Influence of Micro/Nano Sized Fly Ash on the Properties of Cement Mortar

Abstract

The interest of research work is to prepare and study the effect of micro/ nano sized fly ash (or ground fly ash) on the mechanical properties of cement mortar. The grounded fly ash was obtained by grinding raw fly ash in a mechanical ball milling up to 5 hours, this ground fly ash (GFA) was in the range of micro to nano level. The mortar was prepared with adding of GFA as partially replaced ordinary Portland cement at the rate of 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% by weight of binder. This paper investigates the consistency and setting time of blended cement paste and compressive strength, water permeability of blended cement mortar samples. The partial replacement of GFA with cement mortar shows improvement in the microstructure and mechanical properties of mortar. Compressive strength of cement mortars blended with 10 % micro/nano-flyash particles showed results by additional to 10%, 24% & 34% than normal mortar samples after 28, 56 & 90 days of curing respectively and water absorption test proves that 10% micro/ nano blended mortar specimens absorbs 21% less water than that of other samples.