• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.487-494
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• 2011

In this research, the possibility of using bottom ash as a binder for the alkali-activated cement mortar is studied. Several experiments were performed to investigate the variation of the material properties according to the mix proportion. In the experimental program, the flowability and compressive strength were evaluated for various values of water/ash ratio, activator/ash ratio, sodium silicate to sodium hydroxide ratio, curing temperature, and the fineness of bottom ash as the main variables. The experimental results showed that high strength of 40 MPa or greater could be achieved in $60^{\circ}C$ high temperature curing condition with proper flowability. For $20^{\circ}C$ ambient temperature curing, the 28 days compressive strength of approximately 30MPa could be obtained although the early-age strength development was very slow. Based on the results, the range of optimized mix design of bottom-ash based alkali-activated cement mortar was suggested. In addition, using the artificial neural network analysis, the flowability and compressive strength were predicted with the difference in the mix proportion of the bottom-ash based alkali-activated cement mortar.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.311-317
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• 2020

Performance of Sustainable materials continues through using of recycled waste construction materials to minimize the utilization of the natural resources. The cement industry is a major source of CO₂ in the atmosphere which is the main cause of global warming. Replacement of OPC with other sustainable cementitious materials has been the most interesting area of researches. This investigation focuses on the properties of alkali-activated mortar with the different replacement ratios of ceramic tile powder (CTP) by fine soil powder (FSP) (0 to 100)% and different molarities of sodium hydroxide concentrations. The experimental program was conducted by examining the compressive strength, water absorption, and water sorptivity. The results showed that the compressive strength of the specimens at age of (28, 56, and 90 days) increases with an increase in the amount of fine soil powder content and decreases at the age of 120 days. Also, minimum water absorption at the age of 90 days was found in the mixes containing 100% fine soil powder. However, fine soil powder replacement had a negative effect on the sorptivity and water absorption values at the age of 120 days. On the other hand, the 12M sodium hydroxide concentration was considered the optimum concentration compared to other concentrations.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.28-38
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• 2012

The purpose of this paper is to develop the alkali-activated concrete which uses 100% fly ash as a binder without any cement. The compressive strength of the mortar was examined depending on the chemical change in alkali-activator through SEM and SEM/EDS observations and the XRD analysis. It was found from the test that the higher molar concentration induced the greater effect on the initial strength, and that $Si^{4+}$ and $Al^{3+}$ were eluted relative to the compressive strength of mortar. In addition, it was confirmed that Al and Si were determined to be most influential ingredients on the microstructural development of the mortar, and that the different ingredient of the activator was almost no change in solidity from the XRD analysis.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.305-312
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• 2013

This paper reports the results of an investigation into the effects of silica fume on strength properties of alkali-activated slag cement (AASC) with water-binder (W/B) ratio and replacement ratio of silica fume content. The W/B ratio varied between 0.50 and 0.60 at a constant increment of 0.05. The silica fume content varied from 0% to 50% by weight of slag. The activators was used sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and the dosage of activator was 3M. The strength development with W/B ratio has been studied at different ages of 1, 3, 7 and 28 days. For mixes of AASC mortars with varying silica fume content, the flow values were lower than the control mixes (without silica fume). The flow value was decrease as the content of silica fume increase. This is because the higher surface areas of silica fume particles increase the water requirement. The analysis of these results indicates that, increasing the silica fume content in AASC mortar also increased the compressive strength. Moreover, the strength decreases with the W/B ratios increases. This is because the particle sizes of silica fume are smaller than slag. The high compressive strength of blended slag-silica fume mortars was due to both the filler effect and the activated reaction of silica fume evidently giving the mortar matrix a denser microstructure, thereby resulting in a significant gain in strength.

• 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.24 no.6
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• pp.745-752
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• 2012

This paper studies the effect of the compressive strength for combined alkali-activated slag mortars. The effect of activators such as alkali type and dosage factor on the strength was investigated. The alkalis combinations made using five caustic alkalis (sodium hydroxide (NaOH, A series), calcium hydroxide ($Ca(OH)_2$, B series), magnesium hydroxide ($Mg(OH)_2$, C series), aluminum hydroxide ($Al(OH)_3$, D series), and potassium hydroxide (KOH, E series)) with sodium carbonate ($Na_2CO_3$) were evaluated. The mixtures were combined in different dosage at 1M, 2M, and 3M. The study results showed that the compressive strength of combined alkali-activated slag mortars tended to increase with increasing sodium carbonate. The strength of combined alkali-activated slag mortars was better than that of control cases (without sodium carbonate). The result from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis confirmed that there were reaction products of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) and alumina-silicate gels from combined alkali-activated slag specimens.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.26-33
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• 2016

The alkali-slag-red mud(ASRC) cement belongs to clinker free cementitious material, which is made from alkali activator, blast-furnace slag(BFS) and red mud in designed proportion. This study is to investigate strength and pore characteristics of alkali-activated slag cement(NC), clinker free cementitious material, and ordinary portland cement(C) mortars using polymer according to red mud content. The results showed that the hardened alkali-activated slag-red mud cement paste was mostly consisted of C-S-H gel, being very fine in size and extremely irregular in its shape. So the hardened ASRC cement paste has lower total porosity, less portion of larger pore and more portion of smaller pore, as compared with those of hardened portland cement paste, and has higher strength within containing 10 wt.(%) of alkali-activated slag cement(NC) substituted by red mud.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.273-281
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• 2015

In this paper, the performance of alkali-activated slag cement (AASC) is assessed in terms of compressive strength and drying shrinkage, using three different types of silica sand and river sand. The sand type has an important influence on the properties of AASC mortar. Three silica sands (SS1, SS2 and SS3) and river sand (RS) were considered. Three series of blended sands have been tested. A first series (S1) with RS and SS1, a second series (S2) with RS and SS2 and third series (S3) with RS and SS3 with a different blended ratios. The result shows a very significant influence of the blended sand on the AASC mortar properties. The compressive strength and drying shrinkage related with the particle sizes and blended ratios of sands are investigated considering blended sand properties like fineness modulus (FM) and relative specific surface. The type and blended ratio of sand seems to have very significant and important consequences for the mix design of the AASC mortar.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.313-320
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• 2016

The aim of this study is to look into the metakaolin replacement ratio of blast furnace slag based alkali activated slag mortar and its mechanical characteristics according to changes in stimulant concentration. Metakaolin has high fineness, and therefore the fluidity becomes lower as the replacement ratio becomes higher. So in this study, a sufficient value of mixing water was provided to secure fluidity for the characteristic experiment, and a different W/B was derived for each specimen in order to make the fluidity identical. A characteristic experiment was conducted according to the mol concentration of NaOH, which was used as the mixing water that affects fluidity. Additionally, compressive strength measurement, observation of inner microstructure through SEM, acid resistance experiment, and neutralization resistance was conducted. The results of this study revealed that for a high concentration NaOH solution to have even fluidity, a high W/B is necessary, and the functions were enhanced, not degraded.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.315-316
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to observe the effect of mixture ratio of alkali-activator on workability and compressive strength of alkali-activated mortar that using fly ash and blast furnace slag.