Effect of super absorbent polymer on microstructural and mechanical properties of concrete blends using granite pulver

Abstract

AbstractIndustrialization and urbanization has caused a serious impact on the environment due to the vast consumption of energy and eco‐unsustainable production. Therefore, scientists and engineers are placing more effort to design environmentally sustainable systems. To achieve sustainability, one potential solution is to use renewable resources to produce construction materials. The effect on various amounts of admixed super absorbent polymer (SAP) on microstructural, fresh and hardened properties of autogenous cured concrete incorporating Granite Pulver (GP) have been investigated. For this purpose, a small quantity of Portland cement was replaced by GP as 5, 10, 15, and 20%. The SAP was used at volume fractions of 0.1 to 1% to the GP‐concrete blends to counteract self‐desiccation during the hydration of concrete. Along with the GP, fly ash (FA) was also added as filler to improve the workability of GP‐concrete blends. The chemical and microstructural properties of unprocessed GP, fly ash, and cement samples along with the mechanical properties of GP‐concrete blends were investigated through different tests. A total of 627 specimens were prepared for mechanical testing of GP‐concrete blends. The GP along with the SAP increases the compressive strength and flexural strength in comparison with the control mixture by around 1.6 and 6.8% respectively, when a replacement of cement by GP up to 15% was made with an addition of 0.4% of SAP in the mixture.