Promoting substitute aggregate system for the environmental-friendly geopolymer paver applications

Abstract

Concerning the environmental imbalance caused by the over-exploitation of natural aggregates and the greenhouse emission of cementitious materials in the construction industry, in this paper, abundant laterite soil and natural coconut shells were used as partial substitutes for aggregate to make the cement-less geopolymer concrete a resource-efficient product. The effect of the alternative aggregate system in the geopolymer concrete was assessed in the aspects of strength and sustainability. The inclusion of laterite soil and coconut shell in the geopolymer resulted in 1.81 times improved toughness without significant change in the compressive strength. The use of laterite soil and coconut shell aggregates maintained the thermal stability up to 600 °C and reduces the consumption of 280 kg natural sand and 390 kg coarse aggregates while casting 1 m3 concrete, which supports to promote the alternative aggregate system for the efficient production of environmental-friendly geopolymer pavers.