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Abstract

Geopolymers are a new class of high performance materials able to replace traditional Portland cement due to its excellent mechanical properties, high initial resistance and durability. The raw material used for the production of geopolymers generally consists of industrial wastes such as fly ash and met kaolin, both rich in silica and alumina. Thus, geopolymers are an economically viable alternative for minimizing environmental impact by carbon sequestration. Although extremely resistant, their mechanical properties can be improved by the insertion of reinforcing agents. Among them, the fibers improve several properties such as tensile strength and toughness; besides allow controlling the cracking mechanism and the ductility of the geopolymer composites. Among the fibers used as geopolymer reinforcement the metallic, inorganic, organic and natural fibers should be highlighted. Each of these reinforcement materials influences positively the mechanical properties of the geopolymer composite, thus favoring a wide range of applications, especially in civil construction. Therefore, the objective of this work was to study the influence of the addition of different fibers on the mechanical properties of geopolymer matrix composites.