Alkali-activated Slag Concrete Research Articles

Investigation on the anti-carbonation properties of alkali-activated slag concrete: Effect of activator types and dosages

In this paper, three alkaline activators, namely sodium hydroxide (SH), calcium oxide and sodium carbonate (COSC), calcium hydroxide and sodium sulfate (CHSS), and the influence of different alkali equivalents on the carbonation resistance of alkali-activated slag concrete (AASC) were investigated. By testing the mechanical properties at different carbonation ages of AASC with three types of activators at varying alkali equivalents (4%, 6%, and 8%), along with the changes in carbonation depth, this study aims to characterize hydration products and porosity through microstructural analysis. The objective is to explain the mechanism by which carbonation affects the AASC structure. The findings showed that the carbonation rate (i.e., the growth rate of the carbonation depth) of AASC was CHSS > COSC > SH when the exciter dosages were the same, and the carbonation rate of all samples tended to slow down as the alkali components increased. Calcite and spherulite were the calcium carbonate morphologies after SH, COSC, and CHSS carbonation according to XRD, TG/DSC, and pore structure tests; the calcium carbonate content decreased with increasing alkali equivalent after carbonation. Since the pore-increasing effect of carbonation due to the destruction of C–S–H is weaker than the filling effect produced by calcium carbonate, the total pore volume of SH, COSC, and CHSS decreased due to the activator effect after carbonation. Specifically, the calcium carbonate created by carbonation repairs pores and cracks of matrix, but its presence also reduces the calcium hydroxide concentration, leading to a decrease in the alkalinity of the pore solution, which disrupts the structure of the hydration products and loosens the matrix. The focus is on which aspect is more decisive. Interestingly, small pores however decreased, while there was an increase in larger pore sizes resulting in a change in pore size distribution. However, this negative impact on pore distribution decreased with increasing alkali dosage.

Sustainable high-strength alkali-activated slag concrete is achieved by recycling emulsified waste cooking oil

To mitigate the shrinkage of high-strength alkali-activated slag concrete (AASC), this paper introduces emulsified cooking oil (ECO) and emulsified waste cooking oil (EWCO) into the AASC system. The effects of admixing ECO and EWCO on the compressive strength, drying shrinkage, autogenous shrinkage, carbonation, and sulfuric acid resistance of the AASC are systematically explored. The optimization mechanism is also proposed based on the surface tension and microstructural analysis. The experimental results show that the admixing ECO and EWCO slightly reduce the compressive strength of the AASC by 7.8%. Interestingly, the admixing ECO and EWCO significantly reduce the drying shrinkage and autogenous shrinkage, simultaneously improving the resistance to carbonation and sulfuric acid of the AASC. Specifically, the introduction of 2 wt.% ECO and EWCO can reduce the autogenous shrinkage of the AASC by 66.7% and 41.0%, respectively. Microstructural observations reveal that the addition of ECO and EWCO can reduce the internal surface tension of the AASC, improve the transport and diffusion of the pore solution, and increase the absorbable free water of the slag, which in turn reduces the shrinkage of the composites. It also increases the ionic concentration in the pore solution, resulting in a more complete reaction of the AASC, which can optimize the pore structure and thus improve the durability of the AASC. This study proposes a promising way to develop sustainable alkali-activated slag concrete achieved by recycling waste materials.

Effects of mixing conditions and activator anionic species on the rheology of silicate-activated slag concrete

The proper control of the rheological performance of silicate-based alkali-activated slag (AAS) mixtures is problematic, as the conventional superplasticizers become less effective in alkaline media. Nevertheless, several methods have been proposed to improve the workability of silicate-activated AAS, such as by extending the mixing time, and replacing sodium silicate with sodium carbonate activators. However, the underlying fluidizing mechanism is not yet well understood in the literature, which is crucial knowledge to achieve proper rheology control of silicate-activated AAS.In this study, the effects of mixing conditions and activator anionic species on the rheology of silicate-activated AAS concrete have been assessed. The reaction products, particle size and interparticle interactions, as well as the reaction kinetics in AAS, have been further investigated to understand the distinct fluidizing mechanisms. By using a longer mixing time, it was found that the solid particles formed at early ages are broken down into smaller particles, accompanied by a slight increase in the amount of reaction products to improve the fluidity. With the sodium carbonate substitution, the calcium ions dissolved from slag particles are entrapped into calcium carbonate precipitates to slow down the accumulation of C-(A)-S-H phases, leading to a better dynamic flow. However, the interparticle interactions are intensified due to the formation of larger particles and the declined dispersing effect induced by silicate activators.

Innovative encapsulation of alkali activators in alkali-activated slag concrete: A sustainable strategy for regulating setting time and durability

The scientific community has devoted considerable attention to alkali-activated slag binder systems, due to the low-carbon footprint and eco-friendly attributes. However, the regulation of setting time poses significant challenges to the widespread application in practical engineering environments. This study proposes an innovative approach to encapsulate alkali activators in capsules or tablets, followed by the incorporation into the alkali slag concrete matrix. This strategy aims to regulate and control the early dissolution and hydration rate of slag, thereby altering the setting time of the alkali-activated material. Specifically, this method can prolong the setting time by approximately 40%. Importantly, this intervention does not significantly damage the mechanical properties of materials over the 28 days due to the continuous outward diffusion of the active ingredients of the alkali activator. This encapsulation technique harbors the capacity for quantitative modulation of the setting time in alkali-activated slag concrete. The findings of this research offer valuable theoretical insights, paving the way for the application of alkali-activated hydration systems in diverse engineering domains.

Mixture optimization of alkali activated slag concrete containing recycled concrete aggregates and silica fume using response surface method

In this study, response surface method (RSM) was used to predict a quadratic model for mechanical and durability properties of alkali activated slag concrete containing silica fume (SF) and recycled coarse and fine aggregates (RCA, RFA). Mechanical, durability, economic, and environmental aspects of the mixes were evaluated. The results showed that substituting natural aggregates with recycled ones had minimal impact on the final price. Different alkali activated mixes did not make a significant difference in the CO2 emission. Although the optimum mix design was the one with 0% RCA, 0% RFA, and 8.1% SF, other environmentally friendly concretes had comparable desirability factors.

Metaheuristic optimization of machine learning models for strength prediction of high-performance self-compacting alkali-activated slag concrete

Metaheuristic optimization of machine learning models for strength prediction of high-performance self-compacting alkali-activated slag concrete

Chloride Permeability of Alkali-Activated Slag Concretes after Exposure to High Temperatures.

The number of fires in buildings and on bridges has increased worldwide in recent years. As a structural material, the strength of alkali-activated slag (AAS) concrete after exposure to high temperatures has been given much attention. However, research of its durability is still lacking, which limits the application of this type of concrete on a larger scale. In this context, as one of the most important aspects of durability, the chloride permeability of AAS concretes after exposure to high temperatures was examined in this study. The influence of the alkali concentration (Na2O%) and the modulus (Ms) of the activator, as well as the influence of heating regimes, including the heating rate, duration of exposure to the target temperature, and cooling method, was also discussed. The results show that the chloride permeability of the AAS concretes increased with temperature elevation. Due to the interference of pore solution conductivity, the influence of the Na2O% and the Ms of the activator on the chloride permeability of the AAS concretes was not made clear by using the ASTM C 1202 charge passed method; however, after exposure to high temperatures, AAS with a lower Na2O% and lower Ms has lower porosity and may have lower chloride permeability, which needs further investigation. Faster heating for a longer duration at the target temperature and water cooling reduced the resistance of the AAS concretes to chloride permeability as a result of their increased porosity.

Experimental study on flexural mechanical properties of steel fiber reinforced alkali-activated slag concrete beams

As an environmentally friendly alternative to ordinary concrete, slag concrete is subject to limitations such as drying shrinkage and micro-cracking during its promotion and application. In order to address these challenges, steel fibers, known for their excellent tensile, shear, crack-resistance, and toughness properties, have been introduced to enhance the ductility of alkali-activated slag concrete. This study utilized steel fiber content as a variable and produced eight steel fiber-reinforced alkali-activated slag concrete beams to investigate their flexural mechanical properties. By exploring the influence of steel fiber content variation on the mechanical behavior of alkali-activated slag concrete beams and conducting validation through finite element analysis, the study unveiled the impact of steel fibers on the performance of alkali-activated slag concrete beams. The research findings demonstrate a significant enhancement in the flexural mechanical properties of alkali-activated slag concrete beams with the addition of steel fibers, leading to a reduction in surface cracking and an improvement in the durability of the elements. The outcomes of this study hold crucial theoretical implications for the widespread application of steel fiber-reinforced alkali-activated slag concrete.

Effects of alkali activator on the chloride-ion permeability of one-part alkali-activated nickel slag concrete

Herein, the effects of the ionic types and content of alkali activator on the chloride-ion permeability of one-part alkali-activated nickel slag concrete were examined. The NT Build 492 method was adopted to measure the Cl− transport performance. In general, the total Cl− concentration in concrete decreases with the increase of penetration depth; however, the enrichment of Cl− concentration in the sample is not obvious. Anions have more effect on 28-d compressive strength, while cations have more effect on chlorine-ion permeability. For the same Na2O content, SiO32−-activator and Na+-activator perform better than other anions and cations, while OH– and K+ perform worse than other ions. The chloride-ion permeability coefficient (DRCM) of concrete with Na2SiO3 is the lowest and that with KOH is the highest. The DRCM of concrete prepared with KOH is 1.93 times higher than that of concrete prepared with Na2SiO3. When the activator is Na2SiO3, the DRCM of concrete decreases with the increase in Na2O content when the Na2O content is less than 7%. However, when the Na2O content exceeds 7%, the DRCM of concrete increases with the increase in Na2O content.

Experimental and numerical study on self-compacting alkali-activated slag concrete-filled steel tubes

This study presents a comprehensive experimental and numerical investigation of axially loaded self-compacting alkali-activated slag concrete-filled steel tubular (ACFST) stub columns. Integrating alkali-activated slag concrete (AASC) with concrete-filled steel tubes (CFST) can yield a novel construction composite material that offers advantageous outcomes for both AASC and steel tube. AASC, an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional concrete, offers improved sustainability, while CFST can provide enhanced structural capabilities. To investigate the performance of ACFST columns, nine different AASC mixtures were designed, each varying in binder content, water-to-binder ratio, Na2O %, and activation modulus. In this study, eighteen ACFST specimens were tested under axial compression, evenly divided into nine circular and nine square CFST sections. A numerical model is developed to evaluate the stress-strain behaviour of confined AASC filled in circular and square steel tubes. The proposed numerical model is first applied to analyse ACFST specimens tested in this study and then used to analyse ACFST specimens tested by another researcher to verify its accuracy. The results, including ultimate load capacity, axial load-displacement graphs, and failure modes obtained from the proposed numerical model, have shown strong agreement with the test results. This suggests that the proposed model can be effectively utilized to predict the axial compressive behaviour of both circular and square ACFST columns.

Fresh and Mechanical Characteristics of Alkali Activated Fly Ash Slag Concrete Activated with Neutral Grade Liquid Glass

Abstract: The development and use of geopolymer concrete continues to evolve as researchers and engineers refine mix designs, develop standardized guidelines, and explore new applications. One of the key benefits of geopolymer concrete is its lower carbon footprint compared to traditional Portland cement concrete. This reduction in carbon emissions is due to the elimination of clinker production, which is energy intensive and emits significant amounts of carbon dioxide. This sustainable alternative to Portland cement concrete plays an important role in reducing the environmental impact of the construction industry. Many prior studies on fly ash-slag based geopolymers have primarily focused on the characteristics of concrete that has undergone heat curing. This approach is seen as a constraint when it comes to in-situ casting applications in ambient conditions. Ambient curing of geopolymer concrete is a more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly option compared to heat curing, as it doesn't require the use of specialized curing chambers or high temperatures. However, it may require longer curing times to achieve the desired strength and making it important to plan the construction schedule accordingly. An experimental study was carried out using neutral grade liquid glass with a silica modulus (SiO2/Na2O) of 2.92 coupled with combinations of fly ash and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) in proportions of 30:70, 50:50. The primary aim is to explore how altering the ratios of fly ash and GGBS impacts the mechanical characteristics of the resultant concrete for different solution/ binder ratios (0.6, 0.65 and 0.7) with a fixed binder quantity of 400 and 500 Kg/m3 under ambient curing conditions. The experimental program employed the fractional factorial method of experimentation to minimize the number of mix variations. In general, the findings indicated that higher levels of neutral-grade sodium silicate led to improvements in all mechanical properties. Conversely, an increase in the alkaline solution-to- binder ratio and curing temperature had a detrimental impact on the alkaliactivated slag concrete. Optimal results for hardening of concrete for demolding were obtained after two days of casting. The implications of this research could lead to the development of more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives in the field of construction materials.

Drying shrinkage properties of fiber-reinforced alkali-activated slag and their correlations with microstructure

The superior strength, durability, and environmental sustainability of alkali-activated slag (AAS) systems renders it a viable alternative to those based on Portland Cement (PC). However, drying shrinkage in AAS systems is a highly complex process requiring extensive testing. Several studies have reported the incorporation of fibers to AAS systems as an effective way not only to enhance its strength but also to reduce its drying shrinkage, but the information is scattered. In pursuance of this objective, the present study investigates the impact of incorporating steel, polypropylene, polyvinyl alcohol and glass fibers at varying volume fractions from 0.1% to 0.3% on both mortar and concrete AAS specimens. According to the findings, incorporating fibers to AAS concrete increased its compressive strength by up to 13% when compared to the plain mix. A higher volume fraction of 0.3% for steel and glass fiber inclusions significantly minimized the drying shrinkage of AAS concrete by 27% and 31%, respectively. However, due to the increased heterogeneity and subsequent void formation in fiber-reinforced AAS systems, it was noted that the mass loss resulting from the loss of moisture is greater in these cases. Despite the greater mass loss at earlier ages, the fibers in AAS specimens demonstrated their ability to restrain the shrinkage strains. The microstructural studies, which distinctly depict the morphology of AAS paste and the interaction between the fibers and matrix, further validate these conclusions.

Optimal Quantity Investigation of Metakaolin and Silica Fume in Production of Durable Acid Resistance Alkali Activated Slag Concrete

The urgent requirement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions during Portland cement production and to enhance the durability of concrete in destructive environments are essential reasons to seek other alternative materials like alkaline activated binders. In this study, the feasibility of producing durable alkali-activated slag-based concrete under deteriorative environmental conditions was studied using 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40% of metakaolin (MK) and 0, 5, and 10% of silica fume (SF) instead of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) and optimizing contents through the response surface method (RSM).To evaluate the performance of studied alkali-activated slag-based concrete in an aggressive environment, the permeability and the reduction in compressive strength of alkali-activated slag-based concrete under sulfuric acid attack have been investigated. In addition, the mass change of specimens after exposure was measured. The results indicate that replacing 40% of the slag with metakaolin and 10% with silica fume in alkali-activated concrete has reduced 9% and 34.9% of the compressive strength at 28 days, respectively. Also, increasing MK replacement up to 40% increased the water absorption to 27.8%, but 10% SF replacement reduced it to 17.7%. In addition, the alkali-activated slag-based concrete mass changes after 90 days of acid exposure were 2.3%, while the replacement of slag by 40% of MK and 10% of SF reduced this value to 1.14%. However, it improved the durability performance of alkali-activated concrete against sulfuric acid attacks.

Effect of hybrid polypropylene fibers on mechanical and shrinkage behavior of alkali-activated slag concrete

The growing global demand for cement in construction led to an increase in environmental concerns from the carbon dioxide gas release associated with its production. To foster the acceptance of other alternatives, such as alkali-activated slag (AAS) systems, mitigation of their main drawbacks, notably high shrinkage, is imperative. This study explores the influence of macro and micro polypropylene (PP) fiber hybridization in AAS concrete. Seven mixes with different fiber volume fractions (VF) of macro and hybrid fibers, in addition to a control mix, were investigated. Three macro-PP fiber mixes had fiber VFs of 0.3 %, 0.6 %, and 0.9 %. The other three hybrid PP fiber mixes were like macro fiber mixes with the addition of 0.1 % microfibers. The influence of PP fiber hybridization was explored concerning flowability, static elastic modulus, compressive, splitting tensile, and 3-point flexural strength and compared to control and macro-PP fiber mixes. Additionally, Shrinkage was measured for control and optimum fiber mixes. The results showed that the hybridization of PP fibers led to reductions in shrinkage up to 15 % compared to the control mix, while macro-PP fibers reached a maximum reduction of 6 %. Furthermore, the study evaluates the applicability of various literature and current code guidelines for predicting elastic modulus and tensile strength with the experimental results. ACI 318 could provide relatively accurate predictions in terms of splitting tensile and flexural strengths. Apart from that, with some exceptions, other codes and proposed equations in the literature were inadequate in providing satisfactory predictions.

Effect of CaO/SiO2 and Al2O3/SiO2 on the chloride permeability of one-part alkali-activated nickel slag concrete

To study the effect of CaO/SiO2 and Al2O3/SiO2 ratios on the chloride permeability of one-part alkali-activated nickel slag (AANS) concrete, the chloride ion electromigration coefficient and the distribution of total chlorine concentration at different permeability depths of the one-part AANS concrete were investigated. The ratio of CaO/SiO2 and Al2O3/SiO2 of cement were designed in the range of 0.85–1.3 and 0.3–0.75, respectively. The reaction product and pore structure of paste were analyzed. The Results showed that the total chloride ion concentration in concrete first decreased and then increased with CaO/SiO2 and Al2O3/SiO2 ratios increasing. The chloride permeability of the concrete with CaO/SiO2 of 1.0 and Al2O3/SiO2 of 0.45 was the lowest, as the hydration degree of the concrete was the highest, which effectively optimized the pore structure. The chloride ion migration coefficient of concrete decreased with porosity, and an exponential relationship was observed between the chloride ion migration coefficient with porosity.

The influence of additive MgO and its content on the carbonation resistance of alkali-activated slag concrete with different activators

The influence of additive MgO and its content on both the compressive strength and carbonation depth of alkali-activated slag concrete (AASC) was investigated under an accelerated carbonation environment. Furthermore, the modification mechanism of MgO on the carbonation resistance of AASC was explored by multiple analytical techniques. Results showed that the incorporation of MgO effectively enhanced the post-carbonation compressive strength and diminished the carbonation depth of concrete. As the MgO content increased, there was a gradual reduction in carbonation depth. The incorporation of MgO promotes the hydration of slag, altering the Al environment, and promoting the formation of C-S-H and Mg-Al hydrotalcite phases. Moreover, the addition of MgO resulted in the emergence of magnesium carbonate and calcium magnesium carbonate in the carbonation products, which filled the pores and prevented the further diffusion of CO2 into the interior. In addition, the improvement effects are more pronounced in the water glass system compared to the NaOH system.

In-situ shrinkage measurement of alkali-activated materials using focused ion beam combined with environmental scanning electron microscopy

Drying shrinkage of alkali-activated slag (AAS) has gained significant attention since the volumetric instability of this material can generate premature cracking and degrade the long-term durability of concrete structures. The unique shrinkage behavior of AAS originates mainly from the particular characteristics of its main hydrated products. However, few studies have even at-tempted to investigate the shrinkage behavior of hydrated products in AAS materials. This paper presented a new method of investigating drying shrinkage behavior of AAS using focused ion beam (FIB) combined with environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). This innovative experimental method allowed the in-situ measurement of phase-specific shrinkage. The results showed FIB/ESEM technique can be successfully implemented to cementitious material to prepare phase-specific samples. Furthermore, object-oriented finite element method (OOF2) has been utilized to compute the shrinkage behavior of AAS concrete using a proposed multi-scale scheme. The computations can be made at multi-scales which highlight the effect of hydration products on shrinkage behaviors. OOF2 calculation at the micro-length scale predicted an increase in the shrinkage due to the well-dispersed hydration products inside the matrix. At larger scale, the decrease in the overall shrinkage is related to the extremely low shrinkage value by aggregates. The findings reveal OOF2 offers the capability to accurately measure local stress and strain distribution within heterogeneous materials, a feature notably absent in conventional numerical homogenization approaches. The importance of this benefit is highlighted particularly in the context of free-restrained shrinkage prediction, as conventional homogenization methods fail to account for stress.

Experimental Studies on Self-Compacting Alkali Activated Slag Concrete Mixes Incorporating Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement as Fine Aggregate

Here performance evaluation of Self Compacting Alkali Activated Slag Concrete incorporating Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement as fine aggregate was carried out. Investigation on mechanical properties by replacing the fine aggregate by Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement in different proportions were also evaluated. Development of Self Compacting Alkali Activated Concrete mixes (SCAAC) was made with GGBFS and Lime are used binders, with binder content varying between 550 to 650 kg/m3 of fresh concrete and lime content varying from 10% to 20% of binder content. The net W/B ratio of the mixes was kept around 0.57. The fine aggregate was replaced by Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement with percentage replacement from 50 to 100% of Crushed Stone Sand. The alkaline solutions had Na2O dosage percentages in the range 5-6% with a constant activator modulus maintained at 1. By using Minitab Statistical Software nine mixes were produced with 4 factors and 3 levels. In this study the TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) optimization technique was carried out to know the effectiveness. Results showed the slump flow greater than 650 mm, with their L–Box, U-box and V-Funnel values ranging between 0.85,20mm and10s respectively, results showed enhanced mechanical properties as compared to control OPCC mix.

Performance of Alkali-Activated Slag Concrete Masonry Blocks Subjected to Accelerated Carbonation Curing

This study investigates the effect of accelerated carbonation curing on the carbon sequestration potential, performance, and microstructure of alkali-activated slag mixes representing concrete masonry blocks (CMBs). The carbonation curing process parameters varied, including initial curing duration, carbonation curing duration, and carbonation pressure. Research findings showed that a maximum CO2 uptake of 12.8%, by binder mass, was attained upon exposing concrete to 4 h initial curing and 20 h carbonation curing at a pressure of 5 bars. The compressive strength and water absorption capacity improved with longer initial and carbonation curing durations and higher pressure. Upon subjecting to salt attack, the mass and strength of 28-day concrete samples increased, owing to the formation of Friedel’s salt and Halite. All mixes could be used as non-load-bearing CMB, with a 1-day strength greater than 4.1 MPa. Based on the global warming potential index, the carbon footprint of carbonation-cured, alkali-activated slag concrete masonry units was up to 46% lower than non-carbonation-cured counterparts. Research findings offer valuable information on the production of carbonation-cured, cement-free concrete masonry blocks to replenish natural resources, recycle industrial waste, and mitigate CO2 emissions.

Parametric Sensitivity Analysis of High-Strength Self-compacting Alkali-Activated Slag Concrete for Enhanced Microstructural and Mechanical Performance

Parametric Sensitivity Analysis of High-Strength Self-compacting Alkali-Activated Slag Concrete for Enhanced Microstructural and Mechanical Performance