Investigation of the strength development of cast-in-place geopolymer piles with heating systems

Abstract

As an innovative material, geopolymer is receiving more and more attention in the concrete industry as well as geotechnical engineering. However, the requirement of an external heat source to promote the geopolymer reaction remains a challenge for the practical application of geopolymer in cases such as cast-in-place piles. This study explores the method of preparing a cast-in-place geopolymer pile with heating systems. Two types of class F fly ash and one type of red mud were utilized to produce geopolymer, and two heating patterns were designed and tested in this study. According to the test results in the laboratory and field, both heating patterns could promote the geopolymer pile to achieve the required strength in a short period of time with limited power consumption, whereas the control pile without a heating system remained weak for the same duration, demonstrating that the geopolymer pile with heating systems could be a promising and energy-efficient technology.