction. • Glass systems generally have better shielding ability than concretes. - Abstract: Concrete has been widely used as a radiation shielding material due to its extremely low cost. On the other hand, glass systems, which make everything inside visible to observers, are considered as promising shielding materials as well. In the present work, the effective atomic numbers, Z eff of some concretes and glass systems (industrial waste containing glass, Pb base glass and non-Pb base glass) have been calculated for total electron interaction in the energy region of 10 keV–1 GeV. Also, the continuous slowing down approximation (CSDA) ranges for the given materials have been calculated in the wide energy region to show the shielding effectiveness of the given materials. The glass systems are not only compared to different types of concretes but also compared to the lead base glass systems in terms of shielding. Moreover, the obtained results for total electron interaction have been compared to the results for total photon interaction wherever possible. In general, it has been observed that the glass systems have superior properties than most of the concretes over the high-energy region with respect to the electron interaction. Also, glass systems without lead show better electron stopping than lead base glasses at some energy regions as well. Along with the photon attenuation capability, it is seen that Fly Ash base glass systems have not only greater electron stopping capability but also have greater photon attenuation especially in high energy region when compared with standard shielding concretes

  2. Radiation shielding and effective atomic number studies in different types of shielding concretes, lead base and non-lead base glass systems for total electron interaction: A comparative study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kurudirek, Murat, E-mail: mkurudirek@gmail.com

    2014-12-15

    Highlights: • Radiation shielding calculations for concretes and glass systems. • Assigning effective atomic number for the given materials for total electron interaction. • Glass systems generally have better shielding ability than concretes. - Abstract: Concrete has been widely used as a radiation shielding material due to its extremely low cost. On the other hand, glass systems, which make everything inside visible to observers, are considered as promising shielding materials as well. In the present work, the effective atomic numbers, Z{sub eff} of some concretes and glass systems (industrial waste containing glass, Pb base glass and non-Pb base glass) have been calculated for total electron interaction in the energy region of 10 keV–1 GeV. Also, the continuous slowing down approximation (CSDA) ranges for the given materials have been calculated in the wide energy region to show the shielding effectiveness of the given materials. The glass systems are not only compared to different types of concretes but also compared to the lead base glass systems in terms of shielding. Moreover, the obtained results for total electron interaction have been compared to the results for total photon interaction wherever possible. In general, it has been observed that the glass systems have superior properties than most of the concretes over the high-energy region with respect to the electron interaction. Also, glass systems without lead show better electron stopping than lead base glasses at some energy regions as well. Along with the photon attenuation capability, it is seen that Fly Ash base glass systems have not only greater electron stopping capability but also have greater photon attenuation especially in high energy region when compared with standard shielding concretes.

  3. Bulk modulus of basic sodalite, Na8[AlSiO4]6(OH)2·2H2O, a possible zeolitic precursor in coal-fly-ash-based geopolymers

    KAUST Repository

    Oh, Jae Eun

    2011-01-01

    Synthetic basic sodalite, Na8[AlSiO4] 6(OH)2•2H2O, cubic, P43n, (also known as hydroxysodalite hydrate) was prepared by the alkaline activation of amorphous aluminosilicate glass, obtained from the phase separation of Class F fly ash. The sample was subjected to a process similar to geopolymerization, using high concentrations of a NaOH solution at 90 °C for 24 hours. Basic sodalite was chosen as a representative analogue of the zeolite precursor existing in Na-based Class F fly ash geopolymers. To determine its bulk modulus, high-pressure synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction was applied using a diamond anvil cell (DAC) up to a pressure of 4.5 GPa. A curve-fit with a truncated third-order Birch-Murnaghan equation of state with a fixed K\\'o = 4 to pressure-normalized volume data yielded the isothermal bulk modulus, K o = 43 ± 4 GPa, indicating that basic sodalite is more compressible than sodalite, possibly due to a difference in interactions between the framework host and the guest molecules. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

  4. Recycling of concrete

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Halaszovich, S.

    1988-01-01

    The paper reviews potentials and problems of disposal or recycling of concrete removed from nuclear installations. Due to the difficulties in determining radioactivity limits that are compatible with utilization of recycled material in practice, a method is proposed that takes into account inhalation of dusts, as occurring during the reprocessing or recycling of the concrete, for instance in road building. This method is based on the maximum permissible radioactivity uptake by inhalation of a nuclide mixture of unknown composition. (RB) [de

  5. Proposal for the Evaluation of Eco-Efficient Concrete

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taehyoung Kim

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The importance of environmental consequences due to diverse substances that are emitted during the production of concrete is recognized, but environmental performance tends to be evaluated separately from the economic performance and durability performance of concrete. In order to evaluate concrete from the perspective of sustainable development, evaluation technologies are required for comprehensive assessment of environmental performance, economic performance, and durability performance based on a concept of sustainable development called the triple bottom line (TBL. Herein, an assessment method for concrete eco-efficiency is developed as a technique to ensure the manufacture of highly durable and eco-friendly concrete, while minimizing both the load on the ecological environment and manufacturing costs. The assessment method is based on environmental impact, manufacturing costs, and the service life of concrete. According to our findings, eco-efficiency increased as the compressive strength of concrete increased from 21 MPa to 40 MPa. The eco-efficiency of 40 MPa concrete was about 50% higher than the eco-efficiency of 24 MPa concrete. Thus eco-efficiency is found to increase with an increasing compressive strength of concrete because the rate of increase in the service life of concrete is larger than the rate of increase in the costs. In addition, eco-efficiency (KRW/year was shown to increase for all concrete strengths as mixing rates of admixtures (Ground Granulated Blast furnace Slag increased to 30% during concrete mix design. However, when the mixing rate of admixtures increased to 40% and 60%, the eco-efficiency dropped due to rapid reduction in the service life values of concrete to 74 (year/m3 and 44 (year/m3, respectively.

  6. Mechanical and Durability Properties of Fly Ash Based Concrete Exposed to Marine Environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kagadgar, Sarfaraz Ahmed; Saha, Suman; Rajasekaran, C.

    2017-06-01

    Efforts over the past few years for improving the performance of concrete suggest that cement replacement with mineral admixtures can enhance the strength and durability of concrete. Feasibility of producing good quality concrete by using alccofine and fly ash replacements is investigated and also the potential benefits from their incorporation were looked into. In this study, an attempt has been made to assess the performance of concrete in severe marine conditions exposed upto a period of 150 days. This work investigates the influence of alccofine and fly ash as partial replacement of cement in various percentages (Alccofine - 5% replacement to cement content) and (fly ash - 0%, 15%, 30%, 50% & 60% to total cementitious content) on mechanical and durability properties (Permit ion permeability test and corrosion current density) of concrete. Usage of alccofine and high quantity of fly ash as additional cementitious materials in concrete has resulted in higher workability of concrete. Inclusion of alccofine shows an early strength gaining property whereas fly ash results in gaining strength at later stage. Concrete mixes containing 5% alccofine with 15% fly ash replacement reported greater compressive strength than the other concrete mixes cured in both curing conditions. Durability test conducted at 56 and 150 days indicated that concrete containing higher percentages of fly ash resulted in lower permeability as well lesser corrosion density.

  7. Properties of concrete with tire derived aggregate and crumb rubber as a lighthweight substitute for mineral aggregates in the concrete mix

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siringi, Gideon Momanyi

    Scrap tires continue to be a nuisance to the environment and this research proposes one way of recycling them as a lightweight aggregate which can substitute for mineral aggregates in concrete. Aggregates derived from scrap tires are often referred to as Tire Derived Aggregate (TDA). First, the focus is how much mineral aggregate can be replaced by these waste tires and how the properties of concrete are affected with the introduction of rubber. This is being mindful of the fact that for a new material to be acceptable as an engineering material, its properties and behavior has to be well understood, the materials must perform properly and be acceptable to the regulating agencies. The role played by the quantity of TDA and Crumb Rubber replacing coarse aggregate and fine aggregate respectively as well as different treatment and additives in concrete on its properties are examined. Conventional concrete (without TDA) and concrete containing TDA are compared by examining their compressive strength based on ASTM C39, workability based on ASTM C143, Splitting Tensile Strength based on ASTM C496, Modulus of Rupture (flexural strength) based on ASTM C78 and Bond strength of concrete developed with reinforcing steel based on ASTM C234.Through stress-strain plots, the rubberized concrete is compared in terms of change in ductility, toughness and Elastic Modulus. Results indicate that while replacement of mineral aggregates with TDA results in reduction in compressive strength, this may be mitigated by addition of silica fume or using a smaller size of TDA to obtain the desired strength. The greatest benefit of using TDA is in the development of a higher ductile product with lower density while utilizing recycled TDA. From the results, it is observed that 7-10% of weight of mineral aggregates can be replaced by an equal volume of TDA to produce concrete with compressive strength of up to 4000 psi (27.5 MPa). Rubberized concrete would have higher ductility and toughness with

  8. Offshore concrete structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lamas Pardo, M.; Carral Couce, L. M.

    2011-01-01

    proof that in certain cases the benefits to the steel tip the lance toward the concrete. concrete Gravity Baseplaforms type Con deep have been building since the first unit became operational in 1976, together with a few floating platforms, that in its geometry are similar to those made of steel (barges, semi-submersibles and TLP type platforms). Some of the concepts in concrete that are being emerging last years are floating and gravity base platforms for use as offshore LNG terminals and as offshore industrial plants. The life of these barges can be designed up to 200 years, as the floating Nkossabarge, so they con be a good alternative to the construction of these facilities an land, thus avoiding landfills on the coast that degrade the already punished coast in industrialized countries. the challenge is precisely to optimize their capital costs to complete for an offshore installation against a shore facility. The environment will undoubtedly benefit from this great challenge that lies ahead in the XXI century. (Author) 29 refs.

  9. Reliability Assessment of Concrete Bridges

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thoft-Christensen, Palle; Middleton, C. R.

    This paper is partly based on research performed for the Highways Agency, London, UK under the project DPU/9/44 "Revision of Bridge Assessment Rules Based on Whole Life Performance: concrete bridges". It contains the details of a methodology which can be used to generate Whole Life (WL) reliability...... profiles. These WL reliability profiles may be used to establish revised rules for concrete bridges. This paper is to some extend based on Thoft-Christensen et. al. [1996], Thoft-Christensen [1996] et. al. and Thoft-Christensen [1996]....

  10. Long-life concrete : how long will my concrete last?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-10-01

    There is an ongoing discussion about moving toward performance-based specifications for concrete pavements. This document seeks to : move the discussion forward by outlining the needs and the challenges, and proposing some immediate actions. However,...

  11. Modelling of molten fuel/concrete interactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muir, J.F.; Benjamin, A.S.

    1980-01-01

    A computer program modelling the interaction between molten core materials and structural concrete (CORCON) is being developed to provide quantitative estimates of fuel-melt accident consequences suitable for risk assessment of light water reactors. The principal features of CORCON are reviewed. Models developed for the principal interaction phenomena, inter-component heat transfer, concrete erosion, and melt/gas chemical reactions, are described. Alternative models for the controlling phenomenon, heat transfer from the molten pool to the surrounding concrete, are presented. These models, formulated in conjunction with the development of CORCON, are characterized by the presence or absence of either a gas film or viscous layer of molten concrete at the melt/concrete interface. Predictions of heat transfer based on these models compare favorably with available experimental data

  12. High Performance Concrete

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Traian Oneţ

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents the last studies and researches accomplished in Cluj-Napoca related to high performance concrete, high strength concrete and self compacting concrete. The purpose of this paper is to raid upon the advantages and inconveniences when a particular concrete type is used. Two concrete recipes are presented, namely for the concrete used in rigid pavement for roads and another one for self-compacting concrete.

  13. How Concrete is Concrete?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Koeno Gravemeijer

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available If we want to make something concrete in mathematics education, we are inclined introduce, what we call, ‘manipulatives’, in the form of tactile objects or visual representations. If we want to make something concrete in a everyday-life conversation, we look for an example. In the former, we try to make a concrete model of our own, abstract, knowledge; in the latter, we try to find an example that the others will be familiar with. This article first looks at the tension between these two different ways of making things concrete. Next another role of manipulatives, will be discussed, namely that of means for scaffolding and communication. In this role, manipulatives may function as means of support in a process that aims at helping students to build on their own thinking while constructing more sophisticated mathematics.Key words:  Conceret Learning Materials, School Math, Common Sense, Scaffolding, Communication DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22342/jme.2.1.780.1-14

  14. Properties of high-workability concrete with recycled concrete aggregate

    OpenAIRE

    Safiuddin,; Alengaram,Ubagaram Johnson; Salam,Abdus; Jumaat,Mohd Zamin; Jaafar,Fahrol Fadhli; Saad,Hawa Binti

    2011-01-01

    This study presents the effects of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) on the key fresh and hardened properties of concrete. RCA was used to produce high-workability concrete substituting 0-100% natural coarse aggregate (NCA) by weight. The slump and slump flow of fresh concretes were determined to ensure high workability. In addition, the compressive, flexural and splitting tensile strengths, modulus of elasticity, and permeable voids of hardened concretes were determined. The test results rev...

  15. Concrete debris assessment for road construction activities : summary.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-09-01

    University of Florida researchers studied the possible : impact of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) used in : roadway base layers on the acid/base balance of the : subsurface environment. They also examined a related : issue: management of concrete ...

  16. Structural Precast Concrete Handbook

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kjærbye, Per Oluf H

    Structural concept for precast concrete systems. Design og precast reinforced concrete components. Design of precast concrete connections. Illustrations on design of precast concrete buildings. Precast concrete assembly.......Structural concept for precast concrete systems. Design og precast reinforced concrete components. Design of precast concrete connections. Illustrations on design of precast concrete buildings. Precast concrete assembly....

  17. COMPARATIVE STUDY OF GLASS FIBRE CONCRETE AND NORMAL CONCRETE

    OpenAIRE

    Mr.Yogesh S.Lanjewar*

    2018-01-01

    Concrete is basically the most important material concerning with the construction and infrastructural procedures, for which it should be of good strength and durability. Many researches are being conducted to make concrete more sustainable and of more strength and durability. Therefore keeping this in mind i have chosen to do the comparative study regarding the strength of normal concrete with the glass fibre added concrete using mix design procedure as per IS 10262-2009 for concrete. As w...

  18. Radiographic testing in concrete structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oliveira, D. de

    1987-01-01

    The radiographic testing done in concrete structures is used to analyse the homogeneity, position and corrosion of armatures and to detect discontinuity in the concrete such as: gaps, cracks and segregations. This work develops a Image quality Indicator (IQI) with an adequated sensibility to detect discontinuites based on BS4408 norm. (E.G.) [pt

  19. Mechanically activated fly ash as a high performance binder for civil engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rieger, D; Kullová, L; Čekalová, M; Novotný, P; Pola, M

    2017-01-01

    This study is aimed for investigation of fly ash binder with suitable properties for civil engineering needs. The fly ash from Czech brown coal power plant Prunerov II was used and mechanically activated to achieve suitable particle size for alkaline activation of hardening process. This process is driven by dissolution of aluminosilicate content of fly ash and by subsequent development of inorganic polymeric network called geopolymer. Hardening kinetics at 25 and 30 °C were measured by strain controlled small amplitude oscillatory rheometry with strain of 0.01 % and microstructure of hardened binder was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. Strength development of hardened binder was investigated according to compressional and flexural strength for a period of 180 days. Our investigation finds out, that mechanically activated fly ash can be comparable to metakaolin geopolymers, according to setting time and mechanical parameters even at room temperature curing. Moreover, on the bases of long time strength development, achieved compressional strength of 134.5 after 180 days is comparable to performance of high grade Portland cement concretes. (paper)

  20. Basic principles of concrete structures

    CERN Document Server

    Gu, Xianglin; Zhou, Yong

    2016-01-01

    Based on the latest version of designing codes both for buildings and bridges (GB50010-2010 and JTG D62-2004), this book starts from steel and concrete materials, whose properties are very important to the mechanical behavior of concrete structural members. Step by step, analysis of reinforced and prestressed concrete members under basic loading types (tension, compression, flexure, shearing and torsion) and environmental actions are introduced. The characteristic of the book that distinguishes it from other textbooks on concrete structures is that more emphasis has been laid on the basic theories of reinforced concrete and the application of the basic theories in design of new structures and analysis of existing structures. Examples and problems in each chapter are carefully designed to cover every important knowledge point. As a basic course for undergraduates majoring in civil engineering, this course is different from either the previously learnt mechanics courses or the design courses to be learnt. Compa...

  1. Glazed Concrete

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bache, Anja Margrethe

    2010-01-01

    Why glazed concrete? Concrete hardens and finds its strength at room temperature whereas clay products must first be fired before they achieve this strength. They are stronger and three times as durable as clay products, which is a weighty reason for choosing concrete.5 Another reason, which....... If this succeeds, it will be possible to manufacture thin, large-scale glazed concrete panels comparable in size to concrete sandwich construction and larger which, with or without back-casting, can work as load-bearing construction elements....

  2. Properties of concretes produced with waste concrete aggregate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Topcu, Ilker Bekir; Sengel, Selim

    2004-01-01

    An environmentally friendly approach to the disposal of waste materials, a difficult issue to cope with in today's world, would only be possible through a useful recycling process. For this reason, we suggest that clearing the debris from destroyed buildings in such a way as to obtain waste concrete aggregates (WCA) to be reused in concrete production could well be a partial solution to environmental pollution. For this study, the physical and mechanical properties along with their freeze-thaw durability of concrete produced with WCAs were investigated and test results presented. While experimenting with fresh and hardened concrete, mixtures containing recycled concrete aggregates in amounts of 30%, 50%, 70%, and 100% were prepared. Afterward, these mixtures underwent freeze-thaw cycles. As a result, we found out that C16-quality concrete could be produced using less then 30% C14-quality WCA. Moreover, it was observed that the unit weight, workability, and durability of the concretes produced through WCA decreased in inverse proportion to their endurance for freeze-thaw cycle

  3. Mixture proportioning of fly ash-concretes based on mortar strength and flow data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nusrat, A.; Tahir, M.A.

    2008-01-01

    A method of mixture proportioning of fly ash concretes is presented. The method is based on the strength and flow data of a minimum of nine fly ash-cement mortars. The essence of the method is that three fly ash-binder ratios are to be combined with three water-binder ratios in the range of interest. The strength and water demand data are analyzed for constructing mixture proportion charts. The strength vs. water-binder ratio charts are prepared by down-scaling the 50-mm mortar strength to the 150-mm standard concrete cylinders. The method is illustrated with the help of examples. The trial mixtures proportioned using the proposed methods have reasonably achieved the 28 day target strengths. (author)

  4. Concentrated loads on concrete

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lorenzen, Karen Grøndahl; Nielsen, Mogens Peter

    1997-01-01

    This report deals with concentrated loads on concrete.A new upper bound solution in the axisymmetrical case of a point load in the center of the end face of a cylinder is developed.Based on previous work dealing with failure mechanisms and upper bound solutions, new approximate formulas are devel......This report deals with concentrated loads on concrete.A new upper bound solution in the axisymmetrical case of a point load in the center of the end face of a cylinder is developed.Based on previous work dealing with failure mechanisms and upper bound solutions, new approximate formulas...

  5. Distributed Long-Gauge Optical Fiber Sensors Based Self-Sensing FRP Bar for Concrete Structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Yongsheng; Wu, Zhishen

    2016-02-25

    Brillouin scattering-based distributed optical fiber (OF) sensing technique presents advantages for concrete structure monitoring. However, the existence of spatial resolution greatly decreases strain measurement accuracy especially around cracks. Meanwhile, the brittle feature of OF also hinders its further application. In this paper, the distributed OF sensor was firstly proposed as long-gauge sensor to improve strain measurement accuracy. Then, a new type of self-sensing fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) bar was developed by embedding the packaged long-gauge OF sensors into FRP bar, followed by experimental studies on strain sensing, temperature sensing and basic mechanical properties. The results confirmed the superior strain sensing properties, namely satisfied accuracy, repeatability and linearity, as well as excellent mechanical performance. At the same time, the temperature sensing property was not influenced by the long-gauge package, making temperature compensation easy. Furthermore, the bonding performance between self-sensing FRP bar and concrete was investigated to study its influence on the sensing. Lastly, the sensing performance was further verified with static experiments of concrete beam reinforced with the proposed self-sensing FRP bar. Therefore, the self-sensing FRP bar has potential applications for long-term structural health monitoring (SHM) as embedded sensors as well as reinforcing materials for concrete structures.

  6. The necessity of recovering soluble phosphorus from sewage sludge ashes before use in concrete based on concrete setting and workability

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sigvardsen, Nina Marie; Ottosen, Lisbeth M.

    2016-01-01

    By replacing cement with alternative ashes, such as sewage sludge ashes (SSA) from mono-incineration plants, it is possible to reduce the CO2-emmision from the production of cement. SSA contains a large amount of phosphate which can be extracted before addition in concrete. The Danish Standard DS...... the increased addition of SP and the initial setting time is seen. By comparison with the limit for initial setting time established in DS/EN 450-1 it is possible to establish a limit for SP of 0.54 wt% cement. When studying the workability an objective limit for SP of 0.16 wt% cement can be established. SSA...... from the Danish mono-incineration plant at Spildevandscenter Avedøre is examined. At a pH-value of 13 it is possible to replace 55% and 16% of the cement, based on the set limits, with SSA from Spildevandscenter Avedøre, before it is necessary to extract SP from SSA before adding to the concrete...

  7. Ultrafine particles in concrete: Influence of ultrafine particles on concrete properties and application to concrete mix design

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vogt, Carsten

    2010-07-01

    . All relevant material properties for structural calculations and thermal crack risk calculations were determined experimentally. Another application was the development of glass fibre reinforced ultra high performance concrete for stabilisation of deep boreholes. With increased content of silica fume, glass fibres will be more durable in concrete. The conclusions of this work are that ultrafine particles have a great potential in concrete. Many concrete properties are influenced positively when parts of the cement are replaced in the correct way by ultrafines. The modified Andreassen model proves to be a helpful tool for the optimisation of concrete compositions. Based on the findings of this work, recommendations are given on how to include ultrafine particles in mix design of concrete

  8. Developing criteria for performance-based concrete specifications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-07-01

    For more than 50 years now, concrete technology has advanced, but CDOT specifications for durability have : remained mostly unchanged. The minimum cement content for a given strength is derived from mix design : guidelines that were developed before ...

  9. Investigation into the Effect of the Duration of Exposure on the Behaviour of GPC at Elevated Temperatures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Talha Junaid Muhammad

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC Concrete has long been used in the construction industry as a primary material owing to its versatility, superior performance, low cost, easy workability and availability of accepted standards of practice. The readily available raw materials for the manufacture of cement, and subsequently for concrete itself, have been a driving force for the acceptance of concrete as a construction material worldwide. Recently however, OPC concrete has come under scrutiny over its large carbon footprint. This is largely due to the energy intensive manufacturing process of cement and the extensive use of virgin material in cement production. Focus is therefore shifting to engineer new construction materials that offer similar advantages to that of OPC concrete while being environmentally friendly. Geopolymer Concrete (GPC is such a material. It has emerged during the last decades, and has been found to possess excellent engineering properties as well as enormous benefits on the sustainability front. The current study is conducted to investigate the compressive strength of GPC up to temperatures of 1000°C for varying duration of exposure time. It was found that when tested at temperatures of 600°C, 800°C and 1000°C, the GPC samples exhibited a higher compressive strength (8-18%. However, the samples tested after cooling recorded a residual compressive strength 25-50% lower than the ambient strength. Yet, the residual strength of GPC is significantly higher than that of OPC. The duration of exposure time was found to have an insignificant effect on the strength properties of GPC, especially at higher temperatures. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM was used to reveal the changes to the micro-structure that took place after exposure to high temperatures and to get a useful insight into the behaviour of geopolymers.

  10. Harmfulness Assessment of Moulding Sands with a Geopolymer Binder and a New Hardener, in An Aspect of the Emission of Substances from the Btex Group

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bobrowski A.

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The harmfulness assessment of moulding sands with a geopolymer binder and a new hardener, in an aspect of the emission of substances from the BTEX group, was performed. Within the expedience project the new series of hardeners for the inorganic GEOPOL binder was developed. Before the introduction of the new system of moulding sands it was necessary to estimate their influence on the environment. To this aim the gasses emission from moulding sands subjected to the influence of liquid cast iron was tested with regard to the content of the gases from the BTEX group (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes. For the comparison the analogous investigations of the up to now applied moulding sands with the geopolymer binder, were performed. It was found that both systems of moulding sands binding emit similar amounts of gases, as well as similar amounts of substances from the BTEX group. Moulding sands with the GEOPOL binder are much more environmentally friendly than moulding sands with organic binders. The content of the BTEX group substances in gases emitted from moulding sands with the GEOPOL binder was approximately 10-times lower than in case of the moulding sands with organic binders.

  11. Significance of tests and properties of concrete and concrete-making materials

    CERN Document Server

    Pielert, James H

    2006-01-01

    Reflects a decade of technological changes in concrete industry! The newest edition of this popular ASTM publication reflects the latest technology in concrete and concrete-making materials. Six sections cover: (1) General information on the nature of concrete, sampling, variability, and testing laboratories. A new chapter deals with modeling cement and concrete properties. (2) Properties of freshly mixed concrete. (3) Properties of hardened concrete. (4) Concrete aggregates—this section has been revised and the chapters are presented in the order that most concerns concrete users: grading, density, soundness, degradation resistance, petrographic examination, reactivity, and thermal properties. (5) Materials other than aggregates—the chapter on curing materials now reflects the current technology of materials applied to new concrete surfaces. The chapter on mineral admixtures has been separated into two chapters: supplementary cementitious materials and ground slag. (6) Specialized concretes—contains a ...

  12. Design of ultra-lightweight concrete: towards monolithic concrete structures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Qing Liang

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available This study addresses the development of ultra-lightweight concrete. A moderate strength and an excellent thermal conductivity of the lightweight concrete are set as the design targets. The designed lightweight aggregates concrete is targeted to be used in monolithic concrete façade structure, performing as both load bearing element and thermal insulator. The developed lightweight concrete shows excellent thermal properties, with a low thermal conductivity of about 0.12 W/(m·K; and moderate mechanical properties, with 28-day compressive strengths of about 10-12 N/mm . This combination of values exceeds, to the researchers’ knowledge, the performance of all other lightweight building materials. Furthermore, the developed lightweight concrete possesses excellent durability properties.

  13. New developments with respect to concrete

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brouwers, H.J.H.; Al-Mattarneh, H.; Mustapha, K.N.; Nuruddin, M.F.

    2008-01-01

    The present paper addresses several topics in regard to the sustainable design and use of concrete based on the binders cement, quicklime and/or gypsum. First, major features concerning the sustainable aspects of the material concrete are summarized. Then the major constituent, from an environmental

  14. Experimental analysis of SiC-based refractory concrete in hybrid rocket nozzles

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Elia, Raffaele; Bernhart, Gérard; Hijlkema, Jouke; Cutard, Thierry

    2016-09-01

    Hybrid propulsion represents a good alternative to the more widely used liquid and solid systems. This technology combines some important specifications of the latters, as the possibility of re-ignition, thrust modulation, a higher specific impulse than solid systems, a greater simplicity and a lower cost than liquid systems. Nevertheless the highly oxidizing environment represents a major problem as regards the thermo-oxidation and ablative behavior of nozzle materials. The main goal of this research is to characterize a silicon carbide based micro-concrete with a maximum aggregates size of 800 μm, in a hybrid propulsion environment. The nozzle throat has to resist to a highly oxidizing polyethylene/nitrous oxide hybrid environment, under temperatures up to 2900 K. Three tests were performed on concrete-based nozzles in HERA Hybrid Rocket Motor (HRM) test bench at ONERA. Pressure chamber evolution and observations before and after tests are used to investigate the ablated surface at nozzle throat. Ablation behavior and crack generation are discussed and some improvements are proposed.

  15. Concrete structures

    CERN Document Server

    Setareh, Mehdi

    2017-01-01

    This revised, fully updated second edition covers the analysis, design, and construction of reinforced concrete structures from a real-world perspective. It examines different reinforced concrete elements such as slabs, beams, columns, foundations, basement and retaining walls and pre-stressed concrete incorporating the most up-to-date edition of the American Concrete Institute Code (ACI 318-14) requirements for the design of concrete structures. It includes a chapter on metric system in reinforced concrete design and construction. A new chapter on the design of formworks has been added which is of great value to students in the construction engineering programs along with practicing engineers and architects. This second edition also includes a new appendix with color images illustrating various concrete construction practices, and well-designed buildings. The ACI 318-14 constitutes the most extensive reorganization of the code in the past 40 years. References to the various sections of the ACI 318-14 are pro...

  16. Numerical modeling of hybrid fiber-reinforced concrete (hyfrc)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hameed, R.; Turatsinze, A.

    2015-01-01

    A model for numerical simulation of mechanical response of concrete reinforced with slipping and non slipping metallic fibers in hybrid form is presented in this paper. Constitutive law used to model plain concrete behaviour is based on plasticity and damage theories, and is capable to determine localized crack opening in three dimensional (3-D) systems. Behaviour law used for slipping metallic fibers is formulated based on effective stress carried by these fibers after when concrete matrix is cracked. A continuous approach is proposed to model the effect of addition of non-slipping metallic fibers in plain concrete. This approach considers the constitutive law of concrete matrix with increased fracture energy in tension obtained experimentally in direct tension tests on Fiber Reinforced Concrete (FRC). To simulate the mechanical behaviour of hybrid fiber-reinforced concrete (HyFRC), proposed approaches to model non-slipping metallic fibers and constitutive law of plain concrete and slipping fibers are used simultaneously without any additive equation. All the parameters used by the proposed model have physical meanings and are determined through experiments or drawn from literature. The model was implemented in Finite Element (FE) Code CASTEM and tested on FRC prismatic notched specimens in flexure. Model prediction showed good agreement with experimental results. (author)

  17. Urban Experiments and Concrete Utopias

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersson, Lasse

    2009-01-01

    The paper explores how concrete urban experiments can challenge the pecuniary version of the experience city and stimulate a locally rooted and democratic version of an experience based city using heterotopias and concrete utopias as the link between top down planning and bottom up experiments...... administrations with public participation in order to shape a cultural agenda. The second part of the paper looks at two cases: NDSM in Amsterdam and Platform4 in Aalborg suggesting that it is concrete urban experiments like these that can create a link between visions and local reality in the Experience city...

  18. Industrial waste utilization for foam concrete

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krishnan, Gokul; Anand, K. B.

    2018-02-01

    Foam concrete is an emerging and useful construction material - basically a cement based slurry with at least 10% of mix volume as foam. The mix usually containing cement, filler (usually sand) and foam, have fresh densities ranging from 400kg/m3 to 1600kg/m3. One of the main drawbacks of foam concrete is the large consumption of fine sand as filler material. Usage of different solid industrial wastes as fillers in foam concrete can reduce the usage of fine river sand significantly and make the work economic and eco-friendly. This paper aims to investigate to what extent industrial wastes such as bottom ash and quarry dust can be utilized for making foam concrete. Foam generated using protein based agent was used for preparing and optimizing (fresh state properties). Investigation to find the influence of design density and air-void characteristics on the foam concrete strength shows higher strength for bottom ash mixes due to finer air void distribution. Setting characteristics of various mix compositions are also studied and adoption of Class C flyash as filler demonstrated capability of faster setting.

  19. Modelling of the Deterioration of Reinforced Concrete Structures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thoft-Christensen, Palle

    Stochastic modelling of the deterioration of reinforced concrete structures is addressed in this paper on basis of a detailed modelling of corrosion initiation and corrosion cracking. It is proposed that modelling of the deterioration of concrete should be based on a sound understanding...... of the physical and chemical properties of the concrete. The relationship between rebar corrosion and crack width is investigated. A new service life definition based on evolution of the corrosion crack width is proposed....

  20. Optimal Material Layout - Applied on Reinforced Concrete Slabs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dollerup, Niels; Jepsen, Michael S.; Damkilde, Lars

    2015-01-01

    This paper introduces a general, finite-element-based optimisation tool for improving the material layout of concrete structures. The application presented is general and exemplified by material optimisation of reinforced concrete slabs. By utilising the optimisation tool, it is possible to deter......This paper introduces a general, finite-element-based optimisation tool for improving the material layout of concrete structures. The application presented is general and exemplified by material optimisation of reinforced concrete slabs. By utilising the optimisation tool, it is possible...... to determine the optimal material layout of a slab in the ultimate load state, based on simple inputs such as outer geometry, boundary conditions, multiple load cases and design domains. The material layout of the optimal design can either be fully orthotropic or isotropic, or a combination with a predefined...

  1. Experience-based training of students on concretes reinforced by recycled carbon fibers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cosgun, Cumhur; Patlolla, Vamsidhar R.; Alzahrani, Naif; Zeineddine, Hatim F.; Asmatulu, Eylem

    2017-04-01

    Fiber reinforcement increases many properties of the concretes, such as toughness, strength, abrasion, and resistance to corrosion. Use of recycled carbon fibers from industrial waste offers many advantages because it will reduce the waste, contribute the economy, protect natural resources and improve the property of structural units. The City of Wichita, KS is known to be "Air Capital of the World" where many aircraft companies have been producing aircraft, parts and components. Due to the superior properties of composites (e.g., light weight, low density, high impact resistance), they have been highly used by aircraft industry. Prepreg is the most preferred combination of the fiber and resin due to the easy application, but it has a limited shelf life (e.g., three months to one year at most) and scrap has no use after all in the same industry. Every year tons of un-used prepreg or after use scrap are being collected in Wichita, KS. Recycling prepreg from the post-consumer waste offers great advantages of waste reduction and resource conservation in the city. Reusing the carbon fibers obtained from outdated prepreg composites for concrete reinforcement will offer double advantages for our environment and concrete structures. In this study, recycled carbon fibers of the outdated prepreg composites were collected, and then incorporated with concretes at different ratios prior to the molding and mechanical testing. An undergraduate student was involved in the project and observed all the process during the laboratory studies, as well as data collection, analysis and presentation. We believe that experience based learning will enhance the students' skills and interest into the scientific and engineering studies.

  2. Modeling damage in concrete pavements and bridges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-09-01

    This project focused on micromechanical modeling of damage in concrete under general, multi-axial loading. A : continuum-level, three-dimensional constitutive model based on micromechanics was developed. The model : accounts for damage in concrete by...

  3. Shear Strengthening of Concrete Structures with the use of mineral based composites

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Blanksvärd, Thomas; Täljsten, Björn; Carolin, Anders

    2009-01-01

    concrete (RC) beams strengthened in shear with the use of cementitious bonding agents and carbon fiber grids, denoted mineral based composites (MBC). In this study it is shown that the MBC system has a strengthening effect corresponding to that of strengthening systems using epoxy bonding agents and carbon...... for rehabilitation. In addition, more traffic and heavier loads lead to the need for upgrading. Existing externally bonded strengthening systems using FRP (fiber reinforced polymers) and epoxy as bonding agents have been proven to be a good approach to repair and strengthen concrete structures. However, the use...... fiber sheets. Different designs and material properties of the MBC system have been tested. An extensive monitoring set-up has been carried out using traditional strain gauges and photometric strain measurements to obtain strains in steel reinforcement, in FRP and strain fields on the strengthened...

  4. Concrete laying laboratory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bastlova, K.

    1986-01-01

    The task of the concrete laying laboratory established within a special department for quality control and assurance at the Dukovany nuclear power plant, is to check the composition of concrete mixes produced by the central concrete production plant on the site, and the shipment, laying and processing of concrete. The composition is given of special barite and serpentinite concretes designed for biological shields. The system of checks and of filing the results is briefly described. Esperience is summed up from the operation of the concrete laying laboratory, and conclusions are formulated which should be observed on similar large construction sites. They include the precise definition of the designer's requirements for the quality of concrete, the surface finish of concrete surfaces, the method of concreting specific structures around bushings, increased density reinforcements and various technological elements, and requirements for shipment to poorly accessible or remote places. As for the equipment of the laboratory, it should be completed with an instrument for the analysis of fresh concrete mixes, a large capacity drying kiln, etc. (Z.M.)

  5. Advances in the material science of concrete

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Ideker, Jason H; Radlinska, Aleksandra

    2010-01-01

    ... Committee 236, Material Science of Concrete. The session focused on material science aspects of concrete with an emphasis placed on advances in understanding the fundamental scientific topics of cement-based materials, as well as the crucial...

  6. Concrete with onyx waste aggregate as aesthetically valued structural concrete

    Science.gov (United States)

    Setyowati E., W.; Soehardjono, A.; Wisnumurti

    2017-09-01

    The utillization of Tulungagung onyx stone waste as an aggregate of concrete mixture will improve the economic value of the concrete due to the brighter color and high aesthetic level of the products. We conducted the research of 75 samples as a test objects to measure the compression stress, splits tensile stress, flexural tensile stress, elasticity modulus, porosity modulus and also studied 15 test objects to identify the concrete micro structures using XRD test, EDAX test and SEM test. The test objects were made from mix designed concrete, having ratio cement : fine aggregate : coarse aggregate ratio = 1 : 1.5 : 2.1, and W/C ratio = 0.4. The 28 days examination results showed that the micro structure of Tulungagung onyx waste concrete is similar with normal concrete. Moreover, the mechanical test results proved that Tulungagung onyx waste concretes also have a qualified level of strength to be used as a structural concrete with higher aesthetic level.

  7. Prompt gamma analysis of chlorine in concrete for corrosion study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Naqvi, A.A. [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia)]. E-mail: aanaqvi@kfupm.edu.sa; Nagadi, M.M. [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Al-Amoudi, O.S.B. [Department of Civil Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia)

    2006-02-15

    Measurement of chlorine in concrete is very important for studying of corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete. Corrosion of reinforcing steel is primarily ascribed to the penetration of chloride ions to the steel surface. Preventive measures for avoiding concrete structure reinforcement corrosion requires monitoring the chloride ion concentration in concrete so that its concentration does not exceed a threshold limit to initiate reinforcement concrete corrosion. An accelerator based prompt gamma neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) setup has been developed for non-destructive analysis of elemental composition of concrete samples. The setup has been used to measure chlorine concentration in concrete samples over a 1-3 wt% concentration range. Although a strong interference has been observed between the chlorine {gamma}-rays and calcium {gamma}-rays from concrete, the chlorine concentration in concrete samples has been successfully measured using the 1.164 and 7.643 MeV chlorine {gamma}-rays. The experimental data were compared with the results of the Monte Carlo simulations. An excellent agreement has been achieved between the experimental data and results of Monte Carlo simulations. The study has demonstrated the successful use of the accelerator-based PGNAA setup in non-destructive analysis of chlorine in concrete samples.

  8. Pervious Concrete

    OpenAIRE

    Torsvik, Øyvind André Hoff

    2012-01-01

    Pervious concrete is a material with a high degree of permeability but generally low strength. The material is primarily used for paving applications but has shown promise in many other areas of usage. This thesis investigates the properties of pervious concrete using normal Norwegian aggregates and practices. An overview of important factors when it comes to designing and producing pervious concrete is the result of this investigation. Several experiments have been performed in the concrete ...

  9. Sustainable Concrete Technology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sim J.

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The growing concern over global warming and significant ecological changes requires sustainable development in all fields of science and technology. Concrete not only consumes huge amount of energy and natural sources, but also emits large amount of CO2, mainly due to the production of cement. It is evident that such large amount of concrete production has put significant impact on the energy, resource, environment, and ecology of the society. Hence, how to develop the concrete technology in a sustainable way has become a significant issue. In this paper, some of Korean researches for sustainable development of concrete are presented. These are sustainable strengthening for deteriorated concrete structure, sustainable reinforcement of new concrete structure, sustainable concrete using recycled aggregate and supplementary cementing materials and finally application of each technique to precast concrete.

  10. Properties of concrete containing foamed concrete block waste as fine aggregate replacement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muthusamy, K.; Budiea, A. M. A.; Zaidan, A. L. F.; Rasid, M. H.; Hazimmah, D. S.

    2017-11-01

    Environmental degradation due to excessive sand mining dumping at certain places and disposal of foamed concrete block waste from lightweight concrete producing industry are issues that should be resolved for a better and cleaner environment of the community. Thus, the main intention of this study is to investigate the potential of foamed concrete block waste as partial sand replacement in concrete production. The foamed concrete waste (FCW) used in this research that were supplied by a local lightweight concrete producing industry. The workability and compressive strength of concrete containing various percentage of foamed concrete waste as partial sand replacement has been investigated. Prior to the use, the foamed concrete waste were crushed to produce finer particles. Six concrete mixes containing various content of crushed foamed concrete waste that are 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% were used in this experimental work. Then the prepared specimens were placed in water curing until the testing age. Compressive strength test and flexural strength tests were conducted at 7, 14 and 28 days. The result shows that integration of crushed foamed concrete waste as partial sand replacement in concrete reduces the mix workability. It is interesting to note that both compressive strength and flexural strength of concrete improves when 30% crushed foamed concrete waste is added as partial sand replacement.

  11. Experimental study and modeling of gas diffusion through partially water saturated porous media. Application to Vycor glasses, geo-polymers and CEM V cement pastes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boher, C.

    2012-01-01

    This work documents the relationship that exists between the transfer properties of a material (pore size distribution, total porosity accessible to water, water saturation degree), and its diffusion coefficient. For this sake, materials having a quasi mono modal porosity are used: Vycor glasses and geo-polymers. We also use materials having a complex porosity: CEM V cement pastes. The use of Vycor glasses and geo-polymers allows quantifying the gas diffusion coefficient through materials having known pores size, as a function of their water saturation degree. The use of cement pastes allows checking if it is possible to decompose the diffusion coefficient of a complex porosity material, in an assembling of diffusion coefficients of quasi mono modal porosity materials. For this sake, the impact of pore network arrangement on the diffusion coefficient is studied in great details. This study is divided into three parts:1)Measurement of the geometric characteristics of materials porous network by means of the mercury intrusion porosimetry, water porosimetry, isotherms of nitrogen sorption / desorption, and water desorption tests. 2) Measurement of the materials diffusion coefficient, as a function of their relative humidity storage, and their water saturation degree. 3) Modeling the diffusion coefficient of the materials, and study the impact of the pore network (tortuosity, pores connection). (author) [fr

  12. Visualization of Concrete Slump Flow Using the Kinect Sensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jung-Hoon; Park, Minbeom

    2018-03-03

    Workability is regarded as one of the important parameters of high-performance concrete and monitoring it is essential in concrete quality management at construction sites. The conventional workability test methods are basically based on length and time measured by a ruler and a stopwatch and, as such, inevitably involves human error. In this paper, we propose a 4D slump test method based on digital measurement and data processing as a novel concrete workability test. After acquiring the dynamically changing 3D surface of fresh concrete using a 3D depth sensor during the slump flow test, the stream images are processed with the proposed 4D slump processing algorithm and the results are compressed into a single 4D slump image. This image basically represents the dynamically spreading cross-section of fresh concrete along the time axis. From the 4D slump image, it is possible to determine the slump flow diameter, slump flow time, and slump height at any location simultaneously. The proposed 4D slump test will be able to activate research related to concrete flow simulation and concrete rheology by providing spatiotemporal measurement data of concrete flow.

  13. Recycled construction and demolition concrete waste as aggregate for structural concrete

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashraf M. Wagih

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available In major Egyptian cities there is a surge in construction and demolition waste (CDW quantities causing an adverse effect on the environment. The use of such waste as recycled aggregate in concrete can be useful for both environmental and economical aspects in the construction industry. This study discusses the possibility to replace natural coarse aggregate (NA with recycled concrete aggregate (RCA in structural concrete. An investigation into the properties of RCA is made using crushing and grading of concrete rubble collected from different demolition sites and landfill locations around Cairo. Aggregates used in the study were: natural sand, dolomite and crushed concretes obtained from different sources. A total of 50 concrete mixes forming eight groups were cast. Groups were designed to study the effect of recycled coarse aggregates quality/content, cement dosage, use of superplasticizer and silica fume. Tests were carried out for: compressive strength, splitting strength and elastic modulus. The results showed that the concrete rubble could be transformed into useful recycled aggregate and used in concrete production with properties suitable for most structural concrete applications in Egypt. A significant reduction in the properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC made of 100% RCA was seen when compared to natural aggregate concrete (NAC, while the properties of RAC made of a blend of 75% NA and 25% RCA showed no significant change in concrete properties.

  14. Production of a datolite-based heavy concrete for shielding nuclear reactors and megavoltage radiotherapy rooms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mortazavi, S. M. J.; Mosleh-Shirazi, M.A.; Baradaran-Ghahfarokhi, M.; Siavashpour, Z.; Farshadi, A.; Ghafoori, M.; Shahvar, A.

    2010-01-01

    Biological shielding of nuclear reactors has always been a great concern and decreasing the complexity and expense of these installations is of great interest. In this study, we used datolite and galena minerals for production of a high performance heavy concrete. Materials and Methods: Datolite and galena minerals which can be found in many parts of Iran were used in the concrete mix design. To measure the gamma radiation attenuation of the Datolite and galena concrete samples, they were exposed to both narrow and wide beams of gamma rays emitted from a cobalt-60 radiotherapy unit. An Am-Be neutron source was used for assessing the shielding properties of the samples against neutrons. To test the compression strengths, both types of concrete mixes (Datolite and galena and ordinary concrete) were investigated. Results: The concrete samples had a density of 4420-4650 kg/m 3 compared to that of ordinary concrete (2300-2500 kg/m 3 ) or barite high density concrete (up to 3500 kg/m 3 ). The measured half value layer thickness of the Datolite and galena concrete samples for cobalt-60 gamma rays was much less than that of ordinary concrete (2.56 cm compared to 6.0 cm). Furthermore, the galena concrete samples had a significantly higher compressive strength as well as 20% more neutron absorption. Conclusion: The Datolite and galena concrete samples showed good shielding/engineering properties in comparison with other reported samples made, using high-density materials other than depleted uranium. It is also more economic than the high-density concretes. Datolite and galena concrete may be a suitable option for shielding nuclear reactors and megavoltage radiotherapy rooms.

  15. Long-term durability experiments with concrete-based waste packages in simulated repository conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ipatti, A.

    1993-03-01

    Two extensive experiments on long-term durability of waste packages in simulated repository conditions are described. The first one is a 'half-scale experiment' comprising radioactive waste product and half-scale concrete containers in site specific groundwater conditions. The second one is 'full-scale experiment' including simulated inactive waste product and full-scale concrete container stored in slowly flowing fresh water. The scope of the experiments is to demonstrate long-term behaviour of the designed waste packages in contact with moderately concrete aggressive groundwater, and to evaluate the possible interactions between the waste product, concrete container and ground water. As the waste packages are made of high-quality concrete, provisions have been made to continue the experiments for several years

  16. Special protective concretes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bouniol, P.

    2001-01-01

    Concrete is the most convenient material when large-scale radiation protection is needed. Thus, special concretes for nuclear purposes are used in various facilities like reactors, reprocessing centers, storage sites, accelerators, hospitals with nuclear medicine equipment, food ionization centers etc.. The recent advances made in civil engineering for the improvement of concrete durability and compactness are for a large part transposable to protection concretes. This article presents the basic knowledge about protection concretes with the associated typological and technological aspects. A large part is devoted to the intrinsic properties of concretes and to their behaviour in irradiation and temperature conditions: 1 - definition and field of application of special protective concretes; 2 - evolution of concepts and technologies (durability of structures, techniques of formulation, new additives, market evolution); 3 - design of protective structures (preliminary study, radiation characteristics, thermal constraints, damping and dimensioning, mechanical criteria); 4 - formulation of special concretes (general principles, granulates, hydraulic binders, pulverulent additives, water/cement ratio, reference composition of some special concretes); 5 - properties of special concretes (damping and thermo-mechanical properties); 6 - induced-irradiation and temperature phenomena (activation, radiolysis, mineralogical transformations, drying, shrinking, creep, corrosion of reinforcement). (J.S.)

  17. Modeling of the attenuation of stress waves in concrete based on the Rayleigh damping model using time-reversal and PZT transducers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Zhen; Huo, Linsheng; Gao, Weihang; Li, Hongnan; Song, Gangbing

    2017-10-01

    Wave-based concrete structural health monitoring has attracted much attention. A stress wave experiences significant attenuation in concrete, however there is a lack of a unified method for predicting the attenuation coefficient of the stress wave. In this paper, a simple and effective absorption attenuation model of stress waves in concrete is developed based on the Rayleigh damping model, which indicates that the absorption attenuation coefficient of stress waves in concrete is directly proportional to the square of the stress wave frequency when the damping ratio is small. In order to verify the theoretical model, related experiments were carried out. During the experiments, a concrete beam was designed in which the d33-model piezoelectric smart aggregates were embedded to detect the propagation of stress waves. It is difficult to distinguish direct stress waves due to the complex propagation paths and the reflection and scattering of stress waves in concrete. Hence, as another innovation of this paper, a new method for computing the absorption attenuation coefficient based on the time-reversal method is developed. Due to the self-adaptive focusing properties of the time-reversal method, the time-reversed stress wave focuses and generates a peak value. The time-reversal method eliminates the adverse effects of multipaths, reflection, and scattering. The absorption attenuation coefficient is computed by analyzing the peak value changes of the time-reversal focused signal. Finally, the experimental results are found to be in good agreement with the theoretical model.

  18. Self-Compacting Concrete

    OpenAIRE

    Okamura, Hajime; Ouchi, Masahiro

    2003-01-01

    Self-compacting concrete was first developed in 1988 to achieve durable concrete structures. Since then, various investigations have been carried out and this type of concrete has been used in practical structures in Japan, mainly by large construction companies. Investigations for establishing a rational mix-design method and self-compactability testing methods have been carried out from the viewpoint of making self-compacting concrete a standard concrete.

  19. A review on the suitability of rubberized concrete for concrete bridge decks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Syamir Senin, Mohamad; Shahidan, Shahiron; Radziah Abdullah, Siti; Anting Guntor, Nickholas; Syazani Leman, Alif

    2017-11-01

    Road authorities manage a large population of ageing bridges, a substantial number of which fail to meet the current requirements either due to deterioration and other structural deficiencies or as a result of the escalating demands imposed by increased traffic. This problem is related to the dynamic load from vehicles. This problem can be solved by producing a type of concrete that can reduce the amplitude of oscillation or vibration such as rubberized concrete. Green construction has been a very important aspect in concrete production field in the last decade. One of the most problematic waste materials is scrap tires. The use of scrap tires in civil engineering is increasing by producing rubberized concrete. Rubberized concrete is a type of concrete that is mixed with rubber. The purpose of this review is to justify the suitability of rubberized concrete for concrete bridge decks. Several parameters named physical, chemical and mechanical properties were measured to ensure the suitability of rubberized concrete for concrete bridge decks. Rubberized concrete has similar workability to normal concrete. The rubber reduced the density and compressive strength of the concrete while increased the flexural strength, water absorption and damping ratio. The used of rubber in concrete beyond 20% is not recommended due to decreasing in compressive strength. Rubberized concrete recommended to be used in circumstances where vibration damping was required such as in bridge construction as shock-wave absorber.

  20. Numerical Simulation of Recycled Concrete Using Convex Aggregate Model and Base Force Element Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yijiang Peng

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available By using the Base Force Element Method (BFEM on potential energy principle, a new numerical concrete model, random convex aggregate model, is presented in this paper to simulate the experiment under uniaxial compression for recycled aggregate concrete (RAC which can also be referred to as recycled concrete. This model is considered as a heterogeneous composite which is composed of five mediums, including natural coarse aggregate, old mortar, new mortar, new interfacial transition zone (ITZ, and old ITZ. In order to simulate the damage processes of RAC, a curve damage model was adopted as the damage constitutive model and the strength theory of maximum tensile strain was used as the failure criterion in the BFEM on mesomechanics. The numerical results obtained in this paper which contained the uniaxial compressive strengths, size effects on strength, and damage processes of RAC are in agreement with experimental observations. The research works show that the random convex aggregate model and the BFEM with the curve damage model can be used for simulating the relationship between microstructure and mechanical properties of RAC.