Abstract
This article presents the effect of different sodium hydroxide (NaOH) concentrations and sodium silicate-to-sodium hydroxide (\(\text {Na}_{2}\text {SiO}_{3}\)/NaOH) ratio on the fresh and some hardened properties of lightweight geopolymer mortar (LWGM). The main components of LWGM are lightweight pumice aggregate, crushed limestone aggregate, and alkali-activated FA or GGBFS. Effectiveness of aforementioned parameters was tested in terms of variation of the workability, fresh unit weight, absorption and strength of LWGM. The curing parameters were taken from a previous study conducted by the authors. The alkaline activator is a mix of 8, 10, 12 and 14 molar (M) of NaOH solution and \(\text {Na}_{2}\text {SiO}_{3}\) with the following ratios 1:0.5, 1:1, 1:1.5, 1:2 and 1:2.5. The ratio of alkaline solution to binder was taken as 0.50. Full factorial experimental program was adopted to observe strength development, water absorption and sorptivity of LWGM. Therefore, 256 data samples were obtained for strength and absorption properties. Optimum alkaline agent ratios and NaOH molarity were obtained from analysis of the experimental data using response surface method. Test results indicate that the increment in the \(\text {Na}_{2}\text {SiO}_{3}\)/NaOH ratio up to an optimum value increases the strength and decreases water absorption of LWGM. The increment in NaOH concentration from 8 to 14 M increases the strength and decreases the workability and water absorption of LWGM. The strength of GGBFS-based LWGM with different NaOH concentrations and \(\text {Na}_{2}\text {SiO}_{3}\)/NaOH ratio is greater than that of FA-based GPLWM.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Davidovits, J.: Global warming impact on the cement and aggregate industries. World Resour. Rev. 6(2), 263–278 (1995)
Fernandez-Jimenez, A.; Palomo, A.: Engineering properties of alkali-activated fly ash concrete. ACI Mater. J. 103(2), 106–12 (2006)
Sindhunata,; Van deventer, J.; Llukey, G.; Xu, H.: Effect of curing temperature and silicate concentration on fly-ash-based geopolymerization. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 45, 3559–3568 (2006)
Davidovits, J.: High-Alkali Cements for 21st Century Concretes. Special Publication, vol. 144, pp. 383–398. ACI Special Publication, Farmington Hills (1994)
Bakharev, T.; Sanjayan, J.; Cheng, Y.: Alkali activation of Australian slag cements. Cem. Concr. Res. 29, 113–20 (1999)
Nath, P.; Sarker, P.: Geopolymer concrete for ambient curing condition. In: Proceedings of the Australasian Structural Engineering Conference, Perth, Australia, 11–13 July 2012.
Wongpa, J.; Kiattikomol, K.; Jaturapitakkul, C.; Chindaprasirt, P.: Compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, and water permeability of inorganic polymer concrete. Mater. Des. 31, 4748–54 (2010)
Bakharev, T.; Sanjayan, J.G.; Cheng, Y.B.: Resistance of alkali-activated slag concrete to alkali–aggregate reaction. Cem. Concr. Res. 31, 331–4 (2001)
Bakharev, T.; Sanjayan, J.G.; Cheng, Y.B.: Resistance of alkali-activated slag concrete to carbonation. Cem. Concr. Res. 31(12), 77–83 (2001)
Davidovits, J.: Geopolymers: inorganic polymeric new materials. J. Therm. Anal. 37, 1633–56 (1991)
Kourti, I.; Amutha Rani, D.; Boccaccini, A.; Cheeseman, C.: Geopolymers from DC plasma-treated air pollution control residues, metakaolin, and granulated blast furnace slag. J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 23(6), 735–40 (2010)
Davidovits, J.: Geopolymer Chemistry and Applications, 3rd edn. Institute Geopolymer, Saint Quentin (2011)
Yip, C.K.; Lukey, G.C.; Van Deventer, J.S.J.: The coexistence of geopolymeric gel and calcium silicate hydrate at the early stage of alkaline activation. Cem. Concr. Res. 35(9), 1688–97 (2005)
Yip, C.; Van Deventer, J.: Microanalysis of calcium silicate hydrate gel formed within a geopolymeric binder. J. Mater. Sci. 38(18), 3851–60 (2003)
Juenger, M.C.G.; Winnefeld, F.; Provis, J.L.; Ideker, J.H.: Advances in alternative cementitious binders. Cem. Concr. Res. 41(12), 1232–43 (2011)
Lloyd, N.; Rangan, B.: Geopolymer concrete with fly ash. In: Second International Conference on Sustainable, Construction Materials and Technologies, pp. 1493–504 (2010)
Komnitsas, K.; Zaharaki, D.: Geopolymerisation: a review and prospects for the minerals industry. Miner. Eng. 20(14), 1261–77 (2007)
Tempest, B.; Sanusi, O.; Gergely, J.; Ogunro, V.; Weggel, D.: Compressive strength and embodied energy optimization of fly ash based geopolymer concrete. In: Proceedings of the 2009 World of Coal Ash (WOCA) Conference Lexington, KY (2009)
Singh, P.S.; Trigg, M.; Burgar, I.; Bastow, T.: Geopolymer formation processes at room temperature studied by 29Si and 27Al MAS-NMR. Mater. Sci. Eng. 396(1–2), 392–402 (2005)
Kumar, S.; Kumar, R.; Mehrotra, S.P.: Influence of granulated blast furnace slag on the reaction, structure and properties of fly ash based geopolymer. J. Mater. Sci. 45(3), 607–615 (2010)
Rashad, A.M.: Properties of alkali-activated fly ash concrete blended with slag. Iran. J. Mater. Sci. Eng. 10(1), 57–64 (2013)
Ismail, I.; Bernal, S.A.; Provis, J.L.; San Nicolas, R.; Hamdan, S.; van Deventer, J.S.: Modification of phase evolution in alkali-activated blast furnace slag by the incorporation of fly ash. Cem. Concr. Compos. 45, 125–135 (2014)
Garcia-Lodeiro, I.; Fernández-Jiménez, A.; Palomo, A.: Hydration kinetics in hybrid binders: early reaction stages. Cem. Concr. Compos. 39, 82–92 (2013)
van Jaarsveld, J.; van Deventer, J.: The effect of metal contaminants on the formation and properties of waste-based geopolymers. Cem. Concr. Res. 29(8), 1189–1200 (1999)
Ismail, I.; Bernal, S.A.; Provis, J.; San Nicolas, R.; Brice, D.G.; Kilcullen, A.R.; van Deventer, J.S.: Influence of fly ash on the water and chloride permeability of alkali activated slag mortars and concretes. Constr. Build. Mater. 48, 1187–1201 (2013)
Parthiban, K.; Saravanarajamohan, K.; Shobana, S.; Bhaskar, A.A.: Effect of replacement of slag on the mechanical properties of fly ash based geopolymer concrete. Int. J. Eng. Technol. 5(3), 2555–2559 (2013)
De Vargas, A.S.; Dal Molin, D.C.C.; Vilela, A.C.F.; Da Silva, F.J.; Pavao, B.; Veit, H.: The effects of \(\text{Na}_{2}\text{O/SiO}_{3}\) molar ratio, curing temperature and age on compressive strength, morphology and microstructure of alkali-activated fly ash-based geopolymers. Cem. Concr. Compos. 33, 653–60 (2011)
Hu, M.; Zhu, X.; Long, F.: Alkali-activated fly ash-based geopolymers with zeolite or bentonite as additives. Cem. Concr. Compos. 31(10), 762–8 (2009)
Bakharev, T.: Geopolymeric materials prepared using Class F fly ash elevated temperature curing. Cem. Concr. Res. 35, 1224–32 (2005)
Atis, C.D.; Görür, E.B.; Karahan, O.; Bilim, C.; Ilkentapar, S.; Luga, E.: Very high strength (120 MPa) Class F fly ash geopolymer mortar activated at different NaOH amount, heat curing temperature and heat curing duration. Constr Build. Mater. 96, 673–678 (2015)
Palomo, A.; Grutzeck, M.W.; Blanco, M.T.: Alkali-activated fly ashes: a cement for the future. Cem. Concr. Res. 29(8), 1323–9 (1999)
Hardjito, D.; Rangan, B.V.: Development and properties of low-calcium fly ash based geopolymer concrete. Faculty of Engineering Curtin University of Technology, Perth (2005)
Wang, H.; Li, H.; Yan, F.: Synthesis and mechanical properties of metakaolinite based geopolymer. Colloids Surf. A 268(1–3), 1–6 (2005)
Al Bakri Mustafa, A.M.; Kamarudin, H.; Bnhussain, M.; Nizar, I.K.; Rafiza, A.R.; Zarina, Y.: The processing, characterization, and properties of fly ash based geopolymer concrete. Rev. Adv. Mater. Sci. 30, 90–97 (2012)
Morsy, M.S.; Alsaye, S.H.; Al-Salloum, Y.; Almusallam, T.: Effect of sodium silicate to sodium hydroxide ratios on strength and microstructure of fly ash geopolymer binder. Arab. J. Sci. Eng. 39(6), 4333–4339 (2014)
Abdulkareem, O.A.; Al-Bakri, A.M.M.; Kamarudin, H.; Nizar, I.K.; Saif, A.A.: Effects of elevated temperatures on the thermal behavior and mechanical performance of fly ash geopolymer paste, mortar and lightweight concrete. Constr. Build. Mater. 50, 377–387 (2014)
Yang, K.H.; Song, J.K.; Lee, J.S.: Properties of alkali-activated mortar and concrete using lightweight aggregates. J. Mater. Struct. 43, 403–16 (2010)
Mermerdaş, K.; Alğın, Z.; Oleiwi, S.M.; Nassani, D.E.: Optimization of lightweight GGBFS and FA geopolymer mortars by response surface method. Constr. Build. Mater. 139, 159–171 (2017)
ASTM C618: Standard Specification for Coal Fly Ash and Raw or Calcined Natural Pozzolan for Use in Concrete. American Society for Testing and Materials, West Conshohocken (2003)
Ghosh, Kushal; Ghosh, Partha: Effect Of \(\text{Na}_{2}\text{O/Al}_{2}\text{O}_{3}\), \(\text{SiO}_{2}\text{/Al}_{2}\text{O}_{3}\) And W/B ratio on setting time and workability of flyash based geopolymer. Int. J. Eng. Res. Appl. (IJERA) 2(4), 2142–2147 (2012)
Liew, Y.M.; Kamarudin, H.; Al Bakri, A.M.; Binhussain, M.; Luqman, M.; Nizar, I.K.; et al.: Influence of solids-to-liquid and activator ratios on calcined kaolin cement powder. Phys. Proc. 22, 312–317 (2011)
Ariffin, N.F.; Hussin, M.W.; Sam, A.R.M.; Bhutta, M.A.R.; Khalid, N.H.; Mirza, A.J.: Strength properties and molecular composition of epoxy-modified mortars. Constr. Build. Mater. 94, 315–322 (2015)
Panias, D.; Giannopoulou, I.P.; Perraki, T.: Effect of synthesis parameters on the mechanical properties of fly ash-based geopolymers. Colloids Surf. A Physicochem. Eng. Asp. 301, 246–254 (2007)
Temuujin, J.; Williams, R.P.; van Riessen, A.: Effect of mechanical activation of fly ash on the properties of geopolymer cured at ambient temperature. J. Mater. Process. Technol. 209, 5276–5280 (2009)
Rattanasak, U.; Chindaprasirt, P.: Influence of NaOH solution on the synthesis of fly ash geopolymer. Miner. Eng. 22(12), 1073–1078 (2009)
Khale, D.; Chaudhary, R.: Mechanism of geopolymerization and factors influencing its development: a review. J. Mater. Sci. 42, 729–746 (2007)
Lee, W.K.; van Deventer, J.S.J.: The effects of inorganic salt contamination on the strength and durability of geopolymer. Colloids Surf. A Physicochem. Eng. Asp. 211(2–3), 115–126 (2002)
Villa, C.; Pecina, E.T.; Torres, R.; Gomez, L.: Geopolymer synthesis using alkaline activation of natural zeolite. Constr. Build. Mater. 24(11), 2084–90 (2010)
Jaarsveld, J.G.S.; Deventer, J.S.J.; Lukey, G.C.: The effect of composition and temperature on the properties of fly ash- and kaolinite-based geopolymer. Chem. Eng. J. 89(1—-3), 63–73 (2002)
Thokchom, S.; Ghosh, P.; Ghosh, S.: Effect of water absorption, porosity and sorptivity on durability of geopolymer mortars. J. Eng. Appl. Sci. 4(7), 28–32 (2009)
Whitcomb, P.J.; Anderson, M.J.: RSM Simplified: Optimizing Processes Using Response Surface Methods for Design of Experiments. Taylor & Francis, New York (2004)
Pradeep, G.: Response Surface Method. VDM Verlag Publishing, Saarbrücken (2008)
Myers, R.H.; Montgomery, D.C.; Anderson-Cook, C.M.: Response Surface Methodology: Process and Product Optimization Using Designed Experiments. Wiley, Hoboken (2009)
Algin, H.M.: Optimised design of jet-grouted raft using response surface method. Comput. Geotech. 74, 56–73 (2016)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Oleiwi, S.M., Algın, Z., Nassani, D.E. et al. Multi-Objective Optimization of Alkali Activator Agents for FA- and GGBFS-Based Geopolymer Lightweight Mortars. Arab J Sci Eng 43, 5333–5347 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-018-3170-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-018-3170-x