Performance Investigation of the Incorporation of Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag with Fly Ash in Autoclaved Aerated Concrete

Abstract

Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) is one of the most common types of lightweight cellular concrete, having a density of approximately one-fourth of that of conventional plain cement concrete. The use of industrial waste materials in concrete as a replacement for cement has garnered a lot of attention in recent years as a way to reduce the environmental effect of concrete. In this study, an attempt has been made to study the effect of AAC blocks made of industrial wastes such as fly Ash (FA) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS). Fly ash, along with different dosages of GGBS, was used as a partial replacement for cement in the production of AAC. For all the different dosages, microstructural analysis was performed using a Scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Mechanical performances of AAC were determined by conducting various tests like compressive strength, modulus of rupture, dry density, and water absorption. The results revealed that the dosage of “15% GGBS + 85% cement” has maximum compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, and modulus of rupture made of Class F Fly Ash when compared to Class C Fly Ash based AAC blocks. Besides, the incorporation of GGBS in the manufacturing process would increase the compressive strength of AAC up to 68%. Hence, it is recommended to use 15% GGBS + 85% cement as a potential rate of replacement, to improve the mechanical properties of AAC blocks significantly.

Enhancing Thermal Performance of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) Incorporating Sugar Sediment Waste and Recycled AAC with Phase Change Material-Coated Applications for Sustainable Energy Conservation in Building

“…AAC stands out for its remarkable ability to achieve approximately 50% energy savings without additional thermal insulation materials, positioning it as a potential key player in energy conservation [10][11][12][13][14][15]. Its lightweight and highly porous structure, with about 80% volume comprised of pores, provides lower thermal insulating capacities, higher heat resistance, and reduced shrinkage compared to traditional concrete [16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27], contributing to enhanced energy efficiency in buildings.…”

“…By utilizing residual materials from industrial procedures, including expanded perlite waste (EPW) [15], efflorescent sand and phosphorescent slag [30], iron ore tailings [31], air-cooled slag [32], crushed siliceous stone [33], lead-zinc tailings [34], coal bottom ash [35], copper tailings and blast furnace slag [36], calcium fly ash and natural zeolite [37], waste from sugar sediment [38], and black dust [39,40]. AAC properties are enhanced, leading to economic and environmental benefits [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]. For instance, incorporating EPW as a substitute for ground quartz sand reduces thermal conductivity without sacrificing compressive strength [15].…”