Process Development of Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer Mortars in View of the Mechanical Characteristics.

This study aimed to determine the effects of design parameters, including the liquid/solid ratio (L/S), Na2SiO3/NaOH weight ratio, and curing temperature, on class F fly ash-based geopolymer composites. For this purpose, two disparate sources of fly ash were supplied from Çatalagzi (FA) and Isken Sugözü (FB) Thermal Power Plants in Turkey. Two different L/S ratios of 0.2 and 0.4 were used. The Na2SiO3/NaOH ratios in the alkaline solutions were 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3 by weight for each type of geopolymer mixture. Then, 40 different mixes were cured at two specific temperatures (70 °C and 100 °C) for 24 h and then preserved at room temperature until testing. Thereafter, the physical water absorption properties, apparent porosity, and bulk density were examined at 28 days on the hardened mortars. Additionally, compressive and flexural tests were applied to the geopolymers at 7, 28, and 90 days. It was found that the highest compressive strength was 60.1 MPa for the geopolymer manufactured with an L/S of 0.2 and Na2SiO3/NaOH ratio of 2. Moreover, the best thermal curing temperature for obtaining optimal strength characteristics was 100 °C for the FB.

Recycling ground granulated blast furnace slag as cold bonded artificial aggregate partially used in self-compacting concrete.

Ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), a by-product from iron industry, was recycled as artificial coarse aggregate through cold bonding pelletization process. The artificial slag aggregates (ASA) replaced partially the natural coarse aggregates in production of self-compacting concrete (SCC). Moreover, as being one of the most widely used mineral admixtures in concrete industry, fly ash (FA) was incorporated as a part of total binder content to impart desired fluidity to SCCs. A total of six concrete mixtures having various ASA replacement levels (0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, and 100%) were designed with a water-to-binder (w/b) ratio of 0.32. Fresh properties of self-compacting concretes (SCC) were observed through slump flow time, flow diameter, V-funnel flow time, and L-box filling height ratio. Compressive strength of hardened SCCs was also determined at 28 days of curing. It was observed that increasing the replacement level of ASA resulted in decrease in the amount of superplasticizer to achieve a constant slump flow diameter. Moreover, passing ability and viscosity of SCC's enhanced with increasing the amount of ASA in the concrete. The maximum compressive strength was achieved for the SCC having 60% ASA replacement.