• Computers and Concrete
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.85-95
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• 2023

Natural pozzolans are used as additives in cement to develop more durable and high-performance concrete. Pozzolanic activity index (PAI) is important for assessing the performance of a pozzolan as a binding material and has an important effect on the compressive strength, permeability, and chemical durability of concrete mixtures. However, the determining of the 28 days (short term) and 90 days (long term) PAI of concrete mixtures is a time-consuming process. In this study, to reduce extensive experimental work, it is aimed to predict the short term and long term PAIs as a function of the chemical compositions of various natural pozzolans. For this purpose, the chemical compositions of various natural pozzolans from Central Anatolia were determined with X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. The mortar samples were prepared with the natural pozzolans and then, the short term and the long term PAIs were calculated based on compressive strength method. The effect of the natural pozzolans' chemical compositions on the short term and the long term PAIs were evaluated and the PAIs were predicted by using multiple linear regression (MLR) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) model. The prediction model results show that both reactive SiO₂ and SiO₂+Al₂O₃+Fe₂O₃ contents are the most effective parameters on PAI. According to the performance of prediction models determined with metrics such as root mean squared error (RMSE) and coefficient of correlation (R²), ANFIS models are more feasible than the multiple regression model in predicting the 28 days and 90 days pozzolanic activity. Estimation of PAIs based on the chemical component of natural pozzolana with high-performance prediction models is going to make an important contribution to material engineering applications in terms of selection of favorable natural pozzolana and saving time from tedious test processes.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.119-126
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• 2019

This paper reports an experimental investigation conducted to evaluate the durability performance of concrete mixtures prepared utilizing blends of Type I Portland cement (OPC) and natural pozzolans (NPs) obtained from three different sources in Saudi Arabia. The control concrete mixture containing OPC alone as the binder and three concrete mixtures incorporating NPs were prepared keeping water/binder ratio of 0.4 (by weight), binder content of $370kg/m^3$, and fine/total aggregate ratio of 0.38 (by weight) invariant. The compressive strength and durability properties that included depth of water penetration, depth of carbonation, chloride diffusion coefficient, and resistance to reinforcement corrosion and sulfate attack were determined. Results of this study indicate that at all ages, the compressive strength of NP-admixed concrete mixtures was slightly less than that of the concrete containing OPC alone. However, the concrete mixtures containing NP exhibited lower depth of water penetration and chloride diffusion coefficient and more resistance to reinforcement corrosion and sulfate attack as compared to OPC. NP-admixed concrete showed relatively more depth of carbonation than OPC when subjected to accelerated carbonation. The results of this investigation indicates the viability of utilizing of Saudi natural pozzolans for improving the durability characteristics of concrete subjected to chloride and sulfate exposures.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.72 no.3
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• pp.339-354
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• 2019

Reusing building materials and concrete of old buildings can be a promising strategy for sustained development. In buildings, the performance of materials under elevated temperatures is of particular interest for determining fire resistance. In this study, the effect of pozzolan and aggregate type on properties of concrete exposed to fire was investigated. In doing so, nanosilica with cement-replacement levels of 0, 2, and 4% as well as silica fume and ultrafine fly ash with cement-replacement levels of 0, 7.5, and 15% were used to study effect of pozzolan type, and recycled refractory brick (RRB) fine aggregate replacing natural fine aggregate by 0 and 100% was utilized to explore effect of aggregate type. A total of 126 cubic concrete specimens were manufactured and then investigated in terms of compressive strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity, and weight loss at $23^{\circ}C$ and immediately after exposure to 400 and $800^{\circ}C$. Results show that replacing 100% of natural fine aggregate with recycled refectory brick fine aggregate in the concretes exposed to heat was desirable, in that it led to a mean compressive strength increase of above 25% at $800^{\circ}C$. In general, among the pozzolans used here, silica fume demonstrated the best performance in terms of retaining the compressive strength of heated concretes. The higher replacement level of silica fume and ultrafine fly ash pozzolans in the mixes containing RRB fine aggregate led to a greater weight loss rate, while the higher replacement level of nanosilica reduced the weight loss rate.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.145-158
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• 2015

The consequence of sulfate attack on geopolymer concrete, made from an alkali activated natural pozzolan (AANP) has been studied in this paper. Changes in the compressive strength, expansion and capillary water absorption of specimens have been investigated combined with phases determination by means of X-ray diffraction. At the end of present investigation which was to evaluate the performance of natural alumina silica based geopolymer concrete in sodium and magnesium sulfate solution, the loss of compressive strength and percentage of expansion of AANP concrete was recorded up to 19.4 % and 0.074, respectively.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.301-306
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• 2018

Stabilization of clayey soil has been studied from past to present by mixing different additives to the soil to increase its strength and durability. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in stabilization of soils with natural pozzolans. Despite this, very few studies have investigated the impact of pozzolanic additives under freeze-thaw cycling. This paper presents the results of an experimental research study on the durability behavior of clayey soils treated with lime and perlite. For this purpose, soil was stabilized with 6% lime content by weight of dry soil (optimum lime ratio of the the soil), perlite was mixed with it in 0%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 25% and 30% proportions. Test specimens were compacted in the laboratory and cured for 7, 28 and 84 days, after which they were tested for unconfined compression tests. In addition to this, they were subjected to 12 closed system freeze-thaw cycles after curing for 28 days. The results show that the addition of perlite as a pozzolanic additive to lime stabilized soil improves the strength and durability. Unconfined compressive strength increases with increased perlite content. The findings indicate that using natural pozzolan which is cheaper than lime, has positive effect in strength and durability of soils and can result cost reduction of stabilization.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.217-220
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• 2001

Due to the tendency of increase in demolished-concrete produced by alteration and deterioration of concrete structures, recycling of those demolished-concrete is necessary to solve the exhaustion of natural aggregate, in order to save resources and protect environment, especially being want of resources in Korea. For this purpose, concrete made with the pozzolanic cement and recycled aggregate was tested for compressive and tensile strength. The pozzolanic cement was a mixture of OPC(Ordinary Portland Cement) and pozzolans such as fly ash, other siliceous materials and early rapid hardening cement(ERC). It was found that the compressive strength of the pozzolanic cement was enhanced when 0.75% of ERC was dozed, as compared with OPC mortar. It was also shown that compressive and tensile strength of concrete with recycled aggregate and pozzolanic cement were higher than those of concrete with crushed stones and OPC. It was concluded that the pozzolanic cement influenced on the increase of concrete strengths with recycled aggregate.

• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.122-131
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• 2001

When mixed with lime, sand-bentonite mixture is characterized by considerable hydraulic properties similar to natural pozzolans and may therefore be increased in the strength of sand-bentonite mixture. The present study reports that results obtained in a series of laboratory tests carried out using particular mixing ratio of lime-sand-bentonite with the aim of investigating physical characteristics, permeability and strength. The results were compared and analyzed according to hydration time and lime content. Test results showed that increasing of strength and decreasing of permeability by proper lime content. Curing for longer periods increased unconfined compressive strength of mixture. Based on results of the falling head permeability test, mixtures of lime content 3%, 6% and 9% were satisfied in using as liner after 8-day curing periods.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.241-254
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• 2015

A lot of reinforced concrete (RC) structures in Syria went out of service after a few years of construction. This was mainly due to reinforcement corrosion or chemical attack on concrete. The use of blended cements is growing rapidly in the construction industry due to economical, ecological and technical benefits. Syria is relatively rich in scoria. In the study, mortar/concrete specimens were produced with seven types of cement: one plain Portland cement (control) and six blended cements with replacement levels ranging from 10 to 35 %. Rapid chloride penetration test was carried in accordance with ASTM C 1202 after two curing times of 28 and 90 days. The effect on the resistance of concrete against damage caused by corrosion of the embedded steel has been investigated using an accelerated corrosion test by impressing a constant anodic potential. The variation of current with time and time to failure of RC specimens were determined at 28 and 90 days curing. In addition, effects of aggressive acidic environments on mortars were investigated through 100 days of exposure to 5 % $H_2SO_4$, 10 % HCl, 5 % $HNO_3$ and 10 % $CH_3COOH$ solutions. Evaluation of sulfate resistance of mortars was also performed by immersing in 5 % $Na_2SO_4$ solution for 52 weeks. Test results reveal that the resistance to chloride penetration of concrete improves substantially with the increase of replacement level, and the concretes containing scoria based-blended cements, especially CEM II/B-P, exhibited corrosion initiation periods several times longer than the control mix. Further, an increase in scoria addition improves the acid resistance of mortar, especially in the early days of exposure, whereas after a long period of continuous exposure all specimens show the same behavior against the acid attack. According to results of sulfate resistance, CEM II/B-P can be used instead of SRPC in sulfate-bearing environments.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.1-7
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• 2021

In response to the carbon emission reduction trends and the depletion of natural sand caused by the use of cement in construction works, graphene oxide and porous feldspar were applied as countermeasures in this study. By using (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane-functionalized graphene oxide with enhanced bond characteristics, a concrete specimen was prepared with 5% less cement content than that in a standard mortar mix, and the compressive strengths of the specimens were examined. The compressive strengths of the specimen with (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane-functionalized graphene oxide and porous feldspar and the specimen with standard mixing were 26MPa and 28MPa, respectively, showing only a small difference. In addition, both specimens met the compressive strength of cement mortar required for geotechnical structures. It is believed that a reasonable level of compressive strength was maintained in spite of the lower cement content because the high content of pozzolans, namely SiO₂ and Al₂O₃, in the porous feldspar enhanced the reactions with Ca(OH)₂ during hydration, the nano-sized graphene surface acted as a reactive surface for the hydration products to react actively, and the strong covalent bonding of the carboxyl functional group increased the bonding strength of the hydration products.