• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.109-116
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• 2017

This paper describes the investigation into the durability alkali-activated materials(AAM) mortar and paste samples manufactured using fly-ash(FA) and ground granulated blast furnace slag(GGBFS) exposed to a sulfate environment with different GGBFS replace ratios(30, 50 and 100%), sodium silicate modules($Ms[SiO_2/Na_2O]$ 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0). The tests involved immersions into 10% sodium sulfate solution($Na_2SO_4$), 10% magnesium sulfate solution($MgSO_4$), 10% magnesium nitrate solution($Mg(NO_3)_2$) and 5% magnesium nitrate($Mg(NO_3)_2$+5% sodium sulfate solution+$Na_2SO_4$). The evolution of compressive strength, weight, length expansion and microstructural observation such as x-ray diffraction were studied. As a results, in case of immersed in $Na_2SO_4$, $Mg(NO_3)_2$ and $Mg(NO_3)_2+Na_2SO_4$ shows increase in long-term strength. However, for samples immersed in $MgSO_4$, the general observation was that the compressive strength decreased after immersion. The most drastic reduction of compressive strength and expansion of weight and length occurred when GGBFS or Ms ratios were higher. Also, the XRD analysis of samples immersed in magnesium sulfate indicated that expansion of AAM caused by gypsum($CaSO_4{\cdot}2H_2O$) and brucite(MgOH). The results showed that, an additional condition $Mg^{2+}$ in which ${SO_4}^{2-}$ is the presence of a certain concentration, sulfate erosion has to be accelerated.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2013

The cement industry brought very severe environment problems with massive carbon dioxide during its production. To solve this problem, attempts on Alkali-Activated Slag (AAS) concrete that perfectly substitutes industrial by-products such as ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) for cement are being actively made. AAS concrete is possible to have high strength development at room temperature, however, it is difficult to ensure the working time due to the fast setting time and the loss of workabillity because of the alkali reaction. In this study, the early age properties of alkali activated slag mortar are investigated to obtain the fundamental data for AAS concrete application to structural members. The water-binder ratio (W/B) was fixed at 0.35 and sodium hydroxide and waterglass as alkali activator was used. The compressive strength, the flow and the ultrasonic pulse velocity were measured according to the type of superplasticisers, which were naphthalene(N), lignin(L), melamine(M) and PC(P), up to a maximum of 2 percent by the mass of GGBFS. The results showed that adding melamine type of superplasticizer improved the fluidity of AAS mortar without decreasing the compressive strength, while naphthalene and polycarbonate type of superplasticizer had little effect on the fluidity of AAS mortar.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.10-19
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• 2019

Management plan with repairing is essential for RC structures exposed to chloride attack since durability problems occur with extended service life. Conventionally deterministic method is adopted for evaluation of service life and repair cost, however more reasonable repair cost can be obtained through continuous repair cost from probabilistic maintenance technique. Unlike the previous researches considering only normal distribution of life time, PLTFs (Probabilistic Life Time Function) which can be capable of handling log and normal distributions are attempted for initial and repair service life, and repair cost is evaluated for OPC and GGBFS concrete. PLTF with log distributions in initial service life is more effective to save repair cost since it is more dominant after average than normal distribution. Repair cost in GGBFS concrete decreases to 30% of OPC concrete due to longer initial service life and lower repairing event. The proposed PLTF from the work can handle not only normal distributions but also log distributions for initial and repair service life, so that it can provide more reasonable repair cost evaluation.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.28-36
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• 2019

The adhered mortars in recycled aggregate may lower the performance of the concrete, such as by reducing in strength and durability, and cracking. In the present study, the effects of nylon fiber (NF) on the mechanical and durable properties of 100% ordinary portland cement (OPC) and 50% ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) concretes incorporating recycled coarse aggregate (RA) were experimentally investigated. Concrete was produced by adding 0 and $0.6kg/m^3$ of NF and then cured in water for the predetermined period. Measurements of compressive and split tensile strength, water permeable pore and total charge passed through concrete were carried out, and the corresponding test results were compared with those of concrete incorporating crushed coarse aggregate (CA). In addition, the microstructures of 28-day concretes were observed by using SEM technique. Test results revealed that the RA concrete showed lower performance than CA concrete because of the adhered mortars in RA. However, it was obvious that the addition of NF in RA concrete was much effective in enhancing the performance of the concretes due to the bridge effect from NF. In particular, the application of NF2 (19 mm) exhibited a somewhat beneficial effect compared with concrete incorporating NF1 with respect to mechanical properties, especially for RA concrete.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.717-724
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• 2017

In this paper, four formulas are proposed via gene expression programming (GEP)-based models and regression analysis (RA) to predict the flexural strength ($f_s$) values of mortars containing different mineral admixtures that are ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS), silica fume (SF) and fly ash (FA) at different ages. Three formulas obtained from the GEP-I, GEP-II and GEP-III models are constituted to predict the $f_s$ values from the age of specimen, water-binder ratio and compressive strength. Besides, one formula obtained from the RA is constituted to predict the $f_s$ values from the compressive strength. To achieve these formulas in the GEP and RA models, 972 data of the experimental studies presented with mortar mixtures were gathered from the literatures. 734 data of the experimental studies are divided without pre-planned for these formulas achieved from the training and testing sets of GEP and RA models. Beside, these formulas are validated with 238 data of experimental studies un-employed in training and testing sets. The $f_s$ results obtained from the training, testing and validation sets of these formulas are compared with the results obtained from the experimental studies and the formulas given in the literature for concrete. These comparisons show that the results of the formulas obtained from the GEP and RA models appear to well compatible with the experimental results and find to be very credible according to the results of other formulas.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.16 no.2 s.80
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• pp.277-282
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• 2004

In a hardened concrete, diffusion of oxygen, carbon dioxide, aggressive ions, and moisture from the environment to the concrete takes place through the pore network. It is well known that making dense cement matrix enhances the durability of concrete as well as all the characteristics including strength of concrete. In this paper,9 mix concretes with water to cementitious material ratio (40,45, and $50\%$) and replacement ratio of GGBFS (40 and $60\%$ of cement by weight) were studied on the micro-pore structure by mercury intrusion porosimetry and the accelerated chloride diffusion test by potential difference. From the results the average pore diameter and accelerated chloride diffusivity of concrete were ordered NPC > G4C > G6C. It is concluded that there is a good correlation between the average pore diameter and the chloride diffusivity, and the mineral admixtures has a filling effect, which increases the tortuosity of pore and makes large pores finer, on the pore structure of cement matrix due to the latent hydraulic reaction with hydrates of cement.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.209-213
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• 2014

Due to the increasing of interest about the eco-friendly concrete, it is increased to use concretes containing by-products of industry such as fly ash(FA), ground granulated blast furnace slag(GGBFS), silica fume(SF), and etc. Especially, these are well known for improving the resistances to reinforcement corrosion in concrete and decreasing chloride ion penetration. The purpose of this experimental research is to evaluate the resistance against corrosion of reinforcement of high volume fly ash(HVFA) concrete which is replaced with high volume fly ash for cement volume. For this purpose, the concrete test specimens were made for various strength level and replacement ratio of FA, and then the compressive strength and diffusion coefficient for chloride ion of them were measured for 28, 91, and 182 days, respectively. Also, corrosion monitoring by half cell potential method was carried out for the made lollypop concrete test specimens to detect the time of corrosion initiation for reinforcement in concrete. As a result, it was observed from the test results that the compressive strength of HVFA concrete was decreased with increasing replacement ratio of FA but long-term resistances against reinforcement corrosion and chloride ion penetration of that were increased.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2014.11a
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• pp.23-24
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• 2014

Currently, cement and concrete industries have been contributing to the CO₂ emission worldwide. Because of that, the efforts to minimize CO₂ have been the subject of many researches. This study focus on the use of GGBFS and fly ash in mortar specimens as a patial replacement of cement. Because of the limitation of the initial compressive strength, the newly efforts to enhance the strength through CO₂ Curing was adapted. To accelerate the reaction with CO₂, MgO was replaced by percentage from 0 to 100%. Results showed that compressive strength values at 7 days with CO₂ curing done on specimens was higher than that with no CO₂ curing. Similar trend was observed at 14 days too. It is therefore appeared that CO₂ curing has an obvious effect on compressive strength development of mortar specimens.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.81 no.5
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• pp.575-589
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• 2022

In order to enhance the greenness in the strain-hardening composites and to reduce the high cost of typical polyvinyl alcohol fiber reinforced engineered cementitious composite (PVA-ECC), an affordable strain-hardening composite with green binder content has been proposed. For optimizing the strain-hardening behavior of cementitious composites, this paper investigates the effects of polypropylene fibers on the first cracking strength, fracture properties, and micromechanical parameters of cementitious composites. For this purpose, digital image correlation (DIC) technique was utilized to monitor crack propagation. In addition, to have an in-depth understanding of fiber/matrix interaction, scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis was used. To understand the effect of fibers on the strain hardening behavior of cementitious composites, ten mixes were designed with the variables of fiber length and volume. To investigate the micromechanical parameters from fracture tests on notched beam specimens, a novel technique has been suggested. In this regard, mechanical and fracture tests were carried out, and the results have been discussed utilizing both fracture and micromechanical concepts. This study shows that the fiber length and volume have optimal values; therefore, using fibers without considering the optimal values has negative effects on the strain-hardening behavior of cementitious composites.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.443-458
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• 2024

The construction industry, one of the biggest producers of greenhouse emissions, is under a lot of pressure as a result of growing worries about how climate change may affect local communities. Geopolymer concrete (GPC) has emerged as a feasible choice for construction materials as a result of the environmental issues connected to the manufacture of cement. The findings of this study contribute to the development of machine learning methods for estimating the properties of eco-friendly concrete, which might be used in lieu of traditional concrete to reduce CO₂ emissions in the building industry. In the present work, the compressive strength (f_c) of GPC is calculated using random forests regression (RFR) methodology where natural zeolite (NZ) and silica fume (SF) replace ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS). From the literature, a thorough set of experimental experiments on GPC samples were compiled, totaling 254 data rows. The considered RFR integrated with artificial hummingbird optimization (AHA), black widow optimization algorithm (BWOA), and chimp optimization algorithm (ChOA), abbreviated as ARFR, BRFR, and CRFR. The outcomes obtained for RFR models demonstrated satisfactory performance across all evaluation metrics in the prediction procedure. For R² metric, the CRFR model gained 0.9988 and 0.9981 in the train and test data set higher than those for BRFR (0.9982 and 0.9969), followed by ARFR (0.9971 and 0.9956). Some other error and distribution metrics depicted a roughly 50% improvement for CRFR respect to ARFR.