Experimental study on the properties of ultra-high-strength geopolymer concrete with polypropylene fibers and nano-silica

Abstract

Because of the recent progress in materials properties, specifically high-strength concrete, further research is needed to evaluate its suitability, understanding, and performance in the modern-day world. This research aims to enhance the performance of ultra-high-strength geopolymer concrete (UHS-GPC) by adding nano-silica (NS) and polypropylene fibers (PPFs). Three 1%, 2%, and 3% different amounts of PPFs and three NS 5%, 10%, and 15% were utilized in the samples. Various performance parameters of UHS-GPC were evaluated, such as fresh property, compressive strength, modulus of elasticity split tensile, flexural and bonding strength, drying shrinkage, load-displacement test, fracture performance, and elevated temperature. The test outcomes showed that by raising the percentage of PPFs and NS to the allowable limit, the performance of UHS-GPC can be improved significantly. The most improved performance of UHS-GPC was obtained at 2% polypropylene fibers and 10% nano-silica, as the compressive, splitting tensile, flexural. Bond strength was improved by 17.07%, 47.1%, 36.52, and 37.58%, and the modulus of elasticity increased by 31.4% at 56 days. The study showed that the sample with 2% PPFs and 10% NS had excellent performance in the load-displacement test, drying shrinkage, fracture behavior, and elevated temperature. At 750°C elevated temperature, the samples’ strength was reduced drastically, but at 250°C, the modified samples showed good resistance to heat by retaining their compressive strength to some degree. The present work showed the suitability of PPFs and NS to develop ultra-high-strength geopolymer concrete, which can be used as a possible alternate material for Portland cement-based concrete.

A state-of-the-art review of the physical and durability characteristics and microstructure behavior of ultra-high-performance geopolymer concrete

“…This phenomenon may potentially result from the influence of these mineral filler materials, which exert a noteworthy impact on the rheological characteristics. Althoey et al [ 16 ] revealed that adding Nano-silica significantly affected the flow diameter of UHPGPC. The authors observed that UHSGPC with 10 % Nano-silica (see Fig.…”

“…Notably, literature studies [ 40 , 82 ] employed polyethylene and polyvinyl alcohol as primary fiber constituents, observing significant enhancements in load-bearing capacity, energy absorption, and fracture energy up to 70-fold increases in specimens containing these fibers. Althoey et al [ 16 ] evaluated the impact of different percentages of Nano-silica (5 %, 10 %, and 15 %) and PPFs (1 %, 2 %, and 3 %) on the flexural and load-deflection behavior of ultra-high strength geopolymer concrete. The authors observed that the flexural strength experienced an increase from 22.7 MPa to 25.43 MPa (see Fig.…”

“…Table 1 offers quantitative information for estimating the embodied energy and CO 2 outflows of the materials employed in the formulation of UHPGPC. Geopolymers rely on materials that are rich in alumino-silicate, which include fly ash (FA), silica fume (SF), granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS), metakaolin (MK), integrated with a source of aluminum, and silicon [ [14] , [15] , [16] ]. The Al and Si are added to an alkaline chemical solution (carbonate, silicate, sulfate, and hydroxide) to initiate activation, followed by polymerization, during which the molecular chains develop adhesive properties [ 17 , 18 ].…”

Determining engineering properties of ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced geopolymer concrete modified with different waste materials

“…The fresh property was reported to get worse with the addition of 20% to 30% silica fume, which revealed that the silica fume significantly affects the fresh and strength properties of geopolymer concrete at a high replacement percentage. Althoey et al [ 41 ] developed ultra-high-strength fiber-reinforced geopolymer concrete by substituting cement with nano-silica and activated with the alkaline activators and observed significant results.…”

Structural Performance of Strengthening of High-Performance Geopolymer Concrete Columns Utilizing Different Confinement Materials: Experimental and Numerical Study

“…Geopolymer concrete (GC) is a sustainable [9,10], eco-friendly construction material that has garnered significant attention in recent years due to its exceptional mechanical properties and durability [11][12][13][14][15]. GC is made from an alkali-activated binder system consisting of industrial by-products such as fly ash and metakaolin, significantly reducing cement production's environmental impact [16,17].…”