• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.345-352
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the expansion of alkali-activated mortar based on ground granulated blast furnace slag containing reactive aggregate due to alkali-silica reaction. In addition, this study was particularly concerned with the behavior of these alkaline materials in the presence of reactive aggregates. The experimental program included expansion measurement of the mortar bar specimens, as well as the determination of the morphology and composition of the alkali-silica reaction products by using scanning electron microscopy(SEM), and energy dispersive x-ray(EDX). The experiment showed that while alkali-activated ground granulated blast furnace slag mortars showed expansion due to the alkali-silica reaction, the expansion was 0.1% at Curing Day 14, showing that it is safe. After the accelerated test, SEM and BEM analysis showed the presence of alkali-silica gel and rim around the aggregate and cement paste. According to the EDX, the reaction products decreased markedly as alkali-activated ground granulated blast furnace slag was used. In addition, for the substitutive materials of mineral admixture, a further study on improving the quality of alkali-activated ground granulated blast furnace slag is needed to assure of the durability properties of concrete.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.299-308
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• 2016

This paper presents an investigation of the mechanical and microstructural properties on hardened samples that were synthesized using blended binder(fly ash(FA) and blast furnace slag cement(BFSC)), alkali activator and sea water or distilled water. Binders were prepared by mixing the FA and BFSC in different blend weight ratios of 6:4, 7:3 and 8:2. Sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate were used 5 wt% of binder, respectively, as an alkaline activator. The compressive strength and absorption were measured at the age of 3, 7 and 28 days, and the XRD, TGA and MIP tests were performed at the age of 28 days. An increase in the content of BFSC leads to an increase in the quantities of ettringite and C-S-H formed, regardless of the type of mixing water. And it also shows higher strength due to the reduction of pores larger than ~50 nm. All hardened samples in this study have common hydration products of C-S-H, $Ca(OH)_2$ and calcite. Hydrocalumite of all reaction products formed was only present in hardened sample mixed with sea water. For each FA/BFSC mixing ratio, the compressive strength of hardened sample mixed with sea water was similar to that mixed with distilled water. It is proposed that the slight increase of strength of samples mixed with sea water is mainly due to the presence of hydrocalumite phase containing chlorine ion, contributing to the change of total porosity and pore size distribution in samples.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.159-167
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• 2022

The present study assessed the micro structure and durability characteristics of ternary blended cement with different types of alkali activators. Ground granulated blast furnace slag(GGBS) and ferronickel slag(FNS) was replaced until 50 % of the weight of cement. In addition, potassuim hydroxide and sodium hydroxide were used for comparing the properties of different type of alkali activator. Ternary blended cement with alkali activators showed higher peak portlandite peak than that of OPC(Ordinary Portlande Cement) and non activated ternary blended cement. Also, there was no new hydration products in ternary blended cement or/and alkali activators. Based on the mercury intrustion porosimetry(MIP) test result, ternary blended cement increased macro pore while alkali activated ternary blended cement modified pore structure and increased microp pore as compared to OPC as control. Combination with alkali activators is desirable to enhance the compressive strength and freeze thaw resistance.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2008.04a
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• pp.1005-1008
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to estimate basic mechanical properties of alkali-activated concretes based on GGBS(Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag). In this study, various mix ratios of alkali activated concretes based on sodium silicate and GGBS were set to evaluate concrete's compressive strengths and strains on the basis of results of existing alkali-activated cements and preliminary concrete tests, which were already performed by authors [Ref. 1]. Compressive strengths of concretes of ages 1, 3, 7, 28, 56 and 91 days were tested and investigated, respectively, and at early ages (< 7days) alkali-activated slag concrete (AASC) showed a high strength development, compared to that of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). A compressive strengths of AASC at age-3days range between 18 and 24 MPa, while those of OPC range 12 and 15 MPa. The stress-strain curve after maximum stress, on the other hand, is approximately reached at a compressive strain between 0.002 and 0.0025, which mechanical property is very similar to that of OPC.

• Magazine of RCR
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.40-46
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• 2017

• Magazine of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.47-52
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• 2016

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.205-212
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• 2016

This research investigates the influence of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) composition on the alkali-activated slag cement (AASC). Aluminum oxide ($Al_2O_3$) was added to GGBFS binder between 2% and 16% by weight. The alkaline activators KOH (potassium hydroxide) was used and the water to binder ratio of 0.50. The strength development results indicate that increasing the amount of $Al_2O_3$ enhanced hydration. The 2M KOH + 16% $Al_2O_3$ and 4M KOH + 16% $Al_2O_3$ specimens had the highest strength, with an average of 30.8 MPa and 45.2 MPa, after curing for 28days. The strength at 28days of 2M KOH + 16% $Al_2O_3$ was 46% higher than that of 2M KOH (without $Al_2O_3$). Also, the strength at 28days of 4M KOH + 16% $Al_2O_3$ was 44% higher than that of 4M KOH (without $Al_2O_3$). Increase the $Al_2O_3$ contents of the binder results in the strength development at all curing ages. The incorporation of AASC tended to increases the ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) due to the similar effects of strength, but increasing the amount of $Al_2O_3$ adversely decreases the water absorption and porosity. Higher addition of $Al_2O_3$ in the specimens increases the Al/Ca and Al/Si in the hydrated products. SEM and EDX analyses show that the formation of much denser microstructures with $Al_2O_3$ addition.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.63-69
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• 2012

Recently, the cement industries brought very severe environment problems such as resource depletion and global warming with massive carbon dioxide during its production. The number of cases using industrial by-products such as the ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) in concrete mixtures is increasing to resolve the environmental issue. GGBFS is mainly used in the range between 20 to 50% to replace cement, but nowadays lots of researches are carried out to develop the alkali-activated slag (AAS) concrete with no cement. In this study, the early age properties of alkali activated slag (AAS) mortar are investigated to obtain the fundamental data for AAS concrete application to structural members. The experimental variables were the water-binder ratios of 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 and NaOH as the alkali activator of 4%, 8%, and 12% by the mass of GGBFS, and compressive strength, flow, setting time, and ultrasonic pulse velocity of AAS mortars were measured and analyzed. It is found from the test results that as the normal concrete the lower W/B, the higher compressive strength. However, superplasticizer has to be used for producing high strength AAS concrete because the workability of AAS mortar are significantly lowered.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.117-125
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• 2014

This paper examines the fundamental properties of alkali-activated slag cement (AASC) activated by sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The water to binder (W/B) ratio was 0.4 and 0.5. And concentration of activator were 2M and 4M. Five mix design of each W/B ratios was considered. The N0 mixture was KS L 5109 method and N1~N4 were varied in different mixing time, mix step and entering points of fine aggregate. Test results clearly showed that the flow value, strength and drying shrinkage development of AASC were significantly dependent on the entering point of fine aggregate. The flow value tended to decreases with delaying entering point of fine aggregate. The compressive strength and flexural strength increases with delaying entering point. Moreover, the XRD analysis confirmed that there were sustain these results. The drying shrinkage increases with delaying entering point of fine aggregate. Futhermore, a modified mixing method incorporating all hereby experimentally derived parameters, is proposed to improvement the physical properties of AASC.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.77-86
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• 2013

This study investigates the fundamental properties of the water-binder (W/B) ratio and fine aggregate-binder (F/B) ratio in the alkali-activated slag cement (AASC) mortar. The W/B ratios are 0.35, 0.40, 0.45, and 0.50, respectively. And then the F/B ratios varied between 1.00 and 3.00 at a constant increment of 0.25. The alkali activator was an 2M and 4M NaOH. The measured mechanical properties were compared, flow, compressive strength, absorption, ultra sonic velocity, and dry shrinkage. The flow, compressive strength, absorption, ultra sonic velocity and dry shrinkage decreased with increases W/B ratio. The compressive strength decreases with increase F/B ratio at same W/B ratio. Also, at certain value of F/B ratio significant increase in strength is observed. And S2 (river sand 2) had lower physical properties than S1 (river sand 1) due to the fineness modulus. The results of experiments indicated that the mechanical properties of AASC depended on the W/B ratio and F/B ratio. The optimum range for W/B ratios and F/B ratios of AASC is suggested that the F/B ratios by 1.75~2.50 at each W/B ratios. Moreover, the W/(B+F) ratios between 0.13 and 0.14 had a beneficial effect on the design of AASC mortar.