High-strength geopolymer concrete based on coal washing waste

Abstract

In recent years, geopolymers have gained significant attention as an environmental-friendly alternative to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). Geo-Polymer Concrete (GPC) can be made using different aluminosilicate sources but using waste aluminosilicate sources not only helps to reduce environmental pollution, also leads to efficient waste management. Coal Washing Waste (CWW) refers to the waste that remains after coal washing process in the purification plants. CWW (if properly activated) can be used as a high potential aluminosilicate source to produce GPC or a supplementary cementitious material in the production of Blended Cement (BC). Hence, this study aims to investigate the use of CWW as a waste aluminosilicate source for manufacturing GPC. In this regard, CWW subjected to various methods of thermal activation and the obtained ash was used to produce GPC specimens. Thereafter, the mechanical and physical properties of CWW based-GPC were studied and also compared with conventional concrete. Furthermore, CWW ash was used as an OPC partial replacement (15 %) for BC production. The obtained results indicated that thermal activation conditions of CWW have a significant effect on the properties of the obtained CWW ash. Rapid and abrupt cooling of ash after heat treatment resulted in higher pozzolanic reactivity and thus higher compressive strength. Moreover, CWW ash-based GPC offers higher mechanical strengths, as well as excellent resistance to acidic conditions and low water absorption capacity. Furthermore, CWW ash-based GPC provides proper resistance to evaluated temperatures so that it is almost stable up to 800 °C.