Strength Characteristics of Geopolymer Mortar Using Fly Ash and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag

Abstract

One of the topics of utmost concern in the recent times is that of environmental pollution. There are various causes for pollution and building sector is one amongst the major contributor. One of the basic raw materials in building sector is that of the Portland cement, the amount of emissions released during the manufacture of Portland cement is enormous. In this paper we are making an effort to incorporate the industrial by-products as a raw material in order to reduce the environmental concerns. Geopolymer is another development in the realm of cement where concrete is completely supplanted by pozzolanic material that is rich in silica and alumina which is similar to that of Fly Ash, Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag and Activated. While utilizing Geopolymer as a substitute of cement, it is fundamental to examine normal consistency, initial and final setting time and compressive strength of geopolymer and the procedures for these are same as that of cement. The parameter considered in this examination are that cement is replaced by Geopolymer material that is in differing percentages of Fly Ash and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag are (100, 0), (80, 20), (60, 40), (40, 60), (20, 80) and (0, 100) also water is supplanted by alkaline activator solution having different molarities of 8M, 12M and 16M. The proportion of Sodium Silicate to Sodium Hydroxide considered is 2.5. From the results it can be noted that the compressive strength of the mortar increased with increasing molarity of Sodium Hydroxide and the final settling time have been decreased.