Durability, Microstructure, and Optimization of High-Strength Geopolymer Concrete Incorporating Construction and Demolition Waste

Walid E. Elemam, Ahmed M. Tahwia, Mohamed Abdellatief, Osama Youssf () and Mohamed A. Kandil
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Walid E. Elemam: Structural Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
Ahmed M. Tahwia: Structural Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
Mohamed Abdellatief: Department of Civil Engineering, Higher Future Institute of Engineering and Technology in Mansoura, Mansoura 35111, Egypt
Osama Youssf: Structural Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
Mohamed A. Kandil: Civil Engineering Department, Misr Higher Institute for Engineering and Technology, Mansoura 35511, Egypt

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 22, 1-23

Abstract: The incorporation of construction and demolition (C&D) waste in concrete production has gained great importance toward sustainability, especially in geopolymer concrete. In this study, ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) and fine aggregate of normal geopolymer concrete were partially replaced by clay brick powder (CBP) and fine clay brick (FCB) derived from C&D waste, respectively, aiming to produce high-strength geopolymer concrete (HSGC). Fly ash (FA) was also used as a partial replacement for GGBFS in normal geopolymer concrete. Twenty HSGC mixtures were designed using the response surface methodology with three variables, including CBP (0–25%), FA (0–25%), and FCB (0–50%). The performance of the proposed HSGC mixtures was assessed by measuring several mechanical and durability properties. In addition, a variety of physicochemical methods, including X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy, were used to examine the mineralogical and microstructural characteristics of the control and the developed mixtures. The findings revealed that the compressive, splitting tensile, and flexural strengths of the HSGC made with C&D waste ranged from 38.0 to 70.3 MPa, 4.1 to 8.2 MPa, and 5.2 to 10.0 MPa, respectively. The results also indicated that the incorporation of FA is an essential parameter to eliminate the negative impacts of C&D waste addition on concrete workability. The optimal proportions for the HSGC were 5% for CBP, 5% for FA, and 40% for FCB, which were determined to generate the optimized HSGC with the highest mechanical performance, according to the verified models and optimization findings. The physicochemical analyses showed that the thick amorphous geopolymeric gel predominated the nonporous structure of the optimized HSGC, which had good mechanical characteristics. Furthermore, the anti-carbonation performance and freezing resistance of the optimal HSGC increased by 17.7% and 14.6%, respectively, while the apparent porosity decreased by 8.4%.

Keywords: high-strength geopolymer concrete; clay brick wastes; sustainability; mix optimization; response surface methodology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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