Development of High-Strength Geopolymer Concrete Incorporating High-Volume Copper Slag and Micro Silica

Nagarajan Arunachelam, Jeyaprakash Maheswaran, Maheswaran Chellapandian, Gunasekaran Murali and Nikolai Ivanovich Vatin
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Nagarajan Arunachelam: Department of Civil Engineering, Mepco Schlenk Engineering College, Sivakasi 626005, India
Jeyaprakash Maheswaran: Department of Civil Engineering, St. Xaviers Catholic College of Engineering, Nagercoil 629004, India
Maheswaran Chellapandian: Department of Civil Engineering, Mepco Schlenk Engineering College, Sivakasi 626005, India
Gunasekaran Murali: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, 195251 Saint Petersburg, Russia
Nikolai Ivanovich Vatin: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, 195251 Saint Petersburg, Russia

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 13, 1-23

Abstract: The present work investigates the mechanical and chemical characteristics and durability of high-strength geopolymer concrete (HSGPC) developed using high-volume copper slag and micro silica. The objective of the study was to explore the feasibility of deploying high-volume copper slag as a replacement for river sand in the fabrication of high-strength geopolymer concrete. In total, 11 different trials were cast by varying copper slag up to 100% as a potential alternative for the river sand. The mixture of alkaline activators for the preparation of the geopolymer concrete (GPC), such as sodium silicate (Na 2 SiO 3 ) and sodium hydroxide (12 M NaOH), was used in the ratio 2.5:1. The optimum mix was selected from different copper slag dosages based on the characteristics of the HSGPC, such as mechanical strength and workability. For the selected optimized mix, micro silica was added up to 5% by volume of the binder (i.e., 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 5%) to improve the particle packing density of the developed HSGPC mix which in turn further enhances the strength and durability properties. Two different curing methods, including (a) ambient curing and (b) steam curing at 80 °C, were deployed for achieving the polymerization reaction (i.e., the formation of Na-Al-Si-H gel). Experimental outcomes reveal a maximum compressive strength of 79.0 MPa when 2% micro silica was added to the optimized GPC mix. In addition to the mechanical tests, the quality of the developed HSGPC was assessed using the ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) tests, water-absorption tests, sorptivity tests and microstructural analyses.

Keywords: high-strength geopolymer concrete; copper slag; micro silica; ambient curing; steam curing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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