• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.213-228
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• 2014

Alkali-activated binder (AAB) is recently being considered as a sustainable alternative to portland cement (PC) due to its low carbon dioxide emission and diversion of industrial wastes and by-products such as fly ash and slag from landfills. In order to comprehend the behavior of AAB, detailed knowledge on relations between microstructure and mechanical properties are important. To address the issue, a new approach to characterize hardened pastes of AAB containing fly ash as well as those containing fly ash and slag was adopted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectra microanalyses. The volume stoichiometries of the alkali activation reactions were used to estimate the quantities of the sodium aluminosilicate (N-A-S-H) and calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) produced by these reactions. The 3D plots of Si/Al, Na/Al and Ca/Si atom ratios given by the microanalyses were compared with the estimated quantities of CSH(S) to successfully determine the unique chemical compositions of the N-A-S-H and CSH(S) for ten different AAB at three different curing temperatures using a constrained nonlinear least squares optimization formulation by general algebraic modeling system. The results show that the theoretical and experimental quantities of N-A-S-H and CSH(S) were in close agreement with each other. The $R^2$ values were 0.99 for both alkali-activated fly ash and alkali-activated slag binders.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.289-299
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• 2014

Alkali-activated slag concretes are being extensively researched because of its potential sustainability-related benefits. For such concretes to be implemented in large scale concrete applications such as infrastructural and building elements, it is essential to understand its early and long-term performance characteristics vis-a'-vis conventional ordinary portland cement (OPC) based concretes. This paper presents a comprehensive study of the property and performance features including early-age isothermal calorimetric response, compressive strength development with time, microstructural features such as the pore volume and representative pore size, and accelerated chloride transport resistance of OPC and alkali-activated binder systems. Slag mixtures activated using sodium silicate solution ($SiO_2$-to-$Na_2O$ ratio or $M_s$ of 1-2) to provide a total alkalinity of 0.05 ($Na_2O$-to-binder ratio) are compared with OPC mixtures with and without partial cement replacement with Class F fly ash (20 % by mass) or silica fume (6 % by mass). Major similarities are noted between these binder systems for: (1) calorimetric response with respect to the presence of features even though the locations and peaks vary based on $M_s$, (2) compressive strength and its development, (3) total porosity and pore size, and (4) rapid chloride permeability and non-steady state migration coefficients. Moreover, electrical impedance based circuit models are used to bring out the microstructural features (resistance of the connected pores, and capacitances of the solid phase and pore-solid interface) that are similar in conventional OPC and alkali-activated slag concretes. This study thus demonstrates that performance-equivalent alkali-activated slag systems that are more sustainable from energy and environmental standpoints can be proportioned.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.739-748
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• 2014

In this article, by using experimental studies and artificial neural network has been tried to investigate the use of nano-silica as concrete admixture to reduce alkali-silica reaction. If there are reactive aggregates and alkali of cement with enough moisture in concrete, a gel will be formed. Then with high reactivity between alkali of cement and existence of silica in aggregates, this gel will expand by absorption of water, and causes expansive pressure and cracks be formed. At the time passes, this gel will reduce both durability and strength of the concrete. By reducing the size of silicate to nano, specific surface area of particles and number of atoms on the surface will be increased, which causes more pozzolanic activity of them. Nano-silica can react with calcium hydroxide ($Ca(OH)_2$) and produces C-S-H gel. In this study, accelerated mortar bar specimens according to ASTM C 1260 and ASTM C 1567, with different mix proportions were prepared using aggregates of Kerman, such as: none admixture and plasticizer, different proportions of nano-silica separately. By opening the moulds after 24 hour and curing in water at $80^{\circ}C$ for 24 hour, then curing in (1N NaOH) at $80^{\circ}C$ for 14 days, length expansion of mortar bars were measured and compared. It was noted that, the lowest length expansion of a specimens shows the best proportion of admixture based on alkali-silica reactivity. Then, prediction of alkali-silica reaction of concrete has been investigated by using artificial neural network. In this study the backpropagation network has been used and compared with different algorithms to train network. Finally, the best amount of nano silica for adding to mix proportion, also the best algorithm and number of neurons in hidden layer of artificial neural network have been offered.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.153-159
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• 2017

In this study, the strength properties of alkali-activated silica fume (SF) mortars were investigated. The crushed limestone sand with maximum size of 0-5 mm and the sodium meta silicate ($Na_2SiO_3$) used to activate the binders were kept constant in the mortar mixtures. The mortar specimens using the replacement ratios of 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% SF by weight of cement together with $Na_2SiO_3$ at a constant rate were produced in addition to the control mortar produced by only cement. Moreover, the mortar specimens using the replacement ratio of 4% titanium dioxide ($TiO_2$) by weight of cement in the same mixture proportions were produced. The prismatic specimens produced from eleven different mixtures were de-moulded after a day, and the wet or dry cure was applied on the produced specimens at laboratory condition until the specimens were used for flexural strength ($f_{fs}$) and compressive strength ($f_c$) measurement at the ages of 7, 28 and 56 days. The $f_{fs}$ and $f_c$ values of mortars applied the wet or dry cure were compared with the results of control mortar. The findings revealed that the $f_c$ results of the alkali activated 50% SF mortars were higher than that of mortar produced with Portland cement only. It was found that the $f_{fs}$ and $f_c$ of alkali-activated SF mortars cured in dry condition was averagely 4% lower than that of alkali-activated SF mortars cured in wet condition.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.351-359
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• 2013

Blast furnace slag (BFS) have many advantages that are related to effective value improvement on applying to concrete while side effects of blast furnace slag also appear. Thus, research team conducted an experiment with high volume slag to see if the attribute of waste alkali accelerator for mixing rate, mixed use of NaOH and $Na_2SiO_3$, and early strength agent for mixing rate for replacement ratio and for the types of the stimulants in order to increase the use of blast furnace slag1s powder. As the result of the experiment, when it comes to compression strength, all of the alkali stimulants have been improved as the replacement rate increases except for sodium hydroxide. Among the alkali stimulants, sodium silicate was high on dynamic elastic modulus and absorption factor. In case of early strength agent, the mix of mixing 1.5% and blast furnace slag 75% have showed high strength enhancement. In event of Waste Alkali accelerator, it has showed different consequences for each experiment.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.555-556
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to estimate compressive strength of concrete using granulated blast furnace slag. We used Sodium silicate, Potassium silicate, Barium hydroxide as alkali activators and Calcium hydroxide to develop water resistance.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.491-499
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• 1997

High flexible lightweight composites containing tobermorite as a main mineral is produced using various amorphous silicates, lime, cement and fibers. Here, Mechanical properties of the composites were studied by observing microstructures of hydrates and fibers. Amorphous silicates having better hydraulicity retarded the crystallization of tobermorite due to better formation of C-S-H gel in water bath curing, but, difficult conversion from C-S-H gel to tobermorite in hydrothermal reaction. In the low molar ratio of CaO/SiO2 (0.67), faster crystalization was observed dued to more impurities such as Al2O3 alkali, resulting in improving mechanical properties due to small crystal size and many contact points. It was identified that a lot of calcium silicate hydates formed at surface of pulps increase bonding strength and the crack-resistance of matrix in the composites, but decrease hardness and compressive strength. The choice of amorpous silicates having better hydraulicity, low CaO/SiO2 adding each fibers bellow about 5% in the raw mixs and lower molding pressure should be needed at improve mechanical properties of composites.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.365-374
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• 1998

Economic U- and Th-bearing pegmatite deposits occur in the Kyemyeongsan Formation, and are spatially closely associated with the Carboniferous alkali granite. The pegmatite is lithochemically alkaline and peralumious, and consists mainly of potassic feldspar and quartz with allanite and U- and Th-bearing minerals. Paragenetic stages of mineralization in the pegmatite are divided as follows: early silicate mineralization, main rare metal mineralization, and late silicate mineralization. Thorite, euxenite, fergusonite and uranpyrochlore are the predominant U- and Th-bearing minerals. Both the enrichments of Nb, Y, Th, U, and Ta and the depletions of Hf, Ba, and Rb in the pegmatite were resulted from magmatic differentiation. The increases of Na and Ca in uranpyrochlore, of Th and U in fergusonite, of Si, Th, U and Pb in thorite, and of Nb and Y in euxenite were possibly resulted from both later internal fractionation and hydrothermal alteration. The variation of chemical composition in a mineral species reflects the different pysico-chemical conditions during the crystallization.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.77-84
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• 2017

Shirasu, a pyroclastic flow deposit, showed considerable performance as aluminosilicate source in geopolymer, based on past research. However, the polymerization reactivity was somewhat lower compared to the traditional fly ash based geopolymer even though the long-term strength was fairly good. The present study concentrates on the development of higher initial strength performance of Shirasu based geopolymer by utilizing ground granulated blast furnace slag as an admixture. Mortars with various mix proportions were adopted to study the effect of parametric changes on strength development along with the addition of slag in different percentages. A combination of sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate was used as alkaline activators considering parameters like molar ratios of alkali to geopolymer water and silica to alkali molar ratio. The mortars were cured at elevated temperatures under different curing conditions to analyze the effect on strength development. Compressive strength test, mercury intrusion porosimetry and X-ray powder diffraction were carried out to assess the strength performance and microstructure of slag-Shirasu based geopolymer. Based on the experimental study, it was observed that the initial and long-term strength development of Slag-Shirasu geopolymer were improved by the addition of slag.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.155-163
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• 2013

Meta-kaolin (MK) and blast furnace slag (BS) were used as raw materials with NaOH and sodium silicate as alkali activators for making geo-polymers. The compressive strength with respect to the various pre-curing conditions was investigated. In order to improve the recycling rate of BS while still obtaining high compressive strength of the geo-polymers, it was necessary to provide additional CaO to the MK by adding BS. The specimens containing greater amounts of BS can be applied to fields that require high initial compressive strength. Alkali activator(s) are inevitably required to make geo-polymers useful. High temperature pre-curing plays an important role in improving compressive strength in geo-polymers at the early stage of curing. On the other hand, long-term curing produced little to no positive effects and may have even worsened the compressive strength of the geo-polymers because of micro-structural defects through volume expansion by high temperature pre-curing. Therefore, a pre-curing process at a medium range temperature of $50^{\circ}C$ is recommended because a continuous increase in compressive strength during the entire curing period as well as good compressive strength at the early stages can be obtained.