Enhancement of impact resistance of alkali‐activated slag concrete through biochar supplementation

Abstract

Biochar is a well‐known sustainable and effective additive used in mortar/concrete to improve its mechanical properties. However, its potential to improve the impact resistance of concrete is still unexplored. This paper investigates biochar's effectiveness in improving the strength and impact performance of alkali‐activated slag concrete (AASC). Five AASC samples with 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% rice husk biochar (RB) were employed in an experimental program. The strength and the impact resistance were tested, and the latter was assessed over a drop‐weight test conforming to the ACI Committee 544 guidelines. The crack propagation of the impact‐tested samples was examined using micro‐CT images. The results showed that adding RB up to 6% improved, notably the 28‐day compressive strength of AASC. At 6% RB, the strength enhancement was 44.6%, whereas no additional gain was observed at the 8% RB blend. More importantly, except for the 8% RB sample, the impact resistance was considerably augmented with the RB level increment. The increment in the impact number at the first crack and the failure in the 6% RB sample were as high as 185% and 180%, respectively. The reduction in the solution/binder ratio of the mix with the addition of biochar and the internal curing effect of biochar were deemed to be responsible for these improvements. However, possibly due to biochar's brittle characteristics, the increase in RB dosage from 6% to 8% reduced the impact resistance drastically.