High Early Strength Research Articles

Assessment of bonding, durability, and low-temperature performance of cement-based rapid patching materials for pavement repair

ABSTRACT A high-performance concrete rapid patching repair material needs to develop high early strength to satisfy traffic opening requirements, yet provides sufficient durability to sustain different environmental conditions and primary deterioration mechanisms for full-depth concrete repair. In this study, a set of experiments was conducted to evaluate the performance of developed pavement repair mixtures subjected to different environmental conditions, including low ambient temperature, highly reactive siliceous aggregate, wet/dry cycling, and moisture loss. Full-scale slab patching was also carried out to assess the rapid patching mixtures’ constructability, compatibility, and interface bonding with the concrete substrate. Patching materials with a reduced cement content and Type IP cement exhibited a lower drying shrinkage rate and less deterioration from wet/dry cycles compared with commonly used patching mixtures that typically use high cement content and Type I cement. The tendency of alkali-silica reaction deterioration was reduced significantly by replacing 50% Type III cement with Type IP cement. The rapid patching mixtures generally displayed a high degree of early-age shrinkage but with satisfactory compatibility and good bonding with the concrete substrate. Test results also indicate that Type III cement-based rapid patching mixtures can be a promising option to reduce traffic closure duration at lower ambient temperatures.

Corrosion evaluation of steel bars in steam-cured concrete under chloride attack and alkali–silica reaction

One of the challenges to reinforced concrete slabs in bridges is deterioration due to rebar corrosion by deicing salts. In order to simulate a concrete slab subjected to deicing salt penetration from the top surface of the bridge slab during winter, high-strength steam-cured concrete with double-layer reinforcements was exposed to 10% sodium chloride solution to investigate rebar corrosion. Five concrete mix proportions were prepared, including high early strength concrete and concrete containing fly ash and blast furnace slag as supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). For both the high early strength and fly ash concretes, alkali active andesite in the pessimum proportion was mixed with coarse aggregates to investigate the effect of alkali–silica reaction (ASR) on rebar corrosion. It was found that the combined effects of chloride attack and ASR adversely affected the corrosion resistance of high early strength concrete. Fly ash concrete had excellent performance as to corrosion resistance and ASR mitigation. Results also showed that a widely used electrochemical technique known as the half-cell potential test can satisfactorily diagnose corrosion of double-layer reinforced concrete. Concrete specimens containing SCMs with no ASR threat showed no signs of steel bar corrosion and significantly low chloride diffusion coefficients after 3 years.

Tannin-modified magnesium oxychloride cement with high-strength and reinforced water-resistance

Magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC) has been applied in various fields due to numerous advantages, such as high early strength and low carbon emission. However, the adhibition of MOC has been restricted by the lower waterproofness. Herein in this work, a facile and green approach was come up with to manufacture high-performance magnesium oxychloride cement by the simple organic and inorganic hybrid of tannic acid (TA) and MOC. The fabricated MOC features improved water resistance and compressive strength, surpassing the performances of multiple previous studies, in which only the water resistance was reinforced with the sacrifice of the compressive strength. The excellent performance was ascribed to the chelation between TA and Mg2+ and the effective filling effect of gel-like phase 5. Such advanced MOC is of great potential in green architecture industry, and this simple and green strategy will give more inspirations for the preparation of high-performance MOC.

Optimisation of early hydration, microstructure, and elevated-temperature resistance of calcium aluminate cement using steel-making slag

The strong elevated-temperature resistance of calcium aluminate cement (CAC) allows it to withstand the ultrahigh temperatures required for the in situ combustion of heavy oil; however, the high early hydration heat and strength retrogression of this cement restrict its application in the cementing engineering of heavy oil wells. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effects of various slags on the hydration heat and temperature, compressive strength, and elevated-temperature resistance of CAC pastes. X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetry, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to evaluate the influence of slag on the hydration products and microstructure of the CAC pastes at 30, 60, and 800 °C. The results revealed that adding slag reduced the hydration heat and temperature of the CAC pastes; specifically, the maximum hydration temperature of the CAC paste containing 100% 600-mesh slag (CM6-5) decreased by 33.4%. Additionally, the slag changed the hydration products of the CAC paste from metastable products (CAH10 and C2AH8) to stable products (C2ASH8) with no conversion process, leading to the dense microstructure of CM6-5. The compressive strengths of CM6-5 cured for 14 d at 30 and 60 °C increased by 60.98% and 215.35%, respectively, compared with those of the pure CAC paste. In addition, CM6-5 exhibited excellent elevated-temperature resistance. The XRD results indicated that an elevated temperature of 800 °C changed the crystal phases of CM6-5; however, when cured for 14 d at 800 °C, CM6-5 maintained a dense microstructure, and its compressive strength upon curing at 800 °C did not result in strength retrogression.

Study of Dispersion, Hydration, and Microstructure of Graphene Nanoplates-Modified Sulfoaluminate Cement Paste.

Low-carbon ecological cement composites are among the most promising construction materials. With low energy consumption, low carbon dioxide emissions, and high early strength, sulfoaluminate cement (SAC) is a low-carbon ecological building material. In addition, graphene nanoplates (GNPs) exhibit excellent performances. In this study, GNPs were dispersed by a combination of dispersant and ultrasonic treatment, and the dispersion effect of GNPs was characterized. The effect of GNPs on the hydration process and products of SAC was studied, revealing that GNPs accelerate SAC hydration. The hydration heat and ICP results showed that in the SAC hydrolysis stage, C4A3Š (ye’elimite) hydrolyzed and released Ca2+. GNPs absorbed the Ca2+, and the Ca2+ concentration around C4A3Š decreased, which would promote the hydrolysis of C4A3Š and release more Ca2+, accelerating the hydration of SAC and the nucleation effect of GNPs, and providing sites for the formation of hydration products. The analysis of XRD (X-Ray Diffraction) and TGA (Thermal Gravity Analysis) showed that GNPs promoted the hydration of SAC and formed more AFt (ettringite) and AH3 (gibbsite). The generated hydration products fill the pores of the matrix and are closely connected to the GNPs to form a whole, which improves the cement matrix’s mechanical properties.

Development of High Early-Strength Concrete for Accelerated Bridge Construction Closure Pour Connections

Abstract: Accelerated bridge construction (ABC) has become a popular alternative to using traditional construction techniques in new bridge construction and existing bridge deck replacement because of the reduction of time spent in field activities. A key feature of bridges built using ABC techniques is the extensive use of prefabricated components. Prefabricated components are joined in the field using small volume closure pours involving high performance materials (steel and concrete) to ensure adequate transfer of forces between components. To date, the materials developed for closure pours have been based on proprietary components, so a need has arisen for development of mixes that use generic components. The goal of this research was to create a method to develop concrete mixtures that are designed using generic constituents and that satisfy performance requirements of accelerated bridge construction closure pours in New England, primarily high early strength and long-term durability. Two concrete mixtures were developed with a primary goal of reaching high-early strength while maintaining constructability. The secondary goal of the concrete mixtures was to be durable; therefore, measures were taken during the development of the concrete mixture to generate a mixture that also had durable properties.

Investigation on the mechanical characteristics of multiscale mono/hybrid steel fibre-reinforced dry UHPC

Dry ultra-high performance concrete (DUHPC) is a promising building material with better mechanical and durability properties, developed on the basis of retaining the advantages of traditional dry concrete, such as fast hardening speed, high early age strength and rapid demoulding. In the current study, the impacts of multiscale mono and hybrid steel fibre reinforcements on the static mechanical behaviour of DUHPC were further studied based on the benchmark mix ratio and optimal curing regime obtained from the previous study. The experiments carried out included the quasi-static uniaxial compression, four-point bending and split-tensile tests. The mono fibre reinforcement (0.5–2.0 vol. %) comprised of straight steel fibres with the same diameter but different lengths (6, 10 and 13 mm), while the hybrid fibre reinforcement was composed of different combinations of foregoing fibres at a fixed content (1.5 vol. %), which could be further divided into double and ternary hybridization. Test results revealed that compared to control samples without fibre reinforcement, the single addition of any steel fibres improved the static mechanical behaviour of DUHPC, particularly for flexural and split-tensile performance. In the case of fibre hybridization, the replacement of longer fibres with more addition of short (6 mm) ones evidently reduced the flexural toughness and energy absorption capacity of DUHPC upon cracking, whereas the mixtures with hybrid medium (10 mm) and long (13 mm) fibres as well as with hybrid short, medium and long fibres showed better compressive toughness and energy absorption capability. The proposed multivariate regression linear, nonlinear and most of the mixed models could well estimate the compressive, flexural and split-tensile strength values of mono steel fibre-reinforced DUHPC at a given range of fibre length, volume content and curing age. The updated best-fit models containing compressive strength as an additional independent variable performed better in predicting both the flexural and split-tensile properties.

Early Age Monitoring of High Cement Replacement Mixtures for Pavement

Decarbonization of concrete will require a combination of alternative binding materials and higher cement replacement rate with supplementary cementitious materials. Developing tools and methods that help engineers evaluate the properties of early age concrete pavement, such as setting time and strength gain, will be necessary to adopt new concrete mixes. Two concrete pavement test sections were constructed, a high early strength concrete mix with 25% (control) and 40% replacement of cement with fly ash (HVFAC), along with monitoring of the concrete’s setting time, saw-cut timing, and strength gain. A non-contact ultrasonic device was used to estimate setting time through measuring leaky Rayleigh wave energy transmission. The laboratory setting time of the control and HVFAC mix measured with the non-contact device was 5.5 h and 15 h, respectively, and agreed with measured isothermal calorimetry results. Further calorimeter tests showed that adding an accelerating admixture or replacing part of the cement with nano-limestone decreased the HVFAC setting time up to 4.4 h. The field setting time of the control mixture with the non-contact device measured 4.2 h, which was shorter than the laboratory estimate. Based only on the experience of construction personnel, saw-cutting for these mixtures was initiated too early and caused significant joint raveling, reinforcing the importance of in situ setting time measurement. The maturity method was successfully implemented with embedded wireless temperature sensors that rapidly and easily estimated the in-place compressive strength and improved opening time determination for concrete with high cement replacement levels, which are sensitive to the volume of supplementary cementitious materials, admixtures, and ambient conditions.

Revealing the micro-mechanical characteristics of high early strength cement pastes

The steam curing has been widely used to enhance the early strength of cement-based materials, while it is generally regarded that the higher early strength would lead to higher brittleness of cement-based materials. Nevertheless, how the enhancement on the early strength of cement-based materials would affect the brittleness is still not clear. This study adopts micro-mechanical indentation and scratch tests to investigate the micro-mechanical characteristics of cement pastes whose early strengths are enhanced by steam curing and the addition of nano-seeding materials. It is found that the fracture toughness of cement paste is identical with that of hydration products, which illustrates that the brittleness of hydration products is essential source to that of cement paste. Especially, with the adopting steam-curing and the addition of C-A-S-H nano-seeds, the early strength of cement paste is enhanced by 63% and 78% respectively, and the fracture toughness of cement paste is increased by 62% and 68% respectively. Moreover, the micro-mechanical properties of hydration products distributed more uniformly in cement paste doped by nano-seeding materials than steam-cured cement paste. Therefore, this study shows that nano-seeding materials is beneficial to the micro-mechanical properties of cement pastes comparing to traditional steam curing.

Re-liquefaction resistance of lightly cemented sands

The re-liquefaction resistance of cemented sands under multiple liquefaction events such as pre-shock, main-shock, and after-shock earthquakes is a complex phenomenon because the response may alter due to bond breakage. A series of multistage liquefaction–re-consolidation soil element tests under undrained stress-controlled cyclic loading condition using cyclic triaxial were carried out to assess the liquefaction and re-liquefaction resistance of cemented sands with varying degrees of cementation. Lightly cemented specimens were reconstituted using Sydney sand and high early strength Portland cement with cement content ranging from 0.25% to 1% and unconfined compression strength from 15 to 80 kPa. The results showed that the re-liquefaction resistance of cemented sands with different amounts of cement decreased after the first liquefaction event and then increased for succeeding liquefaction events. While the trend of residual excess pore water pressure ratio and cyclic stiffness degradation index of untreated sand under successive liquefaction events remained consistent, the corresponding responses for cemented sands altered for the second to the fifth liquefaction events. In fact, the residual excess pore water pressure ratio and cyclic stiffness of cemented sand increased and degraded faster during the early cycles of loading for the second to fifth liquefaction events.

МОДИФІКОВАНІ СУЛЬФАТОСТІЙКІ ПОРТЛАНДЦЕМЕНТИ З ДОБАВКОЮ ЦЕОЛІТУ

The article shows that one of the ways to increase the sulfate resistance of cements is to use as an additive of pozzolanic action based on highly dispersed zeolite, which increases the corrosion resistance of concrete. Physical-chemical properties of zeolite tuff as a mineral constituent of Portland cements with the addition of pozzolana are presented. The use of modern grinding technology by separate grinding of Portland cement clinker and natural zeolite in mills with separators of the latest generation allows to obtain high quality Portland cement with zeolite CEM II/A-P 42.5 R PJSC "Ivano-Frankivsk Cement", characterized by high early strength. It is shown that the replacement of the clinker component with zeolite leads to a decrease the content of clinker minerals C3S and C3A in cements, which significantly limit the corrosion resistance of cement stone. Highly dispersed zeolite is characterized by increased pozzolanic activity (after 28 days, the absorption of Ca(OH)2 is 200-250 mg/g). Due to pozzolanic reaction with the formation of C-S-H-phases, the content of calcium hydroxide in the paste based on CEM II/A-P 42.5 R is reduced by 2 times compared to Portland cement CEM I 42.5 R. Decrease in the concentration of Ca(OH)2 in cement pastes eliminates the possibility of the formation of a significant amount of ettringite, which causes sulfate corrosion of cement stone. It was found that during the hardening of Portland cement CEM II/A-P 42.5 R under the influence of sulfate and magnesium media, the coefficient of corrosion resistance Ks after 56 days is 1.16 and 0.98, respectively, while for samples based on Portland cement CEM I 42.5 R Ks decreases by 1.2-1.3 times. The results of researches of influence of aggressive environments on corrosion resistance of Portland cement with the increased content of zeolite type CEM ІІ/В-Р 42.5 are resulted. For Portland cement CEM ІІ/В-Р 42.5 the coefficient of corrosion resistance in the conditions of sulphate environment Кс90 = 1.47. Portland cements with zeolite strength class 42.5, modified with superplasticizers of polycarboxylate type, are characterized by high sulfate resistance and should be used for the manufacture of concrete classes C25/30...C50/60 for construction of dams, hydraulic structures, sewers storage of waste from livestock farms, etc. Modified rapid-hardening Portland cements with the zeolite additive provide technical, environmental and economic effects in the manufacture of concrete and reinforced concretes of hydraulic structures.

Experimental study on bonding strength between high-strength bolt and cement-based grouting material

This study investigated the bonding strength between various cement-based grouting materials (CBGM) and high-strength bolts, the flexural and compressive strength variation of different CBGM with curing age, and the failure characteristics of flexural, compressive and bonding strengths. Moreover, the morphological characteristics of bond-slip curves and their similarities and differences were discussed as well. Based on the mechanical property and safety analysis, a calculation model of the critical anchorage length of high-strength bolt in CBGM was proposed. The results indicate that the flexural and compressive strengths increase with the increase of curing age. The strength growth rate is faster at the initial stage of 3 days, which implies that the CBGM has a significant high-early strength characteristic. Depending on the diameter and type of high-strength bolts employed, the bonding strength of specimens can be divided into two failure forms, i.e., splitting and slipping pull-out. The specimens with threaded bolts easily take place a splitting failure form, but the specimens with plain round bolts tend to be destroyed with a slipping pull-out failure form. The ascending section of bond-slip curve is well fitted with the same stage of CEB-FIP 2010. However, a linear relationship can be employed to characterize the bonding strength between CBGM and high-strength bolt. The bond failure capacity is also linear correlation with the strength of CBGM.

Mechanical Properties of Eco-friendly Concrete Made with Sugarcane Bagasse Ash

Modern concretes lay emphasis on high strength in order to reduce structural member sizes to reduce materials used; high early strength to promote fast construction; high durability to reduce maintenance costs; and the incorporation of industrial and agricultural wastes to reduce environmental degradation. The incorporation of industrial and agricultural wastes into concrete as cement replacement materials reduces the amount of cement used in the production of concrete and the CO2emissions arising from cement production. Sugarcane bagasse is a waste product from the extraction of juice from sugar cane. It is estimated that 1.7 million tons of bagasse are produced worldwide every year. Much of the bagasse is used as boiler fuel and to produce electricity, and the ash is dumped in earth fills, resulting in critical environmental pollution that requires immediate attention. Available literature shows that when burned under controlled conditions, a pozzolanic ash of high silica content can be obtained, which can be used in concrete production with several advantages. This study investigates the mechanical properties of concrete designed for high strength and incorporating processed sugarcane bagasse ash in amounts of 10–40% by weight of cement in a binary combination with silica fume. Concrete workability in the fresh state and compressive, flexural, and tensile strengths in the hardened state are investigated. Water absorption of hardened concrete is also investigated as an indicator of potential durability. The results show that the mix containing 10% SCBA has the highest mechanical strength, and increasing the SCBA percentage reduces water absorption. However, the workability of concrete in the fresh state reduces substantially with an increase in ash content. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2022-08-06-010 Full Text: PDF

Retrofitting RC beams using high-early strength alkali-activated concrete

Demolition of existing deteriorated structures and construction of the new structures is a costly, time-consuming, and resource-intensive process. Repair of concrete beams and strengthening techniques for existing reinforced concrete elements is a resource-saving exercise that is time-saving also. In this work, a repair material using metakaolin-based alkali-activated concrete (AAC) is developed with high early compressive strength and split tensile strength designed with proper mix proportions. The flexural strength of reinforced concrete beams was determined without the new repair material. The specimens were loaded until failure and the deflected portion of the RC beam was then confiscated using breakers. The confiscated portion is subsequently replenished with metakaolin-based AAC and flexural strength and bond characteristics were determined. Shrinkage length changes were also measured. The metakaolin-based AAC with 15% metakaolin had a high stiffness and increased flexural strength up to 14.4% compared to the specimen before repair. It also exhibited a significant bonding with the concrete substrate with less shrinkage and improved strength.

The role of Pre-Heating and mineral additive modification on Long-Term strength development of calcium aluminate cement mortars

Strength development of Calcium Aluminate Cement (CAC) under various environmental conditions is an interesting subject of topic that pay attention of researchers for a long time. This special cement usually preferred in applications where quick setting ability, high early strength and resistance to chemical attack is required. However, uncertainty in the hydration process and long-term strength problems, due to conversion reactions in combination with high initial material cost, limit the application of this cement.In order to propose a solution to the above-mentioned problems, blended mortar mixtures were prepared by replacing CAC with variable amounts of microsilica, anhydrite CaSO4 and Portland cement within the scope of this study. The compressive strength development of mortar specimens up to 400 days were investigated under semi-dry curing conditions at 20 ± 5 °C and 60 ± 20% RH. During the initial stages of hydration, a distinct pre-heating based curing procedure was applied to the conjugate specimens. Preliminary stabilization of the unstable hydration products is targeted by this pre-heating method. Accordingly, the crystal structure of the hydration products of specimens was analyzed with the support of microstructural studies (XRD, DTA-TGA, SEM-EDS). The pore size distribution and sub-capillary porosity of specimens were also determined by mercury intrusion porosimetry. The effectiveness of the mineral modification and pre-heating based curing method (exposure to 50 ± 1 °C heating for 21 days) on the long-term strength development of CAC is discussed with the aid of microstructural analysis results. The results showed that it is possible to stabilize the hydration process of CAC and its strength becomes predictable in the long term, if appropriate mineral additives in proper replacement ratios are employed in the mixture design.

Comparative Analysis of Strength and Deformation Behavior of Cemented Tailings Backfill under Curing Temperature Effect.

Mineral resources are increasingly being developed in cold and permafrost regions. However, the mechanical and physical properties of cemented tailings backfill (CTB) cured at normal temperature are no longer applicable. To clarify the reasons for this variability, a series of tests were performed. The mechanical properties of CTB with different cement–tailings ratios (CTR, 1:4, 1:8, 1:12, 1:16, and 1:20) were tested at different curing ages (3, 7 and 28 days) and curing temperatures (20 °C, 5 °C, −5 °C, and −20 °C). The differences of CTB in mechanical and physical properties under positive- and negative-temperature curing conditions were analyzed, and the microscopic failure process of CTB under negative-temperature curing conditions was discussed. The results revealed that the mechanical properties and deformation behavior of CTB under positive- and negative-temperature curing conditions were different. The frozen CTB had higher early strength than the standard-temperature curing condition (20 °C), and the lower the temperature, the higher the early strength. The low-temperature curing condition, on the other hand, was not beneficial to CTB’s long-term strength. The low-temperature curing condition was not conducive to the long-term strength of CTB. After yielding, strain hardening and strain softening appeared in the deformation behavior of frozen backfill, indicating ductility. In contrast to the typical-temperature curing condition, the frozen CTB showed a new failure pattern that has little relation to curing time or CTR. Furthermore, the failure process of frozen backfill was reviewed and studied, which was separated into four stages, and altered as the curing time increased. The results of this study can act as a guide for filling mines in permafrost and cold climates.

Phase analysis and hydration behavior of fine and coarse particle fractions contained in a commercial Portland cement

A fine (< 3.5 µm) and a coarse (11 − 63 µm) particle fraction was separated from a commercial OPC and their composition, hydration behavior and impact on engineering properties were extensively studied. The fine fraction showed decreased alite and C3A (cubic), increased calcium sulfates and limestone contents, whereas C2S, C3A (orthorhombic) and C4AF were mostly unchanged. The phase distribution of the fractions differs to prior literature what has been evidenced using more sophisticated analytical methods like Q-XRD including Rietveld refinement combined with e.g. salicylic acid extraction. The fine fraction produces particularly high early strength through rapid C-S-H and ettringite formation while the coarse fraction contributes mainly to the final strength by C-S-H formation only. The results clearly illustrate the strong impact of the fine particle fraction on the early engineering properties of bulk cement sample, whereas the coarse particle fraction contributes more to final strength.

Alkali Activation of Milled Red Brick Waste and Calcined Illite Clay with Silica Gel Addition.

The role of precursor characteristics and mixture composition design of alkali-activated materials (AAM) has been intensively researched with different types of alumino-silicate sources. Two illite-based precursors were prepared and investigated—(i) raw illite clay (IC) treated in a laboratory at 700, 750, and 800 °C and (ii) a red brick waste coming from the brick production plant. The fineness of precursors was determined and compared. The precursors were activated with 6 M and 7 M NaOH alkali solutions. Silica gel addition was considered in the composition of AAM. The XRD results indicate the transformation of both precursor types under alkali activation. The efflorescence salts were analyzed on the samples with silica gel addition. Calcined IC precursor allowed us to obtain AAM with a strength from 11 to 16 MPa with an increasing strength gain during curing. The red brick waste precursor showed a compressive strength from 14 to 28 MPa. A high early strength was obtained with no further strength increase. The hydrosodalite and zeolite crystals were detected in the structure of AAM based on the red brick waste precursor. The results indicate different characteristics of AAM based on similar source precursors, showing the important role of the proper treatment of precursors before alkali activation.

Properties of structural concrete with high-strength cement mixes containing waste paper sludge ash

This paper studies the use of wastepaper sludge ash (WPSA) for structural concrete in binary and ternary mixes with high-strength cement and two industrial by-products, ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) and pulverised fuel ash (PFA). The potential use of WPSA in this type of concrete and its combination with other supplementary cementitious materials has not been established; thus, further research is needed prior to industrial-scale applications. A series of tests investigated the soundness and setting times of the resulting cements, the fresh concrete workability, cube compressive strength at various curing times, tensile splitting strength, flexural strength, static modulus of elasticity, water absorption and carbonation of the resulting concrete. Good binary WPSA mixes were achieved with high early strength gains, but workability reduced; binary mixes with 15% WPSA, were overall the best in terms of strength and durability, whilst maintaining pumpability. An improvement in the carbonation resistance of ternary GGBS and PFA mixes was also indicated upon addition of WPSA although their strengths were lower than those of binary WPSA mixes. Further mix optimisation can lead to other robust and durable high-strength cement systems with WPSA, allowing for higher cement replacements in structural concrete, for improved environmental impact.

Incorporation of Nanoparticles in Building Materials

The production process of cement is emitting a huge quantity of greenhouse gases and heat into the atmosphere. It is the prime time to explore amendments to the existing and to develop new generation material without compromising properties. New generation products must have an extended life, lesser impact on the environment, and adaptable properties so that carbon footprint can be minimized. Geopolymer composites are a promising substitute for conventional building materials with high early strength, resistance to chemical ingress, increased durability, and above all a low carbon footprint product. To overcome the challenges and to enhance the properties of conventional or substitute composites, nanotechnology provides better prospects. The chemical composition, particle size, and surface morphology of nanoparticles perform a vibrant role to escalate the behavior of the building composites. This review provides an overview of various nanomaterials, which bring about positive changes in the building materials.