Mechanical Properties of Fly-Ash-Based Geopolymer Concrete: Aci Materials Journal Technical Paper

ACI MATERIALS JOURNAL TECHNICAL PAPER
Title no. 108-M32
Mechanical Properties of Fly-Ash-Based

Geopolymer Concrete
by E. Ivan Diaz-Loya, Erez N. Allouche, and Saiprasad Vaidya
The mechanical properties of fly-ash-based geopolymer concrete forming calcium silicate hydrates (C-S-H) and calcium
(GPC) were studied. Experimentally measured values of the static aluminates (C-A-S-H). The hydration of these compounds
elastic modulus, Poisson’s ratio, compressive strength, and leads to water deficiency and thus raises the alkalinity of the
flexural strength of GPC specimens made from 25 fly ash (FA) mixture. The increase in alkalinity promotes higher and
stockpiles from different sources were recorded and analyzed. The faster dissolution of silicate and aluminate species from the
results were studied using regression analysis to identify
tendencies and correlations within the mechanical properties of
source material, increasing the rate of poly-condensation/
GPC. It was found that the mechanical behavior of GPC is similar geopolymerization. Thus, the presence of calcium
to that of ordinary portland cement (OPC) concrete, suggesting contributes to the mechanical strength of the resulting
that equations, akin to those given by ACI 318-08, could be hardened matrix not only by forming C-S-H and C-A-S-H
applied for GPC to determine its flexural strength and static but also by enhancing the geopolymerization process.6,8-15
elastic modulus. The validity of an equation to determine the A significant number of researchers have dedicated efforts
density of GPC as a function of FA fineness was also put forward. to study the chemistry behind these binders.2-4,7,8-15 Other
authors have focused on identifying the characteristics
Keywords: alkali-activated cement; fly ash; geopolymer; mechanical inherent to the source material (for example, FA) that impact
characterization. its potential for geopolymerization,6,16,17 whereas still
others have focused on evaluating the environmental impact
INTRODUCTION of recycling FA into geopolymer concrete.18,19 Although
Geopolymers are emerging cementitious binders, synthesized several researchers7,20,21 have studied the mechanical properties
from materials of geological origin (for example, metakaolin) or of geopolymer concrete (GPC), they have focused on analyzing
by-products such as fly ash (FA) that are rich in silica and the effects that mixture proportion, activator solution
alumina. Geopolymer binders result from a chemical reaction concentrations, curing conditions, and so on pose on the
where silica and alumina molecules contained in an active mechanical properties of GPC. To date, limited attention was
pozzolanic material (such as FA) react under highly alkaline given to evaluating tendencies and correlations within the
conditions, typically provided by a sodium (or potassium) mechanical properties of GPC for a wide range of FA sources. It
hydroxide solution and an alkaline silicate (for example, is worth mentioning that efforts are currently being made to
sodium or potassium silicate). Many authors agree that the create an FA database22 from which these correlations can
outcome of this reaction is an amorphous three-dimensional be identified and quantified.
(3-D) network of silicon and aluminum atoms linked by
oxygen atoms in a four-fold coordination similar to the one RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE
exhibited by zeolites. The positive ion (Na+ or K+) provided One of the main challenges for a widespread use of FA-
by the activator solution serves to balance the negative based GPC is the lack of design equations that represent the
charge generated by having Al3+ atoms in a four-fold correlations and tendencies present in the mechanical
coordination. While the formation mechanism of the properties of GPC. This study is aimed at gaining better
geopolymer network is still debated, it was suggested that understanding of the mechanical behavior of GPC, based on
the reaction can be divided into three main stages: 1) the the effects posed by using different sources of FA. Given that
dissolution of silicate and aluminate species from the source fly ashes that possess optimum characteristics will have
material; 2) transportation and coagulation/gelation; and better geopolymerization potential, thus resulting in better
3) condensation forming a 3-D network of silico- mechanical properties compared to others (assuming similar
aluminates. This reaction mechanism gives geopolymer a mixture design and curing conditions), it is very beneficial to
set of mechanical and chemical properties that are evaluate and compare a statistically meaningful FA database. In
equivalent or even superior to those of ordinary portland addition, this study attempts to develop empirical equations
cement (OPC) concrete.1-6 that capture selected key mechanical attributes.
Many authors refer to geopolymer as inorganic polymer
concrete (IPC), alkaline cements, or alkaline activated FA Materials and methods
(AAFA), especially when using FA as a source of silica and This paper presents the mechanical characterization of
alumina, given that most FA sources typically contain 25 geopolymer concrete batches; each batch was manufactured
impurities such as CaO that are believed to generate other
chemical reactions along with the formation of geopolymer
gel.1,7 Although some details are still debated, many ACI Materials Journal, V. 108, No. 3, May-June 2011.
MS No. M-2010-132.R2 received September 10, 2010, and reviewed under Institute
researchers agree that paralleled to the formation of publication policies. Copyright © 2011, American Concrete Institute. All rights reserved,
geopolymer gel, calcium in the mixture reacts with silicate including the making of copies unless permission is obtained from the copyright proprietors.
Pertinent discussion including authors’ closure, if any, will be published in the March-April
and aluminate monomers dissolved from the source material, 2012 ACI Materials Journal if the discussion is received by December 1, 2011.
300 ACI Materials Journal/May-June 2011

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ACI MATERIALS JOURNAL TECHNICAL PAPER

Title no. 108-M32

Mechanical Properties of Fly-Ash-Based

300 ACI Materials Journal/May-June 2011

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