• Computers and Concrete
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.319-332
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• 2021

The performance of gene expression programming (GEP) in predicting the compressive strength of bacteria-incorporated geopolymer concrete (GPC) was examined in this study. Ground-granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS), new bacterial strains, fly ash (FA), silica fume (SF), metakaolin (MK), and manufactured sand were used as ingredients in the concrete mixture. For the geopolymer preparation, an 8 M sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution was used, and the ambient curing temperature (28℃) was maintained for all mixtures. The ratio of sodium silicate (Na2SiO3) to NaOH was 2.33, and the ratio of alkaline liquid to binder was 0.35. Based on experimental data collected from the literature, an evolutionary-based algorithm (GEP) was proposed to develop new predictive models for estimating the compressive strength of GPC containing bacteria. Data were classified into training and testing sets to obtain a closed-form solution using GEP. Independent variables for the model were the constituent materials of GPC, such as FA, MK, SF, and Bacillus bacteria. A total of six GEP formulations were developed for predicting the compressive strength of bacteria-incorporated GPC obtained at 1, 3, 7, 28, 56, and 90 days of curing. 80% and 20% of the data were used for training and testing the models, respectively. R2 values in the range of 0.9747 and 0.9950 (including train and test dataset) were obtained for the concrete samples, which showed that GEP can be used to predict the compressive strength of GPC containing bacteria with minimal error. Moreover, the GEP models were in good agreement with the experimental datasets and were robust and reliable. The models developed could serve as a tool for concrete constructors using geopolymers within the framework of this research.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.71-81
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• 2022

Aluminosilicate materials as precursors are heterogenous in nature, consisting of inert and partially reactive portion, and have varying proportions depending upon source materials. It is essential to assess the reactivity of precursor prior to synthesize geopolymers. Moreover, reactivity may act as decisive factor for setting molar concentration of NaOH, curing temperature and setting proportion of different precursors. In this experimental work, the reactivities of two precursors, low calcium (fly ash (FA)) and high calcium (ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS)), were assessed through the dissolution of aluminosilicate at (i) three molar concentrations (8, 12, and 16 M) of NaOH solution, (ii) 6 to 24 h dissolution time, and (iii) 20-100℃. Based on paratermeters influencing the reactivity, different proportions of ternary binders (two precursors and ordinary cement) were activated by the combined NaOH and Na2SiO3 solutions with two alkaline activators to precursor ratios, to synthesize the geopolymer. Reactivity results revealed that GGBS was 20-30% more reactive than FA at 20℃, at all three molar concentrations, but its reactivity decreased by 32-46% with increasing temperature due to the high calcium content. Setting time of geopolymer paste was reduced by adding GGBS due to its fast reactivity. Both GGBS and cement promoted the formation of all types of gels (i.e., C-S-H, C-A-S-H, and N-A-S-H). As a result, it was found that a specified mixing proportion could be used to improve the compressive strength over 30 MPa at both the ambient and hot curing conditions.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.429-437
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• 2021

In the era of building engineering the intensification of Self Compacting Concrete (SCC) is world-shattering magnetism. It has lot of rewards over ordinary concrete i.e., enrichment in production, cutback in manpower, brilliant retort to load and vibration along with improved durability. In the present study, the mechanical strength of CM-2 (SCC containing 10% of rice husk ash (RHA) as cement replacement and 600 grams of glass fibers per cubic meter) was investigated at various dosages of cement replacement by fly ash (FA) and GGBS. A total of 17 SCC mixtures including two control SCC mixtures (CM-1 and CM-2) were developed for investigating fresh and hardened properties in which, ten ternary cementitious blends of SCC by blending OPC+RHA+FA, OPC+RHA+GGBS and five quaternary cementitious blends (OPC+RHA+FA+GGBS) at different replacement dosages of FA and GGBS were developed with reference to CM-2. For constant water-cement ratio (0.42) and dosage of SP (2.5%), the addition of glass fibers (600 grams/m³) in CM-1 i.e., CM-2 shows lower workability but higher mechanical strength. While fly ash based ternary blends (OPC+RHA+FA) show better workability but lower mechanical strength as FA content increases in comparison to GGBS based ternary blends (OPC+RHA+GGBS) on increasing GGBS content. The pattern for mixtures appeared to exhibit higher workablity as that of the concentration of FA+GGBS rises in quaternary blends (OPC+RHA+FA+GGBS). A decrease in compressive strength at 7-days was noticed with an increase in the percentage of FA and GGBS as cement replacement in ternary and quaternary blended mixtures with respect to CM-2. The highest 28-days compressive strength (41.92 MPa) was observed for mix QM-3 and the lowest (33.18 MPa) for mix QM-5.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.577-583
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• 2022

In this study, the characteristics of self-healing mortars produced using an inorganic self-healing material consisting of ground granulated blast furnace slag, expansion agent, and anhydrite, were investigated. For three types of self-healing mortars with different amounts of the inorganic healing material, compressive strength was measured and the self-healing performance was evaluated through the constant water head permeability test. The healing rate and equivalent crack width according to crack-induced aging were used as indicies of healing performance evaluation. Considering the development of compressive strength of the self-healing mortars, the change in the healing rate with healing periods, and the economic feasibility, the optimal amount of inorganic self-healing materials was suggested as 20 % of the mass of cement.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.4A
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• pp.365-371
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• 2009

It is time-consuming to estimate chloride diffusivity of concrete by concentration difference test. For the reason chloride diffusivity of concrete is mainly tested by electrically accelerated method, which is accelerating the movement of chloride ion by potential difference. In this study, portland cement concrete and concrete containing with ground granulated blast-furnace slag (40 and 60% of cement by weight) with water-cementitious material ratio 40, 45, 50 and 60% were manufactured. To compare with chloride diffusivity calculated from the electrically accelerated test and immersed test in artifical seawater, chloride diffusivity tests were conducted. From the results of regression analysis, regression equation between accelerated chloride diffusivity and immersed chloride diffusivity was linear function. And the determinant coefficient was 0.96 for linear equation.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.175-193
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• 2024

Researchers have embarked on an active investigation into the feasibility of adopting alternative materials as a solution to the mounting environmental and economic challenges associated with traditional concrete-based construction materials, such as reinforced concrete. The examination of concrete's mechanical properties using laboratory methods is a complex, time-consuming, and costly endeavor. Consequently, the need for models that can overcome these drawbacks is urgent. Fortunately, the ever-increasing availability of data has paved the way for the utilization of machine learning methods, which can provide powerful, efficient, and cost-effective models. This study aims to explore the potential of twelve machine learning algorithms in predicting the tensile strength of geopolymer concrete (GPC) under various curing conditions. To fulfill this objective, 221 datasets, comprising tensile strength test results of GPC with diverse mix ratios and curing conditions, were employed. Additionally, a number of unseen datasets were used to assess the overall performance of the machine learning models. Through a comprehensive analysis of statistical indices and a comparison of the models' behavior with laboratory tests, it was determined that nearly all the models exhibited satisfactory potential in estimating the tensile strength of GPC. Nevertheless, the artificial neural networks and support vector regression models demonstrated the highest robustness. Both the laboratory tests and machine learning outcomes revealed that GPC composed of 30% fly ash and 70% ground granulated blast slag, mixed with 14 mol of NaOH, and cured in an oven at 300°F for 28 days exhibited superior tensile strength.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.155-167
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• 2023

The penetrated chloride in concrete has different behavior with mix proportions and local exposure conditions, even in the same environments, so that it is very important to quantify surface chloride contents for durability design. As well known, the surface chloride content which is a key parameter like external loading in structural safety design increases with exposure period. In this study, concrete samples containing OPC (Ordinary Portland Cement), GGBFS (Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag), and FA (Fly Ash) had been exposed to submerged, tidal, and splash area for 5 years, then the surface chloride contents changing with exposure period were evaluated. The surface chloride contents were obtained from the chloride profile based on the Fick's 2nd Law, and the regression analysis for them was performed with exponential and square root function. After exposure period of 5 years in submerged and tidal area conditions, the surface chloride content of OPC concrete increased to 6.4 kg/m³ - 7.3 kg/m³, and the surface chloride content of GGBFS concrete was evaluated as 7.3 kg/m³ - 11.5 kg/m³. In the higher replacement ratio of GGBFS, the higher surface chloride contents were evaluated. The surface chloride content in FA concrete showed a range of 6.7 kg/m³ to 9.9 kg/m³, which was the intermediate level of OPC and GGBFS concrete. In the case of splash area, the surface chloride contents in all specimens were from 0.59 kg/m³ to 0.75 kg/m³, which was the lowest of all exposure conditions. Experimental constants available for durability design of chloride ingress were derived through regression analysis over exposure period. In the concrete with GGBFS replacement ratio of 50%, the increase rate of surface chloride contents decreased rapidly as the water to binder ratio increased.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.303-316
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• 2023

Using industrial wastes and construction and demolition (C&D) wastes is potentially advantageous for concrete production in terms of sustainability improvement. In this paper, a sustainable Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC) made with industrial wastes and C&D wastes was proposed by considerably replacing natural counterparts with recycled coarse aggregates (RCAs) and supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) (i.e., Fly ash (FA), ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) and silica fume (SF)). A total of 12 SCC mixes with various RCAs and different combination SCMs were prepared, which comprise binary, ternary and quaternary mixes. The mechanical properties in terms of compressive strength and static elasticity modulus of recycled aggregates (RA-SCC) mixes were determined and analyzed. Microstructural study was implemented to analyze the reason of improvement on mechanical properties. By means of life cycle assessment (LCA) method, the environmental impacts of RA-SCC with various RCAs and SCMs were quantified, analyzed and compared in the system boundary of "cradle-to-gate". In addition, the comparison of LCA results with respect to mechanical properties was conducted. The results demonstrate that the addition of proposed combination SCMs leads to significant improvement in mechanical properties of quaternary RA-SCC mixes with FA, GGBS and SF. Furthermore, quaternary RA-SCC mixes emit lowest environmental burdens without compromising mechanical properties. Thus, using the combination of FA, GGBS and SF as cement substitution to manufacture RA-SCC significantly improves the sustainability of SCC by minimizing the depletion of cement and non-renewable natural resources.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.405-412
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• 2008

Six alkali-activated (AA) concrete mixes were tested to explore the significance and limitations of developing an environmental friendly concrete. Ground granulated blast-furnace slag and powder typed sodium silicate were selected as source material and an alkaline activator, respectively. The main parameter investigated was the replacement level of lightweight fine aggregate to the natural sand. Workability and mechanical properties of lightweight AA concrete were measured: the variation of slump with time, the rate of compressive strength development, the splitting tensile strength, the moduli of rupture and elasticity, the stress-strain relationship, the bond resistance and shrinkage strain. Test results showed that the compressive strength of lightweight AA concrete sharply decreased when the replacement level of lightweight fine aggregate exceeded 30%. In particular, the increase in the discontinuous grading of lightweight aggregate resulted in the deterioration of the mechanical properties of concrete tested. The measured properties of lightweight AA concrete were also compared, wherever possible, with the results obtained from the design equations specified in ACI 318-05 or EC 2, depending on the relevance, and the results predicted from the empirical equations proposed by Slate et al. for lightweight ordinary Portland cement concrete. The stress-strain curves of different concrete were compared with predictions obtained from the mathematical model proposed by Tasnimi. The measured mechanical properties of lightweight AA concrete generally showed little agreement with the predictions obtained from these equations.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.415-424
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of sulfate (${SO_4}^{2-}$) and magnesium ($Mg^{2+}$) ions on sulfate resistance of Alkali-activated materials using Fly ash and Ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS). In this research, 30%, 50% and 100% of GGBFS was replaced by sodium silicate modules ($Ms(SiO_2/Na_2O)$, molar ratio, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0). In order to investigate the effects of $Mg^{2+}$ and ${SO_4}^{2-}$, compression strength, weight change, lengh expansion of the samples were measured in 10% sodium sulfate ($Na_2SO_4$), 10%, 5% and 2.5% magnesium sulfate ($MgSO_4$), 10% magnesium nitrate ($Mg(NO_3)_2$), 10% [magnesium chloride ($MgCl_2$) + sodium sulfate ($Na_2SO_4$)] and 10% [magnesium nitrate $(Mg(NO_3)_2$ + sodium sulfate ($Na_2SO_4$)] solution, respectively and X-ray diffraction analysis was conducted after each experiment. As a result, when $Mg^{2+}$ and ${SO_4}^{2-}$ coexist, degradation of compressive strength and expansion of the sample were caused by sulfate erosion. It was found that the reaction of $Mg^{2+}$ with Calcium Silicate Hydrate (C-S-H) occurred and $Ca^{2+}$ was produced. Then the Gypsum ($CaSO_4{\cdot}2H_2O$) was formed due to reaction between $Ca^{2+}$ and ${SO_4}^{2-}$, and also Magnesium hydroxide ($Mg(OH)_2$, Brucite) was produced by the reaction between $Mg^{2+}$ and $OH^-$.