Final Thesis Differnt Graph WITH EXPERIMENT

FLY ASH BASED GEOPOLYMER CONCRETE IN MARINE CONDITION OF INDIA
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
Today, the development of infrastructure, industry and housing is necessary. Without
concrete, the built environment would fail to accommodate our modern and demanding
lifestyles. Given our reliance on concrete, it will inevitably play a major role to pursue
sustainable development in any country. At its most basic, concrete is a mixture of
aggregates, cement, sand and water. Portland cement is the generic term for the type of
cement used in virtually all concrete. Cement comprises from 10 to 15% of the concrete
mix, by volume. Through a process called hydration, the cement and water harden and
bind the aggregates into a rock-like mass. With appropriate mix design, concrete can be
tailored for any construction requirement.
.
1.2 Problem Statement
The Global use of concrete is second only to water as the demand of concrete as a
construction material increases so also a demand of Portland cement. It is estimated that
the production of cement has been increased from about 2.2 million tons in 2010 to 3.5
million tons in 2016. By 2025, cement production will reach to 550 million tonnes
(Business Standard, Ministry of External Affairs, TechSci Research, Ministry of External
Affairs).
Concrete has an excellent structural performance and durability, but is affected by early
deterioration when subjected to a marine environment. On the other hand the climate
change due to global warming has become a major concern. Because of production of 1
tones of Portland cement emits approximately 0.8 tones of CO2 into the atmosphere
(Davidovits,1994’McCaffrey,2002). The cement industry is held responsible for some of
the carbon dioxide emission. In this respect the geopolymer technology shows
considerable promise for application in concrete industry as an alternative binder to the
Portland cement. In terms of global warming the geopolymer technology significantly
reduce the carbon dioxide emission to the atmosphere caused by the cement industry.
1.3 Aim and Objectives

Concentrating on compressive strength of concrete alone is one of the main reasons for
deterioration of concrete in the past. As a result, strength enhancement of concrete gained
more importance to the advancement in concrete technology. It is now well established
M.Tech (Constrution & Real Estate Management ) MCRM-702 Thesis, (Jan-May 2019) Page 1
that strength of concrete, which is exposed over its entire life, alone is not sufficient to
resist the effect of harsh environmental condition.
The aim of the study is to assess the effect of use of fly ash in concrete as compare to
cement concrete elements in marine condition of.
 To compare the compressive strength of concrete by replacing 100% percentage of
cement by fly ash with conventional concrete at constant molarity , as well as to
study, the effect of varying curing time period under normal condition.
 Compare the durability behaviour of GPC (Geopolymer Concrete) & Conventional
Concrete (CC) under chloride solution.
 Compare the durability behaviour of Geopolymer Concrete & Conventional
Concrete under sulphate solution.
1.4 Definition of terms

1.4.1 Fly ash
In the present experimental work, low calcium, Class F will use as the base material.
Fig 1.1 Fly Ash
According to the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Committee 116R, fly ash is defined
as ‘the finely divided residue that results from the combustion of ground or powdered
coal and that is transported by flue gasses from the combustion zone to the particle
removal system’ (ACI Committee 232 2004). Fly ash is removed from the combustion
gases by the dust collection system, either mechanically or by using electrostatic
precipitators, before they are discharged to the atmosphere. Fly ash particles are typically
spherical, finer than Portland cement and lime, ranging in diameter from less than 1m to
no more than 150 m.
The types and relative amounts of incombustible matter in the coal determine the
chemical composition of fly ash. The chemical composition is mainly composed of the
oxides of silicon (SiO2), aluminium (Al2O3), iron (Fe2O3), and calcium (CaO),whereas
magnesium, potassium, sodium, titanium, and sulphur are also present in a lesser amount.
The major influence on the fly ash chemical composition comes from the type of coal.
The combustion of sub-bituminous coal contains more calcium and less iron than fly ash
from bituminous coal. The physical and chemical characteristics depend on the
combustion methods, coal source and particle shape. The chemical compositions of
various fly ashes show a wide range, indicating that there is a wide variations in the coal
used in power plants all over the world.
Fly ash that results from burning sub-bituminous coals is referred as ASTM Class C fly
ash or high-calcium fly ash, as it typically contains more than 20 percent of CaO. On the
other hand, fly ash from the bituminous and anthracite coals is referred as ASTM Class F
fly ash or low-calcium fly ash. It consists of mainly an aluminosilicate glass, and has less
than 10 percent of CaO. The colour of fly ash can be tan to dark grey, depending upon the
chemical and mineral constituents.
Aside from the chemical composition, the other characteristics of fly ash that generally
considered are loss on ignition (LOI), fineness and uniformity. LOI is a measurement of
unburnt carbon remaining in the ash. Fineness of fly ash mostly depends on the operating
conditions of coal crushers and the grinding process of the coal itself. Finer gradation
generally results in a more reactive ash and contains less carbon.
1.4.2 Alkaline Liquids
The most common alkaline liquid used in geopolymerisation is a combination of sodium

hydroxide (NaOH) or potassium hydroxide (KOH) and sodium silicate or potassium
silicate. A combination of sodium silicate solution and sodium hydroxide solution are
chosen because they were cheaper than Potassium based solution. The type of alkaline
liquid plays an important role in the polymerisation process. Reactions occur at a high
rate when the alkaline liquid contains soluble silicate, either sodium or potassium silicate,
compared to the use of only alkaline hydroxides.
Fig 1.2 Sodium Pellets
Colour Colorless
Density (Kg/m3) 1450-1550
Total Solid Content, by mass % 45:52
Table 1.1 Specification of Sodium Silicate
The sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution was prepared by dissolving either the flakes or
the pellets in water. The mass of NaOH solids in a solution varied depending on the
concentration of the solution expressed in terms of molar, M. For instance, NaOH
solution with a concentration of 8M consisted of 8x40 = 320 grams of NaOH solids (in
flake or pellet form) per litre of the solution, where 40 is the molecular weight of NaOH.
The chemical composition of the sodium silicate solution was Na2O=14.7%,
SiO2=29.4%, and water 55.9% by mass. The other characteristics of the sodium silicate
solution were specific gravity=1.53 g/cc and viscosity at 20oC=400 cp.
Sr No Molarity Mass of NaOH (gm) Mass of water (gm)

1 8M 262 738
2 12 M 361 639
3 16 M 444 556
Table 1.2 Proportion of NaOH Solution per kg
1.4.3 Aggregates
Fine and coarse aggregates locally available were tested and confirmed the requirements
as per Indian Standards (BIS 2386-1963, BIS 383-1970). The size distribution of the
aggregate determines how much binder is required. Aggregate with a very even size
distribution has the biggest gaps wheras adding aggregate with smaller particles tends to
fill the gaps between the aggregate as well as pasting the surface of the aggregate
together, and is typically the most expensive component. Thus variation in size of the
aggregate reduce the cost of concrete. The aggregate is nearly always stronger then the
binder, so its use does not negatively affect the strength of concrete.
Fig 1.3 Aggregate
TABLE 1.3 Aggregate properties
PROPERTIES FINE AGGREGATE COARSE AGGREGATE

Specific Gravity 2.32 2.60
Fineness Modulus 2.82 7.10
Water Absorption 1.50% 0.80%
1.4.4 Superplastisizer
Superplasticizers, also known as high range water reducers, are chemical admixtures used
where well-dispersed particle suspension is required. These polymers are used
as dispersants to avoid particle segregation (gravel, coarse and fine sands), and to
improve the flow characteristics of suspensions such as in concrete applications. Their
addition to concrete or mortar allows the reduction of the water to fly ash ratio without
negatively affecting the workability of the mixture, and enables the production of self-
consolidating concrete and high performance concrete. This effect drastically improves
the performance of the hardening fresh paste. The strength of concrete increases when the
water to fly ash ratio decreases.
Fig 1.4 Plastisizer
1.4.5 Curing Compound
Fig 1.5 Sodium Chloride and Magnesium Sulphate
For the Marine Condition, Sodium Chloride Solution with concentration 19gm/ltr and 38
gm/ltr and Magnesium Sulphate Solution with concentration 2gm/ltr and 4gm/ltr is
preapared.
Table 1.4 Concentration Of Major Ions In Some Of The World Seas
Concentration (mg/ltr)
Black Marmara Mediterranean North Atlantic Baltic Arabian Red
Sea Sea Sea Sea Ocean Sea Gulf Sea
Sea
Major
Ions
Sodium 4900 8100 12400 12200 1100 2190 20700 11350
Magnisium 640 1035 1500 1110 1210 260 2300 1867
Chloride 9500 14390 21270 16550 20000 3960 36900 22660
Sulphate 1362 2034 2596 2220 2180 580 5120 3050
TDS 17085 26409 38795 33060 35370 7110 66650 40960
TDS Ratio 3.90 2.52 1.72 2.02 1.88 9.37 1.00 1.63
1.4.6 Equipment and method
1. Sieve Analysis
2. Compression Testing Machine (CTM)
3. Mould (150 x150 x 150)mm
1.4.6.1 Sieve Analysis
The sieve analysis was carried out on fine aggregate using I.S. sieve. The fine aggregate
being used satisfies the guideline of code IS 373:1970. A sieve analysis (or gradation test)
is a practice or procedure used to assess the particle size distribution (also
called gradation) of a granular material by allowing the material to pass through a series
of sieves of progressively smaller mesh size and weighing the amount of material that is
stopped by each sieve as a fraction of the whole mass.
The size distribution is often of critical importance to the way the material performs in
use. A sieve analysis can be performed on any type of non-organic or organic granular
materials including sands, crushed rock, clays, granite, feldspars, coal, soil, a wide range
of manufactured powders, grain and seeds, down to a minimum size depending on the
exact method. Being such a simple technique of particle sizing, it is probably the most
common.
1.4.6.2 Compression Testing Machine (CTM)
Compression tests are used to determine how a product or material reacts when it is
compressed, squashed, crushed or flattened by measuring fundamental parameters that
determine the specimen behavior under a compressive load.
Fig.1.6 Compression Testing Machine
These include the elastic limit, which for “Hookean” materials is approximately equal to
the proportional limit, and also known as yield point or yield strength, Young’s Modulus
(these, although mostly associated with tensile testing, may have compressive analogs)
and compressive strength.
Compression tests can be undertaken as part of the design process, in the production
environment or in the quality control laboratory, and can be used to:
 Check the compressive strength of fly ash based geopolymer mortar samples at
interval of 3, 7 and 28 days
 Assess the strength of components e.g. automotive and aeronautical control switches,
compression springs, bellows, keypads, package seals, PET containers, PVC / ABS
pipes, solenoids etc.
 Characterize the compressive properties of materials e.g. foam, metal, PET and other
plastics and rubber.
1.4.6.3 Mould
These ISI Cube Moulds are use for making Concrete /cement Cubes which are use for
preparation of concrete cube specimens of high strength materials for compression
testing.
Fig 1.7 Casting Mould (150x150x150)mm
1.5 Hypothesis
This study is design to assess the hypothesis that a good binding material can be formed
for the production of concrete by a polymerisation process involving a reaction between
alkaline liquids and compounds containing aluminium and silicon.
Materials containing silicon (Si) and aluminium (Al) in amorphous form, which come
from natural minerals or by-product materials, could be used as source materials for
geopolymers. (Kaolinite, clays, etc., are included in the natural minerals group whereas
fly ash, silica fume, slag, rice-husk ash, red mud, etc., are by-product materials.) In this
project portland cement which is used as binding material, is 100% replaced by fly ash
and various test is performed for study the behavior of the geopolymer concrete under
certain condition to check whether the hypothesis we made is correct or not.
1.6 Methodology
This project study adopted is experimentation on high performance concrete (HPC) with
super plasticizer with the aim to report its suitability for concrete structure. The flow chart
of the thesis is shown in Fig 1.8
FLY ASH BASED GEOPOLYMER CONCRETE
SCOPE
PROBLEM STATEMENT
INTRODUCTION
SIGNIFICANCE
AIM AND OBJECTIVE
LITERATURE REVIEW
RESEARCH PAPERS FROM JOURNELS
DATA COLLECTION CALCULATION OF TOOLS AND

DESIGN MIX TECHNIQUES
TEST RESULTS
CONCLUSION
Fig 1.8 Flow Chart
1.7 Scope
Cement Free Green Concrete by using Fly Ash is trending now a days. The research
utilized low-calcium (ASTM Class F) fly ash as the base material for making geopolymer
concrete. The fly ash was obtained from only one source. Currently due to over
generation of fly ash from thermal power plants, instead of dumping in landfill,
researchers have found its use in making bricks. Fly ash bricks are light in weight
compared to conventional bricks and have more strength. These bricks are prepared as per
Indian Standard IS: 12894- 2002. It is gaining much value and several practical
applications and models have also been under construction.
In today's time, this technology is being used widely in the USA, Europe and Australia. It
is being used for railway sleepers, electric power poles, road pavements, cement mortar,
Marine structures and Waste containments. The current trend of research is under way to
develop geopolymer systems that create a low embodied energy, low carbon dioxide
binder that has similar properties to Portland cement. In addition, current research is
focusing on the development of user-friendly geopolymer concrete. Utilization of
geopolymer concrete brings economy in construction; reduce pollution and less harmful
to the environment. Thus it can be considered that geopolymer concrete, as a replacement
for Portland cement has wide scope in India. An effort has been made in this project to
study the advantages, application and feasibility of geopolymer concrete in India
1.8 Significance
Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) is conventionally used as the primary binder to
produce concrete. The environmental issues associated with the production of OPC
are well known. The amount of the carbon dioxide released during the manufacture
of OPC due to the calcination of limestone and combustion of fossil fuel is in the order
of one ton for every ton of OPC produced. In addition, the extent of energy
required to produce OPC is only next to steel and aluminium.
On the other hand, the abundant availability of fly ash worldwide creates opportunity to
utilise this by-product of burning coal, as a substitute for OPC to manufacture
concrete. When used as a partial replacement of OPC, in the presence of water and
inambient temperature, fly ash reacts with the calcium hydroxide during the hydration
process of OPC to form the calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gel. The development and
application of high volume fly ash concrete, which enabled the replacement of OPC up
to 60% by mass (Malhotra 2002; Malhotra and Mehta 2002), is a significant

development.
CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
This Chapter presents the background to the needs for the development of alternative
binders to manufacture concrete and the use of fly ash in concrete. The available
published literature on geopolymer technology is also briefly reviewed.
2.2 History of Geopolymer

In 1978, Davidovits proposed that a binder could be produced by a polymerisation
process involving a reaction between alkaline liquids and compounds containing
aluminium and silicon. The binders created were termed "geopolymers". Unlike ordinary
portland/pozzolanic cements, geopolymers do not form calcium-silicate-hydrates (CSHs)
for matrix formation and strength, but silica and alumina reacting with an alkaline
solution produce an aluminosilicate gel that binds the aggregates and provides the
strength of concrete. Source materials and alkaline liquids are the two main constituents
of geopolymers, the strengths of which depend on the nature of the materials and the
types of liquids.
Materials containing silicon (Si) and aluminium (Al) in amorphous form, which come
from natural minerals or by-product materials, could be used as source materials for
geopolymers. Kaolinite, clays, etc., are included in the natural minerals group whereas fly
ash, silica fume, slag, rice-husk ash, red mud, etc., are by-product materials. For the
manufacture of geopolymers, the choice of source materials depends mainly on their
availability and cost, the type of application and the specific demand of the users (Lloyd
and Rangan 2010). Fly ash-based geopolymer concretes provide excellent engineering
properties that make them suitable materials for structural applications (Rangan et al.
2005; Fernández-Jiménez et al. 2006).
The type of alkaline liquid used plays an important role in the polymerisation process
(Palomo et al. 1999). Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) with sodium silicate (Na2SiO3) and
potassium hydroxide (KOH) with potassium silicate (K2SiO3) are the most common
alkaline liquids used in geopolymerisation (Hardjito and Rangan 2005). Both sodium
hydroxides and potassium hydroxide have a strong base and, at room temperature, exhibit
almost identical solubilities in water. In 2005, Fernández-Jiménez and Palomo studied the
effect of an alkaline liquid on the mechanical strength of fly ash-based mortar

(Fernández-Jiménez and Palomo 2005). They stated that the mechanical strength of
mortar increases when waterglass (Na2SiO3) is added to NaOH, compared with using
only NaOH. The addition of waterglass increases the Si/Al and Na/Al ratios, resulting in
increased formation of N-A-S-H (sodium aluminosilicate gel) which indicates greater
strength. Hardjito and Rangan (Hardjito and Rangan 2005) showed that the compressive
strength of fly ash-based geopolymer concrete can be improved by either increasing the
concentration (in molar terms) of the sodium hydroxide solution or increasing the mass
ratio of the sodium silicate to sodium hydroxide solutions. Since many reports on the
destructive effect of cement production on the environment have been published (IEA
2007; Worrell et al. 2001) and, currently, fly ash-based geopolymer concrete has proven
to be a suitable replacement for cement concrete due to their excellent engineering
properties (Palomo et al. 1999; García-Lodeiro et al. 2007).
2.3 Properties of Geopolymer Concrete

2.3.1 Wallah (2009) Drying Shrinkage of Heat Cured Fly Ash Based Geopolymer
Concrete used low-calcium fly ash as its source material, alkaline activators and
aggregates normally used for Ordinary Portland cement concrete. Four series of test
specimens with different compressive strength were prepared to study the drying
shrinkage of this concrete. Results obtained were compared with the calculated results of
drying shrinkage as predicted by Gilbert Method which is normally used for Ordinary
Portland cement concrete. Results showed that the heat cured fly ash-based geopolymer
concrete undergoes very low drying shrinkage. The drying shrinkage strain at one year as
calculated using Gilbert Method was much higher, about five to seven times, compared to
the measured drying shrinkage strain.
2.3.2 Olivia and Nikraz (2011) Strength and Water Penetrability of Fly Ash Geopolymer
Concrete studied the strength characteristics, water absorption and water permeability of
low calcium fly ash based geopolymer concrete. Mixtures with variations of water/ binder
ratio, aggregate/binder ratio, aggregate grading, and alkaline/fly ash ratio were
investigated. Results showed that a good quality concrete was obtained by reducing the
water/binder ratio and aggregate/binder ratio; and the water absorption of low calcium fly
ash geopolymer was improved by decreasing the water/binder ratio, increasing the fly ash
content, and using a well-graded aggregate. No significant change was observed in water
permeability coefficient for the geopolymer with different parameters.
2.3.3 Sanni and Khadiranaikar (2012) Performance of Geopolymer Concrete under

Severe Environmental Conditions carried out investigation on the variation of alkaline
solution on mechanical properties of geopolymer concrete. The grades preferred for the
investigation were M30, M40, M50 and M60; the mixes were designed for 8 molar. The
alkaline solution used was the combination of sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide
solution with the varying ratio of 2, 2.5, 3 and 3.5. The test specimens were 150x150x150
mm cubes and 100x200 mm cylinders heat-cured at 60°C in an oven. The results revealed
that the workable flow of geopolymer concrete was in the range of 85 to 145mm and was
dependent on the ratio by mass of sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate solution. The
freshly prepared geopolymer mixes were cohesive and their workability increased with
the increase in the ratio of alkaline solution. It was concluded that the strength of
geopolymer concrete can be improved by decreasing the water/binding and
aggregate/binding ratios. Compressive strength and split tensile strength obtained were in
the range of 20.64-60N/ mm2 and 3-4.9 N/mm2 .
2.3.4 Joseph and Mathew (2012) Influence of aggregate content on the behavior of fly ash
based geopolymer concrete carried out the influence of aggregate content on the
engineering properties of Geopolymer concrete. Influence of other parameters such as
curing temperature, period of curing, ratio of sodium silicate to sodium hydroxide, ratio
of alkali to fly ash and molarities of sodium hydroxide were also discussed. Based on the
study carried out, it can be concluded that a geopolymer concrete with proper
proportioning of total aggregate content and ratio of fine aggregate to total aggregate,
along with the optimum values of other parameters, have better engineering properties
than the corresponding properties of ordinary cement concrete. Compared to ordinary
cement concrete, 14.4% enhancement in modulus of elasticity and 19.2% enhancement in
Poisson’s ratio could be achieved in geopolymer concrete.
2.3.5 Aleem and Arumairaj (2012) A Geopolymer Review conclude that user-friendly
geopolymer concrete can be used under conditions similar to those suitable for ordinary
portland cement concrete. These constituents of Geopolymer Concrete shall be capable of
being mixed with a relatively low-alkali activating solution and must be curable in a
reasonable time under ambient conditions. The production of versatile, cost-effective

geopolymer concrete can be mixed and hardened essentially like portland cement.
Geopolymer Concrete shall be used in repairs and rehabilitation works. Due to the high
early strength Geopolymer Concrete shall be effectively used in the precast industries, so
that huge production is possible in short duration and the breakage during transportation
shall also be minimized. The Geopolymer Concrete shall be effectively used for the beam
column junction of a reinforced concrete structure. Geopolymer Concrete shall also be
used in the Infrastructure works. In addition to that the Flyash shall be effectively used
and hence no landfills are required to dump the flyash. The government can make
necessary steps to extract sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate solution from the waste
materials of chemical industries, so that the cost of alkaline solutions required for the
geopolymer concrete shall be reduced.
2.3.6 Jaydeep and Chakravarthy (2013) Study On Fly Ash Based Geopolymer Concrete
Using Admixtures prepared an optimum mix for Geopolymer concrete using admixtures.
Concrete cubes of size 150×150×150mm were prepared to find out compressive strength
at 7 and 28 days. Results showed that the addition of sodium silicate solution to the
sodium hydroxide solution as an alkaline activator enhanced the reaction between the
source material and solution. Oven cured specimen gives the higher compressive strength
as compared to direct sunlight curing. It was also observed that geopolymer concrete is
more advantageous, economical and ecofriendly method when compared with
conventional concrete.
2.3.7 Patil , Kale and Suman (2013) A technical analysis for compressive strength
investigate that Fly ash, a waste generated by thermal power plants is as such a big
environmental concern. The investigation is carried out to study the utilization of fly ash
in cement concrete as a partial replacement of cement as well as an additive so as to
provide an environmentally consistent way of its disposal and reuse. This work is a case
study for Deep Nagar thermal power plant of Jalgaon District in MS. The cement in
concrete matrix is replaced from 5% to 25% by step in steps of 5%. It is observed that
replacement of cement in any proportion lowers the compressive strength of concrete as
well as delays its hardening. This provides an environmental friendly method of Deep
Nagar fly ash disposal.
2.3.8 Ferdous, Kayali and Khennane (2013) A detailed procedure of mix design for fly
ash based geopolymer concrete proposes a method for selecting the mix proportions of
geopolymer concrete which may be suitable for concrete containing fly ash to be used as
a cementitious material. Using a flow chart, the paper first describes the procedure in
general and then illustrates it using an example. A range of mixes were made to test the
method varying water-to-geopolymer solid ratio. It was found that certain basic principles
established for conventional concrete still apply for geopolymer concrete mix designs. A
simple graphical relationship between 28-day and 7- day compressive strengths of
geopolymer concrete is also presented. A mix design method for fly ash-based
geopolymer concrete has been proposed in a different approach. Variable concrete
densities, the effects of the ingredients’ specific gravities, contributions of air volume,
flexibility to improve the workability of fresh concrete and the opportunity to use
aggregates in their ‘as is’ condition were considered importantly for overcoming the main
limitations of current design methods. Experimental results showed that the compressive
strength of the fly ash-based geopolymer concrete decreased linearly with increases in the
water-to-geopolymer solids ratio. This observation was in agreement with the basic
principles of ordinary portland cement concrete, the strength of which decreases with
increases in the water-cement ratio.
2.3.9 Aravind and Mathews, (2014) Study of Mechanical Properties of Geopolymer

Concrete Reinforced with Steel Fiber carried out research on mechanical properties of
Geopolymer concrete reinforced with steel fiber. This study focuses on the compressive
strength and split tensile strength of geopolymer concrete reinforced with steel fiber.
Experiments were performed using the Box–Behnken experimental design. Box–Behnken
experimental design is a type of response surface methodology. Response surface
methodology is an empirical optimization technique for evaluating the relationship
between the experimental outputs and factors called X1 , X2 , and X3 . For obtaining the
results for Box Behnken design, analysis of variance has been calculated to analyze the
accessibility of the model and was carried in Microsoft Office Excel 2007. It can be
concluded that compressive strength of geopolymer concrete is gradually increased with
prolonged curing period also with the increase of sodium silicate to sodium hydroxide
liquid ratio by mass. Split tensile strength of geopolymer concrete increased as percentage
of steel fiber increased. Another important observation was obtained that curing under
normal sunlight yielded strength of 16 N/mm2 .
2.3.10 Shah, Parikh and Parmar, (2014) Study of Strength Parameters and durability of
Fly ash based Geopolymer Concrete conducted research on strength parameters and
durability of fly ash based Geopolymer concrete. In this study, two concrete mixes are to
be worked out; GPC Mix-1 fly ash concrete and OPC Mix-2 Concrete mix having OPC
equivalent to amount of cementitious material used in GPC Mix-1. Different parameters
were used such as alkaline liquid to fly ash ratio of 0.40 ,0.45 and 0.50, ratio of NaOH to
Na2 SiO3 2.0 and 2.5, molarities of NaOH; 10M ,12M, 14M and 16M. Compressive
strength test, split tensile test, pull out test and durability test were performed under
ambient temperature curing conditions i.e; 600 C, 900 C and 1200 C. Higher average
compressive strength, tensile strength and pull out strength of 52.25, 4.10 and
10.25N/mm2 were observed for concrete GPC Mix-1 as compared to that of concrete
OPC Mix-2. The test results showed that oven cured fly ash based geopolymer concrete
have an excellent resistance to sulfate attack, salt attack and acid attack as compared to
ambient curing. Minor increase in the mass of concrete specimens of mix has been
observed due to the absorption of the sulfate, acid & salt for concrete Mix-1.
2.3.11 Junaid, Khennane and Kayali (2014) Performance of fly ash based geopolymer
concrete made using non-pelletized fly ash aggregates after exposure to high temperatures
studied that the superior performance of geopolymer paste, mortar and concrete (GPC)
when exposed to high temperatures has been well documented. Limitations still exist
however due to the use of similar aggregates, coarse and fine, in both ordinary portland
cement concrete (OPC) and GPC. The behavior of geopolymer concrete at elevated
temperatures can be further improved by using a recently developed lightweight non-
pelletized aggregates made entirely from fly ash (named Flashag) as replacement for
conventional natural aggregates. Tests for the ambient and residual properties of GPC
made using these new aggregates exposed to temperatures up to 1,000 C were carried out.
The obtained results in terms of compressive strength, splitting strength, and modulus of
elasticity are reported and compared with those obtained for GPC produced using
ordinary natural aggregates as well as with those reported in the literature for OPC
concretes. The effects of heat cycling, as well as, duration of heating on the strength and
deformational behavior of GPC are also investigated. At ambient temperatures all the
three concretes displayed similar properties. At elevated temperatures, however, the
performance of GPC made from Flashag was found to be far superior to that of both
OPC, and GPC made from ordinary aggregates. Additionally, for up to 4 heating cycles,
GPC made with Flashag better retained its strength and stiffness properties as compared
to GPC made with ordinary natural aggregates. The study also found that most changes to
the strength and microstructure of GPC occur in the first few hours of exposure after
which, the duration of heating has no significant effect.
2.3.12 Gorhan, Kurklu, (2014) The influence of the NaOH solution on the properties of
the fly ash-based geopolymer mortar cured at different temperatures explained that the
geopolymer mortar was produced using Class F fly ash from the thermal power plant
in Kutahya Seyitomer (Turkey). The changes caused by the geopolymerization on the
properties of the final product were investigated by applying curing on geopolymer
mortars in different NaOH concentrations at different temperatures and for different
curing times. The purpose of this process was to determine the relationship between alkali
solution concentration, curing temperature and curing time. In order to determine the
effect of NaOH concentration on geopolymer mortars, three different molarities of NaOH
concentrations (3 M, 6 M and 9 M) were used together with sodium silicate (water glass)
solution. The samples were cured at two different temperatures (65 and 85 °C). Physical
properties such as porosity, bulk density, apparent density and water absorption, and
mechanical properties such as flexural strength and compressive strength were
determined from the 7-day geopolymer mortar samples after the curing process. As a
result, this study determined that curing temperature and curing time had an effect on the
physical properties of the geopolymer mortars. It was observed that NaOH concentration
had a clear effect on the properties of the mortar cured at 85 °C. Compressive strength
values of 21.3 MPa and 22 MPa were obtained from the mortar of 6 M concentration
cured at 65 °C for 24 h and from a sample of the same mortar cured at 85 °C,
respectively. Compressive strength values of the geopolymer mortars cured at 85 °C
increased depending on the curing time and the increase in NaOH concentration. Given
the strength values obtained, the optimal thermal curing temperature and the optimal
NaOH concentration were 85 °C and 6 M, respectively.
2.3.13 Ramujee and Potharaju (2014) Development of Low Calcium Flyash Based
Geopolymer Concrete.
1) From the investigation he stated that for Water/binder ratio & alkaline liquid/Flyash
ratio are the governing factors in
designing the Geopolymer mix
design for various grades. The
Water/binder ratio 0.21 and
Alkaline liquid to flyash ratio of
0.40 are suggested for G40 which
indicates improvement in
compressive strength of geopolymer
concrete can be achieved by Fig 2.1 Time-Compressive Strength Relation
decreasing water binder ratio.
2) The compressive strength attained at 28 days for Geopolymer concrete under ambient
curing is almost equal to compressive strength achieved by Geopolymer concrete at 7
days. Because of the slow reactivity of flyash at ambient temperature, considerable heat
must be applied to increase the geopolymerization process.
3) The decrease in water content favors the formation of geopolymerization process
,which demands for increase of concentration of Sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate
silicates.Hence increase in concentration of NaOH results in increase of compressive
strength .Hence it is recommended 16M concentrations for medium grade.
4) It is recommended to add Superplasticizers for high strength Geopolymer concretes,
which is analogous to Conventional concrete of higher grades to secure required
workability.
5) It also reported that unlike in the past literature, inclusion of high alkaline solution
content to the mix need not increases the strength which can be seen from reported
Geopolym er mixes in the present work.
2.3.14. Jamdade and Kawade (2014) Evaluate the Strength of Geopolymer Concrete by
Using Oven Curing.
They give the conclusion for the strength of geopolymer concrete that:
1. Geopolymer concrete gives more strength than Normal concrete in minimum period of
curing.
2. Higher curing temperature resulted in larger compressive strength of Geopolymer

concrete, even though an increase in the curing temperature beyond 60C did not increase
the compressive strength substantially.
3. Longer curing time improved the polymerization process resulting in higher
compressive strength of Geopolymer concrete.
2.3.15 Morsy, Alsayed, Al-Salloum & Almusallam (2014) Effect of Sodium Silicate to
Sodium Hydroxide Ratios on Strength and Microstructure of Fly Ash Geopolymer
Binder, investigates the effect of sodium silicate/sodium hydroxide ratios on the
feasibility of geopolymer synthesis at 80 ◦C using fly ash. The sodium silicate/sodium
hydroxide (S/N) ratios 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 were studied. The result showed that the
compressive and flexural strength increases as the curing age increases. Also, the
compressive strength increases as the sodium silicate/sodium hydroxide ratio increases
from 0.5 to 1.0 and then decreases. Morphology studies, conducted by SEM analysis of
the geopolymer samples, indicated that geopolymers gel had the fly ash particles and
pores embedded in a continuous matrix. At S/N = 1 a homogeneous and less porous
microstructure was observed.
2.3.16 Yasir and Iftekar (2015) Study of Properties of Fly Ash Based Geopolymer
Concrete, intended to study the properties of fly ash based Geopolymer concrete. M20
grade GPC can be formed by adopting nominal mix of 1:1.5:3 (fly ash: fine aggregates:
coarse aggregates) by varying alkaline liquid to fly ash ratio from 0.3 to 0.45. The
compressive strength, tensile strength and flexural strength tests were conducted on
geopolymer concrete and parameters that affect it are analyzed and proved
experimentally. The durability properties like permeability and acid attack are also
studied. From the test results, it was concluded that geopolymer concrete possesses good
compressive strength and offers good durability characteristics. With the increase of
alkaline liquid to fly ash ratio strength decreases and alkaline liquid to fly ash ratio less
than 0.3 is very stiff.
2.3.17 Ramesh and Joy (2017) Review On The Study Of Fly Ash Based Geopolymer
Concrete , have done experiments to find out optimum strength of concrete by replacing
cement with fly ash and when it combine with alkaline solution which is known as a
Geopolymer concrete. They conclude that Self Compacting Geopolymer Concrete
(SCGC) is a type of concreting execution and it does not require compaction. It is made
by complete elimination of ordinary Portland cement content. SCGC needs more amount
of fine aggregate than coarse aggregate compared to control mix. This Geopolymer
concrete technology proves to be a good alternative to cement and thus it reduces or
eliminates the harmful effects caused by cement. Large emission of CO2 can be
eliminated. At the same time fly ash is a byproduct which is largely available can be
effectively utilized for construction. Other factors needed to be considered are Sodium
silicate to sodium hydroxide ratio or potassium silicate to potassium hydroxide ratio,
Molarity of Sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide ( according to alkali used), Alkali
to binder ratio, Curing temperature and curing period.
2.4 CONCLUSION
Table 2.1:
Sr. TOPIC AUTHOR CONCLUSION
N.
1 Drying Shrinkage of Heat Wallah (2009) Heat cured fly ash-based geopolymer concrete
Cured Fly Ash Based undergoes very low drying shrinkage
Geopolymer Concrete
2 Strength and Water Olivia and Nikraz The water absorption of low calcium fly ash
Penetrability of Fly Ash (2011) geopolymer was improved by decreasing the
Geopolymer Concrete water/binder ratio, increasing the fly ash content,
and using a well-graded aggregate. No significant
change was observed in water permeability
coefficient for the geopolymer with different
parameters
3 Performance of Sanni and The freshly prepared geopolymer mixes were
Geopolymer Concrete Khadiranaikar (2012) cohesive and their workability increased with the
under Severe increase in the ratio of alkaline solution.
Environmental Also strength of geopolymer concrete can be
Conditions improved by decreasing the water/binding and
aggregate/binding ratios.
4 Influence of aggregate Joseph and Mathew With the optimum values of all parameters, have
content on the behavior (2012) better engineering properties than the
of fly ash based corresponding properties of ordinary cement
geopolymer concrete concrete. Compared to ordinary cement concrete,
14.4% enhancement in modulus of elasticity and
19.2% enhancement in Poisson’s ratio could be
achieved in geopolymer concrete.
5 Geopolymer concrete- A Aleem and Arumairaj Due to the high early strength Geopolymer
review (2012) Concrete shall be effectively used in the precast
industries
Geopolymer Concrete shall be used in repairs and
rehabilitation works
6 Study On Fly Ash Based Jaydeep and The addition of sodium silicate solution to the
Geopolymer Concrete Chakravarthy (2013) sodium hydroxide solution as an alkaline activator
Using Admixtures enhanced the reaction between the source material
and solution.
Oven cured specimen gives the higher compressive
strength as compared to direct sunlight curing
7 A technical analysis for Pati1 , Kale and When the cement in concrete matrix is replaced
compressive strength Suman (2013) from 5% to 25% by step in steps of 5%. It is
observed that replacement of cement in any
proportion lowers the compressive strength of
concrete as well as delays its hardening
8 A detailed procedure of Ferdous, Kayali and The compressive strength of the fly ash-based
mix design for fly ash Khennane (2013) geopolymer concrete decreased linearly with
based geopolymer increases in the water-to-geopolymer solids ratio.
concrete
9 Study of Mechanical Aravind and Mathews Split tensile strength of geopolymer concrete
Properties of Geopolymer (2014) increased as percentage of steel fiber increased.
Concrete Reinforced with
Steel Fiber
10 Study of Strength Shah, Parikh and Oven cured fly ash based geopolymer concrete
Parameters and durability Parmar (2014) have an excellent resistance to sulfate attack, salt
of Fly ash based attack and acid attack as compared to ambient
Geopolymer Concrete curing.
11 Performance of fly ash Junaid, Khennane and Most changes to the strength and microstructure of
based geopolymer Kayali (2014) GPC occur in the first few hours of exposure after
concrete made using non- which, the duration of heating has no significant
pelletized fly ash effect.
aggregates after exposure
to high temperatures
12 The influence of the Gorhan and Kurklu Compressive strength values of the geopolymer
NaOH solution on the (2014) mortars cured at 85 °C increased depending on the
properties of the fly ash- curing time and the increase in NaOH
based geopolymer mortar concentration.
cured at different
temperatures
13 Development of Low Ramujee and Potharaju  Increase in concentration of NaOH results in
Calcium Flyash Based (2014) increase of compressive strength.
Geopolymer Concrete  Superplasticizers results for high strength
Geopolymer concretes.
 The compressive strength attained at 28 days
for Geopolymer concrete under ambient
curing is almost equal to compressive strength
achieved by Geopolymer concrete at 7 days.
14 Evaluate the Strength of Jamdade and Kawade Higher curing temperature resulted in larger
Geopolymer Concrete by (2014) compressive strength.
Using Oven Curing Longer curing time improved the polymerization
process resulting in higher compressive strength of

Geopolymer concrete.
15 Effect of Sodium Silicate Morsy, Alsayed, Al- The compressive strength increases as the sodium
to Sodium Hydroxide Salloum and silicate/sodium hydroxide ratio increases from 0.5
Ratios on Strength and Almusallam (2014) to 1.0 and then decreases
Microstructure of Fly
Ash Geopolymer Binder
16 Study of Properties of Yasir and Iftekar Geopolymer concrete possesses good compressive
Fly Ash Based (2015) strength and offers good durability characterstics.
Geopolymer Concrete. With the increase of alkaline liquid to fly ash ratio,
strength decreases and alkaline liquid to fly ash
ratio less than 0.3 is very stiff.
17 Review On The Study Of Ramesh and Joy Proper oven curing leads to good strength
Fly Ash Based (2017) properties, otherwise the strength attainment may
Geopolymer Concrete consume time.
CHAPTER 3 DATA COLLECTED AND PROCESSED
INTRODUCTION
Geopolymer is a new development in the world of concrete in which cement is totally

replaced by pozzolanic materials like fly ash and activated by highly alkaline solutions to
act as a binder in the concrete mix. For the selection of suitable ingredients of geopolymer
concrete to achieve desire strength at required workability, an experimental investigation
has been carried out for the gradation of geopolymer concrete and a mix design procedure
is proposed on the basis of quantity and fineness of fly ash, quantity of water, grading of
fine aggregate, fine to total aggregate ratio etc.
3.1 Observational Design
3.1.1 Jangra and Singhal (2017), Development of mix design method for geopolymer
concrete, proposes a mix design method for geopolymer concrete (GPC) using low
calcium fly ash and alccofine, with the focus on achieving the required compressive
strength and workability at heat and ambient curing. Key factors identified and nine
mixes with varied fly ash content (350, 375 and 400 kg/m3) and different molarity (8, 12
and 16M) of NaOH solutions were prepared. The cubes prepared were cured at different
temperatures (27°C, 60°C and 90°C) and tested for its compressive strength after 3, 7 and
28 days of curing. Fly ash content has been considered as the direct measure of
workability and strength.
To make the GPC more economical than OPC based concrete, use of alkaline solution
must be minimized by keeping in mind the design strength and required workability as
alkaline solution is the costliest ingredient in the GPC. It can be concluded from the
available literature on the design and development of GPC, that there seems to be no
specific procedure which considers all the essential parameters such as workability,
compressive strength, ambient curing temperature. Therefore, in this method an attempt
has been made to propose a mix design procedure which considers the aforesaid
drawbacks of the earlier proposed methods. However, in this research major emphasis has
been kept to focus on developing and presenting, a systematic approach for GPC mix
design by targeting desired strength and workability at ambient and heat curing.
Material properties
Fine and coarse aggregates locally available were tested and confirmed the requirements
as per Indian Standards (BIS 2386-1963, BIS 383-1970). The results of the aggregates are
given in Table 3.1 and grading curve are shown in Fig. 3.1. Sodium hydroxide in the form
of pellets with 98% purity and sodium silicate solution (Na2SiO3) with SiO2/Na2O
between 1.90 and 2.01 were procured commercially.
a) Fine Aggregate b) Coarse Aggrgate
Fig. 3.1 Grading curve of (a) Coarse aggregate (b) Fine aggregate
The NaOH solutions were prepared using solid (pallets or flakes) to liquid (distilled
water) proportions identified as 263 g, 361 g and 444 g of NaOH solid flakes in 1 kg of
solution for 8, 12 and 16 M respectively. Local available siliceous fly ash (FA) (BIS
3812-2003) (specific gravity 1.95) was procured from Ultratech Ready Mix Concrete
plant for all the mix estabulated in Table 3.4
a) Fly Ash b) Alccofine

Fig. 3.2 XRD spectrum of Fly Ash and Alccofine 1203
X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) method was used to find out the parentage of different
chemicals present in the fly ash and given in Table 3.2. Alccofine 1203 (AF) is a specially
processed product based on slag of high glass content with high reactivity obtained
through the process of controlled granulation and was procured from Ambuja Cements
Limited, Mumbai . The Chemical composition of the alccofine which has been used in
this study is shown in Table 3.3. XRD study was performed on alccofine, which normally
consists of calcite and on fly ash which clearly shows the presence of crystalline phase so
is indicated by sharp peaks of quartz, mullite, and mellite, shown in Fig.3.2. A
Naphthalene Sulphonate based water reducing super plasticizer confirming to IS
9103:1999 (BIS 9103-1999) was used to enhance the fresh properties of geopolymer mix.
Table 3.1
Table 3.2
Table 3.3
3.1.1.1 Proposed method for designing geopolymer concrete
AF-GPC-Graphs (Alccofine, Fly ash based Geopolymer-Graphs) have been developed

using the experimental data given in the Table 3.4 for the investigation and these graphs
lie at the origin of the developed design mix process. These graphs (Figs. 3.5 to 3.7)
originally represent the relationship between the fly ash and compressive strength for 8,
12 and 16M NaOH solutions with different curing conditions of ambient (average room
temperature 27°C), 60°C and 90°C. Compressive strength results obtained for the mixes
tabulated in Table 3.4 were used to develop the proposed AF-GPC-Graphs. To choose the
exact type of mix, workability bands have been provided in the Table 3.5. The
workability of the fresh GPC was measured using the standard slump (BIS 516-1959).As
per literature, high viscosity of alkaline solution led to less workable concrete. Further,
higher concentration of alkaline solution speed up the geopolymerisation process due to
development of heat in the matrix. This could have been the reason of increased stiffness
and therefore, corresponding less values of slump. Also, CaO present in the alccofine led
to formation of CSH, in addition to NASH (sodium aluminate silicate hydrate) which is
also responsible for less values of slump. Therefore, plasticizer (2%) and alccofine (10%)
were introduced in GPC mix in order to target the required slump and compressive
strength. However, even for lesser values of slump the GPC placed and well compacted.
Table 3.4
The classification of the slump values was done as per the condition of compaction and
using the clause 7 of IS 456:2000 (BIS 456-2000). Based on the different slump values
GPC was classified in terms ofa very highly workable, highly workable, medium
workable and low workable (BIS 516-1959, BIS 456-2000). Workability on the similar
grounds has also been fixed by British standards and American concrete institute. Slump
values observed for the mixes tabulated in Table 3.4 are plotted in Fig 3.3 and the above-
mentioned criterion has been related to fly ash as shown in Table 3.5.
Table 3.5
Fig. 3.3 Slump of GPC with different fly ash content
3.1.1.2 Proposed method for designing GPC using fly ash and alccofine
An attempt has been made in this paper, to propose mix design methodology for fly ash
and alccofine based GPC in a rational way. By fixing the certain parameters in the
production of GPC, it can be made economical and flexibility can be rendered in the
design mixes both on the strength requirement and desired activator solution point of
view. The essential features of the proposed method are the flexibility to select fly ash
content, molarity of the sodium hydroxide and curing temperature required for specific
strength and workability. The design procedure of the proposed mix design is outlined in
the form of flow chart as stated in Fig. 3.4 and the step by step procedure is summarized
as:
Start
Set the parameters: strength and workability
Use AF-GPC graphs to determine the fly ash, molarity and

temperature satisfying the strength and workability requirenment
Calculate the alkaline activator liquid amount by taking AAL/FA=0.45 and

silicate to hydroxide= 2.5, alccofine=10% of FA
Determine the water content present in silicate and hydroxide, determine

additional water requirenment by using W/GPS=0.27
Final values of fly ash, alcoofine, water and plasticiser (2% of fly ash)
Determine the aggregates value by assuming the density of the

concrete=2350 kg/cum and using established procedure.
Trial mix satisfactory No
Yes Increse Plasticiser amount
End
Fig. 3.4 Flow chart of the proposed mix design process for alccofine based GPC
As discussed above the GPC set quickly when cured at elevated temperature so, initially a
target 7 days for heat curing and 28 days for ambient curing, target compressive strength
and workability areset, for the design process. This target strength is then established on
the AF-GPC-Graphs (Figs 3.5-3.7), from where corresponding values of fly ash content,
molarity of NaOH solution and curing temperature are obtained. However, if workability
is not achieved for the located fly ash quantity and target strength using the proposed
method, then amount of superplasticizer can be increased to reach at the required degree
of workability level. The AF-GPC-Graphs presented in this study shows relationship
between compressive strength and fly ash. Further, this relationship is based on the fact
that 2% and 10% by weight of fly ash should be added as plasticizer and alccofine
respectively.
Sodium silicate to sodium hydroxide (Na2SiO3/NaOH) ratio by mass has significant effect
on the performance and mechanical properties of GPC. From the available literature, it
has been found that for practical usage a value between 2.3 and 2.8 is appropriate.
However, keeping in mind the economy of the GPC a middle value of 2.5 has been fixed
for this presented research. The next step in the production of the GPC is to select the
appropriate alkaline activator liquid (AAL) to fly ash (FA) ratio. It has been found that a
Fig. 3.5 Compressive strength with varying fly ash content, curing period at 27 oC curing temperature
value between 0.3 to 0.6 is appropriate for practical, however a value of 0.45 has been
taken in this study to prepare the AF-GPC-Graphs as literature suggests that with less
values of AAL/FA the concrete is not place-able. Calculate the value of NaOH and
Na2SiO3 solutions by using the following equations
....(1)
From which; AAL=0.45×Fly ash
....(2)
From which; NaOH solution=AAL/3.5 and Na2SiO3 solution=2.5×sodium hydroxide

solutionwater (sum of masses of additional free water and water used while preparing
Na2SiO3and NaOH)to geopolymer binder (sum of masses of fly ash, alccofine, NaOH
solids and Na2SiO3solids) ratio (W/GPB) has been kept 0.27 for this research .These are
named as geopolymer solids as they participate in the geopolymerisation process.
Generally, the values of the water to geopolymer binder’s ratio varies from 0.23 to 0.30,
however decision has been taken to kept a value 0.27 by keeping in mind the workability
and economy of the mixes. Knowing the above values, it becomes easy to calculate the
exact amount of water and solids used in alkaline activator solution (AAL). Additional
free water quantity can be calculated using the Eq. (3)
....(3)
where WOH, WSI, Wextra is the water present in the hydroxide solution, silicate solution
and any additional free water in the system respectively. AF, FA, Solids NaOH, and
Solids Na2SiO3, is the alccofine, fly ash and solids present in the NaOH solution, Silicate
solution respectively. In this study, the density of the GPC has been considered as 2350
kg/m3 on experimental basis and 70-75% of the mass of the GPC has been make up for
the saturated surface dry aggregates. The aggregates used are 14, 10 and 7mm in size and
in the proportion of 45, 35 and 20% respectively. Further, the ratio of coarse and fine
aggregates was considered 70:30 out of the total aggregates.
Fig.3.6 Compressive strength with varying fly ash content, curing period at 60oC curing temperature
Fig. 3.7 Compressive strength with varying fly ash content, curing period at 90 oC curing temperature
3.1.1.3 Proposed method for sample preparation

Various researchers have tried different methods for the sample preparation of the
geopolymer concrete and suggested that the compressive strength of the GPC is not
affected by mixing. The procedure suggested for the preparation of the GPC samples is as
discussed below:
1. NaOH is prepared before 24hrs of the casting and uniformly mixed with the Na2SiO3
1hour prior to the mixing of the ingredients of the GPC.
2. All the ingredients of GPC mixture are then mixed for at least 5minin the Pan mixture,
then poured into 150mm size standard cube moulds and compaction was done on a
vibrating Table for about 4-5 minutes. Sealed samples are then placed at room
temperature for 24 hours rest period.
3. The samples now are heat cured at 60oC and 90oC for 24 hours in an electric oven after
a rest period of one day. After heat curing, the samples are returned to room temperature
till the time of testing. However, the ambient cured samples are kept at the room
temperature (27oC) till the time of testing.
3.1.2 Sushant (2017) study the behavioural properties of the 90 % fly ash and 10 %
Alccofine based geopolymer concrete.
Experiment Procedure adopted

1. Prepare the NaOH solution 24 hours prior to casting.
2. 2 hours before the casting prepare the sodium silicate solution by mixing it with the
Sodium hydroxide solution.
3. Take predetermined quantities of the Fly ash, Coarse Aggregate, Fine Aggregate and
Alccofine.
4. Pre weight all the material.
5. Mix all above well.
6. Add the predetermined quantity of superplasticizer that is 2% of Fly ash.
7. Mix all components together by adding extra water and stir thoroughly.
8. Pour the mix into Cubes (150mm*150mm*150mm size cubes). Leave the cubes for 24
hours so that they can settle well.
9. After 24 hours Demould the cubes and keep the cubes into the oven for the heat curing of
24 hours at 90 degrees.
10. After 24 hours of heat curing remove the cubes from oven.
11. Test the cubes accordingly.
Fig. 3.8 Experimenting procedure
Table 3.6 Trial Mixes

In their research they prepared 9 design mix for finding the behavourical properties of the 90
% fly ash and 10 % Alccofine based geopolymer concrete. The Mix are shown in table 3.6
above.
3.1.2.3 Results and discussion
Testing results:
The Slump test, compressive strength test at heat curing and at ambient curing is
performed and the Split tensile strength at Heat curing and Ambient curing is performed
at 3, 7 & 28 days at 8M, 12M and 16M.
Workability:
The workability of the mixes are determined by the slump test method and the
compaction factor test.
a) Slump test:
Table 3.7 Slump value of the mix at different molarity
Fig. 3.9 Bar chart of slump values
Table 3.7 and Fig. 3.9 shows that the slump decreases with the increase in the molarity
keeping the fly ash constant and it increases with the increase in fly ash content because as
the fly ash increases the spherical particles present in the fly ash also increases which leads to
the increase in workability. The maximum slump achieved is 160mm of mix 3 (whose fly ash
content is 400 Kg/cum) at 8M and the minimum achieved is 115mm of mix 7 (whose fly ash
content is 350 Kg/cum) at 16M.
b) Compaction factor test:
Table 3.8 Compaction factor
Fig. 3.10 Compaction factor of mixes with different fly ash content
Table 3.8 and Fig. 3.10 shows that the compaction factor increases with increase in fly ash
content keeping the molarity constant because the spherical particles present in the fly ash
increases with the increase in fly ash content which leads to the better workability but the
compaction factor decreases with increase in molarity. The maximum compaction factor
achieved is 0.95 at 8M at fly ash content 400 Kg/cum and the minimum is 0.86 at 16M at fly
ash content 350 Kg/cum
Compressive strength at heat cured (90oc):

Table 3.9 and Fig. 3.11 shows that the compressive strength of the heat cured specimens
increased with the increase in molarity keeping the fly ash constant and it also increased with
increase in fly ash content, the maximum compressive strength achieved is 36.03 MPa in
16M and the minimum in 8M is 20.02 MPa.
Table 3.9 Compressive strength of heat cured specimens in 3 days
Fig. 3.11 Compressive strength and fly ash content at 3 days.
increased with the increase in molarity and increase with the increase in fly ash content, the
maximum compressive strength achieved in 7 days at 16M is 45.28 MPa and at 12M is 38.03
MPa.
Table 3.10 Compressive strength of heat cured specimens in 7 days.
the increase in fly ash content, the maximum compressive strength achieved is 70.89 MPa at
16M at fly ash content 400 Kg/cum.
Table 3.11 Compressive strength of heat cured specimens in 28 days
Compressive strength at ambient temperature (27o C)
Table 3.12 and Fig. 3.14 shows that shows that the compressive strength of the ambient cured
specimens increased with the increase in molarity keeping the fly ash constant and it also
increased with the increase in fly ash content, the maximum compressive strength of a
ambient cured specimen achieved is 30.97 MPa at 16M.
Table 3.12 Compressive strength of ambient cured specimens in 3 days.
Table 3.13 and Fig. 3.15 shows that the compressive strength of the ambient cured specimens
the increase in fly ash content, the maximum compressive strength of a ambient cured
specimen achieved is 36.99 MPa at 16M and the minimum is 22.91 MPa at 8M.
Table 3.13 Compressive strength of ambient cured specimens in 28 days.
Splitting tensile strength at ambient curing at 27o C
Table 3.14 and Fig. 3.16 shows that the splitting tensile strength of the ambient cured
increased with the increase in fly ash content. The maximum splitting tensile strength is
achieved at 16M of mix 3 i.e., 3 MPa and the minimum is 2.8 MPa at 8M keeping the fly ash
content constant.
Table 3.14 Splitting tensile strength of ambient cured specimens in 3 days
Fig. 3.16 Splitting tensile strength and fly ash content at 3 days.
increased with the increase in fly ash content.
Table 3.15 Splitting tensile strength of ambient cured specimens in 7 days
increased with the increase in fly ash content, the maximum splitting tensile strength of a
ambient cured specimens is 4 MPa at 16M.
Table 3.16 Splitting tensile strength of ambient cured specimens in 28 days.
Fig. 3.18 Splitting tensile strength and fly ash content at 28 days
Splitting tensile strength at heat curing (90oC)
Table 3.17 and Fig.3.19 shows that the splitting tensile strength of the heat cured specimens
the increase in fly ash content, the maximum splitting tensile strength of a heat cured
specimens is 3.8 MPa at 16M in 3 days.
Table 3.17 Splitting tensile strength of heat cured specimens in 3 days.
Table 4.18 and Fig. 4.20 shows that the splitting tensile strength of the heat cured specimens
specimens is 4.5 MPa at 16M in 7 days and the minimum at 8M is 3 MPa in 7 days.
Table 3.18 Splitting tensile strength of heat cured specimens in 7 days
Table 3.19 and Fig. 3.21 shows that the splitting tensile strength of the heat cured specimens
specimens is 5.7 MPa at 16M in 28 days and the minimum at 8M is 4.1 MPa in 28 days.
Table 3.19 Splitting tensile strength of heat cured specimens in 28 days.
3.1.3 Conclusions
Based on the observation in the study, following conclusions can be derived:
1. A methodology for designing the geopolymer concrete has been demonstrated for
implementation of ecofriendly material on large scale.
2. Proposed mix design method, targets the required compressive strength and
workability.
3. The suggested method can be confidently used for alccofine and fly ash based
geopolymer concrete.
4. It is possible to produce geopolymer concrete with alccofine for general purpose
at room temperature (27oC).
5. By inclusion of alccofine, workable and high strength concrete can be produced
which can serve the cast in situ and precast concrete industry demands.
6. Geopolymer concrete gives more strength than conventional concrete. The
maximum compressive strength of the fly ash based geopolymer concrete using
Alccofine at 28 days was found 70.89Mpa at 16M at heat curing and 44.65Mpa at
ambient curing.
7. Compressive strength increases with the increase in molarity keeping the fly ash
content and temperature constant. The minimum strength achieved was 55.29Mpa
(fly ash content 400kg/cum) and maximum is 70.89MPa at 16M
8. The addition of alccofine in the fly ash mix resulted in the higher workablility and
the higher strength at ambient temperature also.
9. Strength achieved is more at heat curing then at ambient curing because the
geopolymer concrete attains its maximum strength in heat curing.
10. The maximum split tensile strength was found 5.6 Mpa at heat curing and 2.6
MPa at ambient curing keeping the fly ash content and the molarity constant i.e. at
16M with the fly ash content of 400kg/cum.
11. The increased compressive strength at higher temperature had been due to the
properties of fly ash concrete which have better fire resistance as different hydrant
products are different when compared with Portland cement concrete.
CHAPTER 4 EXPERIMENTAL TEST ON MATERIAL
4.1 CEMENT TESTS:

4.1.1 Consistency Of Cement
Consistency - The thickness or the viscosity of the cement paste is called consistency.
Cement Paste - The viscous mass obtained by mixing cement with water is known as
cement paste.
Standard Cement Paste - It is the cement paste for which the 10mm diameter plunger in
a standard VICAT test penetrates to such an extent that its distance from the bottom is 5-
7mm.
Standard/Normal Consistency - It is the thickness or the viscosity of the standard paste
and is expressed as the percentage of weight of water.
Apparatus:
VICAT Apparatus
Plunger with 10mm diameter and 60mm length
Spatula
Glass plate trowel
Stop watch
Weighing Balance
Fig 4.1 VICAT apparatus
Temperature:
We take temperature 27±2°c
Amount of Cement:
OPC Cement of Grade 43 = 400gm
Water = 29.5% of cement quantity

So, 29.5 % of 400 = 118gm
Mixing Time: 3-5 min
Procedure:
 Mix 400gm of cement with a measured quantity of water and make a cement paste
as per the standard procedure.
 Put the cement paste in the ring of the vicat apparatus and remove the excess paste
with the help of a trowel.
 Center the paste confined in the ring, resting on the plate, under the plunger rod
and bring the plunger end in contact with the surface of the paste.
 Wait 3 sec after releasing the plunger.
 Then take the reading.
Observations & Results:

Depth of plunger = 6mm
Achieved Standard Consistency = 29.5%
4.1.2 Setting Time Of Cement
Initial setting time

The time elapsed between the initial contact of cement and water and the time when a
1mm cross-section needle gives a reading between 4-7mm from the bottom in a standard
Vicat apparatus is known as initial setting time of that particular cement paste.
Final setting time

It is the time elapsed between the initial contact of cement and water and the time when
the smaller needle (1mm cross-section and 0.5mm deep) completely penetrates into the
paste and the outer metal attachment of 5mm diameter does not leave an impression on
the cement paste.
Apparatus:
 VICAT apparatus
 Needle of 1mm cross-section and 60mm length (for initial setting time)
 Plunger with 1mm smaller needle and 5mm outer diameter (for final setting time)
 Flat trowel
 Spatula
 Weighing Balance
Fig 4.2 VICAT apparatus
Temperature
We take temperature 27±2°c
Amount of cement
OPC Cement of Grade 43 = 400gm
Weight of water = 85% of Consistency = 100.3gm
Procedure:
Prepare a cement paste of standard consistency and put it in the ring of the Vicat
apparatus within the allowable time of 4±1/4 min. Clear and level any extra paste by
means of a trowel.
1- Initial Setting Time

Determine the penetration of the 1-mm needle at the start. If a penetration reading of 4-
7mm is obtained then note down the time as the initial setting time otherwise keep
checking the penetration reading after every 10min thereafter until a penetration reading
of 4-7 mm is obtained which will be the initial setting time of the cement. Make each
penetration test at least 5 mm away from any previous penetration and at least 10 mm
away from the inner side of the mould.
2- Final Setting Time

Now fix the final setting time plunger in which the smaller needle has the diameter of
1mm and the diameter of the outer needle is 5mm. Drop the rod of the Vicat apparatus
and note down the time when the outer needle leaves no impression on the cement
surface.
Observations & Results

Plunger Reading = 5mm after 44 min
Initial Setting Time = …44 min….
Final Setting Time = …256 min….
4.2 AGGREGATE TEST
4.2.1 Fineness Modulus Of Aggregates

Fineness modulus of coarse aggregates represents the average size of the particles in the
coarse aggregate by an index number. It is calculated by performing sieve analysis with
standard sieves.
The cumulative percentage retained on each sieve is added and subtracted by 100 gives
the value of fine aggregate. Higher the aggregate size higher the Fineness modulus hence
fineness modulus of coarse aggregate is higher than fine aggregate.
Coarse aggregate means the aggregate which is retained on 4.75mm sieve when it is
sieved through 4.75mm. To find fineness modulus of coarse aggregate we need sieve
sizes of 80mm, 40mm, 20mm, 10mm, 4.75mm, 2.36mm, 1.18mm, 0.6mm, 0.3mm and
0.15mm.
Test Procedure for Fineness Modulus of Coarse Aggregates and Fine Aggregates:
Arrange the sieves in descending order and put the arrangement on mechanical shaker. It
is suggested that, to know the exact value of fineness modulus for coarse aggregate,
mechanical shaker will give better value than hand shaking because of more no. of sieves
and heavy size particles.
After proper sieving, record the sample weights retained on each sieve and find out the
cumulative weight of retained particles as well as cumulative % retained on each sieve.
Finally add all cumulative percentage values and divide the result with 100. Then we get
the value of fineness modulus.
Observation Table 4.1 (Fineness modulus of Coarse aggregate), Weight of Sample=

5000g:
Sieve Size Weight Cumulative weight Cumulative %

Retained(gm) retained (gm) retained (gm)
80mm 0 0 0
40mm 250 250 5
20mm 1750 2000 40
10mm 1600 3600 72
4.75mm 1400 5000 100

2.36mm 0 5000 100
1.18mm 0 5000 100
0.6mm 0 5000 100
0.3mm 0 5000 100
0.15mm 0 5000 100
Sum = 717
Therefore, fineness modulus of coarse aggregates = [sum (cumulative % retained)]/ 100 =

(717/100) = 7.17
Observation Table 4.2 (Fineness modulus of Fine aggregate), Weight of Sample

1000g:
Sieve Size Weight retained Comulative weight Comulative %

(gm) retained (gm) retained (gm)
4.75mm 0 0 0
2.36mm 100 100 10
1.18mm 250 350 35
0.6mm 350 700 70
0.3mm 200 900 90
0.15mm 100 1000 100
Total 275
Therefore, fineness modulus of fine aggregates = sum (cumulative % retained) / 100 =

(275/100) = 2.75
4.2.2 Specific gravity of coarse aggregate:
Apparatus:
• Balance or scale: with a capacity of 5 kg, sensitive to 1 g.

• Sample container
• Water tank
• Suspension apparatus
• Sieves 4.75 mm or other sizes as needed
Procedure:
• Dry the test sample to constant mass at a temperature of 110 ±5°C (230 ±9°F) and
cool in air at room temperature for 1 to 3 hours.
• Immerse the aggregate in water at room temperature for a period of 15 to 19
hours.
• Place the empty basket into the water bath and attach to the balance. Inspect the
immersion tank to ensure the water level is at the overflow outlet height. Tare the
balance with the empty basket attached in the water bath.
• Remove the test sample from the water and roll it in a large absorbent cloth until
all visible films of water are removed. Wipe the larger particles individually.
• Determine the mass of the sample, and record this and all subsequent masses to
the nearest 0.1 g or 0.1 percent of the sample mass, whichever is greater.
Designate this mass as “B”.
• Re-inspect the immersion tank to insure the water level is at the overflow outlet
height. Immediately place the SSD test sample in the sample container and weigh
it in water maintained at 23.0 ±1.7°C (73.4 ±3°F). Shake the container to release
entrapped air before recording the weight. Designate this submerged weight as
“C”.
• Remove the sample from the basket. Ensure all material has been removed. Place
in a container of known mass.
• Dry the test sample to constant mass and cool in air at room temperature for 1 to 3
hours. Designate this mass as “A”.
Calculations:
Table 4.3 Readings of samples
Sample A B C
1 2030.9 2044.9 1304.3
2 1820.0 1832.5 1168.1
3 2035.2 2049.4 1303.9
Gsb1 = 2030.9/(2044.9-1304.3)=2.742
Gsb2 = 1820.0/(1832.5-1168.1)=2.739
Gsb2 = 2035.2/(2049.4-1303.9)=2.729
Avg spc. Gravity Gsb2 = (2.742+2.739+2.729)/3=2.736
4.2.3 Specific gravity of fine aggregate:
Apparatus:
• Balance or scale
• Pycnometer
• Mould
• Tamper
• Oven
• Sieves 4.75 mm or other sizes as needed
Procedure:
• The pycnometer which is to be used shall be calibrated prior to performing the

test. The mass of the pycnometer filled to its calibration capacity with water at
73.4 ± 3.1 °F is determined and recorded to the nearest 0.1 gram. Prior to
determining the mass of pycnometer filled with water to the calibration mark, the
inside of neck of pycnometer just above calibration level shall be dried with a
rolled up paper towel.
• Obtain a representative 500 ± 10 gram sample of the saturated surface‐dry fine

aggregate prepared. Immediately determine and record the weight of the sample to
the nearest 0.1 gram.
• Partially fill the calibrated pycnometer with water. Introduce the sample into the
pycnometer and fill with additional water to approximately 90 percent of total
capacity. Roll and agitate the pycnometer to eliminate all air bubbles.
• Rinse the inside of neck of pycnometer with water and add sufficient water to
bring the water level in the pycnometer to its calibrated capacity. Adjust its
temperature to 73.4 ± 3.1 °F, if necessary by immersion in circulating water.
With a rolled up paper towel, dry the inside neck of pycnometer just above the
calibration level. Determine and record the mass of the pycnometer, sample, and
water to the nearest 0.1 gram.
• Remove the fine aggregate from the pycnometer and dry to constant mass at a
temperature of 230 ± 9 °F. Cool in air at room temperature for 1.0 ± 0.5
hours. Determine and record the mass to the nearest 0.1 gram.
Calculations:
Bulk (O.D.)Specific Gravity =
Where: A = mass of oven dry test sample in air. = 499.9
B = mass of pycnometer filled with water to calibration mark. = 683.7
S = mass of saturated surface dry test sample. = 503.3
C = mass of pycnometer with test sample and water to calibration mark. = 990.1
Bulk (O.D.)SpecificGravity = 499.9/(683.7+503.3-990.1) = 2.538
CHAPTER 5 CALCULATION, PREPARATION, RESULT AND DISCUSSION
5.1 Calculation
a) Design mix for M35 Conventional Concrete
A·1 Stipulations for Proportioning

a) Grade designation : M35
b) Type of cement : OPC 43
c) Maximum nominal size of aggregate : 20mm
d) Minimum cement content : 340 kg/m3 (IS 456:2000)
e) Maximum water-cement ratio : 0.45 (Table 5 of IS 456:2000)
f) Workability : 100-120mm slump
g) Type of aggregate : Crushed Angular Aggregates
h) Maximum cement content : 390 kg/m3
i) Chemical admixture type : Super Plasticizer
A-2 Test Data for Materials

a) Cement used : OPC 43 Grade conforming IS 12269
b) Specific gravity of cement : 3.15
c) Chemical admixture : Super Plasticizer
d) Specific gravity of
1) Coarse aggregate 20mm : 2.73

2) Fine aggregate : 2.53
e) Water absorption:
1) Coarse aggregate : 0.5 %

2) Fine aggregate : 2.5 %
A-3 Target Strength for Mix Proportioning

fck =fck + 1.65 s
where
f’ck = target average compressive strength at 28 days,

fck = characteristics compressive strength at 28 days, and
s = standard deviation.
From Table I of IS 10262:2009, Standard Deviation, s = 5 N/mm2. Therefore, target
strength = 35 + 1.65 x 5 = 43.25 N/mm2
A-4 Selection of water cement ratio

Adopted maximum water-cement ratio = 0.41.
from the table 5 of IS 456 for very severe exposure maximum water cement ratio is 0.45
0.41 < 0.45 hence ok
A-5 Selection of water content

From Table 2 of IS 10262:2009, maximum water content for 20 mm aggregate = 186 litre
(for 25 to 50 mm slump range) Estimated water content for 100 mm slump = 197 litre.
(Note: If Super plasticizer is used, the water content can be reduced upto 20% and above.)
Based on trials with Super plasticizer water content reduction of 20% has been achieved,
Hence the arrived water content = 197-[197 x (20/100)] = 158 litre.
A-6 Calculation of cement content

Adopted w/c Ratio = 0.41
Cement Content = 158/0.41 = 385 kg/m3
From Table 5 of IS 456, Minimum cement content for ‘Very severe’ exposure conditions
340kg/m3
= 385 kg/m3 > 340 kg/m3 hence ok.
A-7 Mix calculations

The mix calculations per unit volume of concrete shall be as follows:
a) Volume of concrete = 1 m3
b) Volume of cement = [Mass of cement] / {[Specific Gravity of Cement] x 1000}
= 385/{3.15 x 1000}
= 0.122 m3
c) Volume of water = [Mass of water] / {[Specific Gravity of water] x 1000}

= 158/{1 x 1000}
= 0.158m3
d) Volume of chemical admixture = 1.54 litres/ m3 (By Trial and Error Method used 0.4%
by the weight cement)
e) Volume of all in aggregate = [a-(b+c+d)]
= [1-(0.122+0.158+0.004)]
= 0.716 m3
f) Coarse aggregate to Fine aggregate proportion= (60:40)
So, Mass of coarse aggregate= e x Volume of Coarse Aggregate x Specific Gravity of
Coarse Aggregate x 1000
= 0.716 x 0.60 x 2.73 x 1000
= 1172 kg/m3
g) Mass of fine aggregate= e x Volume of Fine Aggregate x Specific Gravity of Fine
Aggregate x 1000
= 0.716 x 0.40 x 2.53 x 1000
= 724 kg/m3
A-8 Mix proportions

Cement = 385 kg/m3
Water = 158 l/m3
Fine aggregate = 724 kg/m3
Coarse aggregate 20mm = 468 kg/m3
Coarse aggregate 10mm = 703 kg/m3
Chemical admixture = 1.54 kg/m3 (0.4% by the weight of cement)
Density of concrete = 2500 kg/m3 (approx)
Water-cement ratio = 0.41
Mix Proportion By weight = (Cement : FA: CA: Water)
= (1: 1.88: 3.04: 0.41)
Constituent of Mix Quantity (kg/m3)
Cement 385
Water 158
Plasticizer 1.54
Fine Aggregate 724
Coarse Aggregate (10mm) 703
Table 5.1 Mix Quantity of CC
b) Design mix for 12 Molarity NaOH solution
Fly ash Quantity- 380 kg/cum
1. Alkaline liquid to Fly ash ratio = 0.45
Al = 0.45 * FA
Al = 0.45*380 = 171 kg/cum

10% deduction in water because of platisizer gives:
Al= 171-17.1= 153.9 kg/cum (say 154kg/cum)
2. Al ( Alkaline liquid) = Na2Sio3 + NaOH

Sodium silicate to sodium hydroxide ratio is 1
Na2Sio3 / NaOH = 1
NaOH = 77 Kg
Na2Sio3 = 77 kg
3 In Na2Sio3 solution there is 50 % solids and 50 % water:-

Na2Sio3 = Na2Sio3 (s) ( 50%) + water (50%)
Na2Sio3 = 38.5 kg + 38.5 kg
4. For NaOH solution:
12M = 361gm/kg NaOH solution is required
NaOH = NaOH (s) (36.1 %) + water (63.9 %)

NaOH(s) = 0.361*77 = 27.797kg
Water = 77-27.797 = 49.203kg
5. Superplasticizer
2% of Fly Ash = 380 x 0.02= 7.6 kg
6. Water to geopolymer binders ratio is 0.30
Water/GPS = 0.30
W/GPS = extra water + WOH + Wsi+Plasticizer / FA + SolidsOH + Solidssi
0.30 = (EW+ 49.203+38.5+7.6) / (380+27.797+38.5)
EW= 38.58 Kg
7. Density of GPC = 2300 kg/cum

Aggragates used = 75% of density
2300*0.75 = 1725 kg/cum
Aggregates = 60% Coarse aggreagate + 40 % Fine aggregate
Coarse aggregate = 1035 kg
(10 mm) =414 kg
(20 mm) = 621 kg
Fine aggregate = 690 kg
Constituent of Mix Quantity (kg/m3)
Fly Ash 380
Water (alkaline liquids) 192
Plasticizer 7.6
Fine Aggregate 690
Total 2304.6
Table 5.2 Mix Quantity of GPC
5.2.(b) Preparation Procedure
1. Prepare the NaOH solution 24 hours prior to casting.
2. 2 hours before the casting prepare the sodium silicate solution by mixing it with the
Sodium hydroxide solution.
3. Take predetermined quantities of the Fly ash, Coarse Aggregate, Fine Aggregate.
4. Pre weight all the material.
5. Mix all above well.
6. Add the predetermined quantity of superplasticizer that is 2% of Alkaline Liquid.
7. Mix all components together and stir thoroughly.
8. Pour the mix into Cubes (150mm*150mm*150mm size cubes) and leave it for 24 hours so
that they can settle well after vibrator process.
9. Demould the cubes After 24 hours and for the heat curing keep the cubes into the oven for
24 hours at 90 degrees.
10. Remove the cubes from oven after 24 hours of heat curing.
11. Test the cubes accordingly.
Fig 5.1 Preparation of Sodium Hydroxide
Fig 5.2 Mould Oiling
Fig 5.3 Mixing Constituents of Mix
Fig 5.4 Demoulded cubes
Fig 5.5 Weighing Salt for Marine Condition
Fig 5.6 Curing Cube samples in Solutions
5.3 RESULT AND DISCUSSION
5.1 Physical Observation
Average Weight Gain (GPC)

SOLUTIONS 3 DAYS 7DAYS 28DAYS
SODIUM CHLORIDE
19gm/ltr 7.12 7.24 7.49
38gm/ltr 7.18 7.32 7.58
MAGNESIUM SULPHATE
2gm/ltr 7.03 7.11 7.30
4gm/ltr 7.04 7.15 7.38
NORMAL WATER
7.04 712 7.25
Table 5.3 Weight gain of GPC in different condition
Average Weight Gain (CC)

SODIUM CHLORIDE
19gm/ltr 8.43 8.70 8.88
38gm/ltr 8.49 8.76 9.05
MAGNESIUM SULPHATE
2gm/ltr 8.33 8.42 8.67
4gm/ltr 8.37 8.47 8.71
NORMAL WATER
8.45 8.53 8.70
Table 5.4 Weight gain of CC in different condition
5.2 Compressive Strength
Load reading = 390 KN
Compressive Strngth = LOAD

AREA OF CUBE SURFACE
390 X 1000 = 17.3 N/mm2

150 X 150
(GPC) COMPRESSIVE STRNGTH (N/mm2)

SODIUM CHLORIDE
19gm/ltr 17.3 23.7 39.65
38gm/ltr 15.2 21.4 37.37
MAGNESIUM SULPHATE
2gm/ltr 15.8 21.3 38.73
4gm/ltr 16.6 20.45 37.45
NORMAL WATER
17.73 25.5 42.8
Table 5.5 Compressive Strength of GPC in different condition
45
40
35
30
Compressive 25 MgSo4 (2gm/ltr)
strength MgSo4 (4gm/ltr)
20
(N/mm2)
15 water
10
5
0
3 7 28
Time (Days)
Fig 5.7 Compressive strength of GPC cured under sulphate solution.
45
40
35
Compressive
strength 30
(N/mm2) 25 NaCl (19 gm/ltr)
20 Nacl (38gm/ltr)
15 water
10
5
0
3 7 28
Time (Days)
Fig 5.8 Compressive strength of GPC cured under chloride solution.
CC COMPRESSIVE STRNGTH (N/mm2)

SODIUM CHLORIDE
19gm/ltr 15.5 22.15 37.75

38gm/ltr 13.8 19.7 36.1
MAGNESIUM SULPHATE
2gm/ltr 14.1 19.6 36.9
4gm/ltr 15.2 18.7 35.75
NORMAL WATER
15.9 23.7 40.8
Table 5.6 Compressive Strength of CC in different condition
45
40
35
30
25 NaCl (19 gm/ltr)
Compressive
strength 20 Nacl (38gm/ltr)
(N/mm2) 15 water
10
5
0
3 7 28
Time (Days)
Fig 5.5 Compressive Strength of CC Cured under chloride sloution
45
40
35
Compressive 30
strength
25 MgSo4 (2gm/ltr)
(N/mm2)
20 MgSo4 (4gm/ltr)
15 water
10
0
3 7 28
Time (Days)
Fig 5.6 Compressive Strength of CC Cured under sulphate sloution
COMPARISION
45
40
35
Compressive 30
strength
25
MgSo4 (2 gm/ltr)
(N/mm2)
MgSo4 (4gm/ltr)
20 3 NaCl (19gm/ltr)
NaCl (38gm/ltr)
15 Water
10
0
3 7 28
Time (Days)
Fig 5.7 Compressive Strength of GPC for different curing condition
45
40
35
30
Compressive MgSo4 (2 gm/ltr)
25 MgSo4 (4gm/ltr)
strength
(N/mm2) 3 NaCl (19gm/ltr)
20
NaCl (38gm/ltr)
15 Water
10
0
3 7 28
Time (Days)
Fig 5.8 Compressive Strength of CC for different curing condition
5.4 CONCLUSION
 It is possible to produce geopolymer concrete for general purpose at room temperature

(27oC).
 Visual inspection results indicated that FAGPC specimens showed moderate surface
deterioration without color change and OPC specimens exhibited greatest surface
deterioration with color change from gray to white.
 Geopolymer and OPC specimens were visually observed to remain structurally intact
and maintained their initial conditions without color change, spalling and cracking
when they were exposed to magnesium sulfate and sodium chloride attack.
 Weight gain was observed for almost all specimens immersed in chemical solutions
due to solution absorption and expansion occurred by gypsum formation. Weight gain
was observed to be higher for immersed in sodium chloride solutions.
 Although compressive strength test results after chemical exposure of the OPC
specimens were slightly lower than the FAGPC specimens, loss of mechanical
strengths due to chemical attack was found to be less on FAGPC specimens, which
may be attributed to low calcium amount of the FAGPC specimens.
 It can be concluded that FAGPC can be used in aggressive environments due to
superior durability to chemical attack as compared to OPC.
5.5 FURTHER WORK PLAN
 Further study should be made on prevention of chemical attack in order to avoid the
the effect of salt water on other important characteristics of concrete and check the
accurate durability of geopolymer concrete as durability cannot be measured in 28
days.
 It is planned to increse the percentage content of alkaline liquid ratio. This is expected
to increase the strength of final product and to study various methods for the
measurement of the durability of the geoploymer concrete block.
REFERENCES
1. Aleem, A. and Arumairaj, P.D. (2012) Geopolymer concrete: A Review, International
Journal of Engineering Sciences and Emerging Technologies, vol. 1, pp. 118-122.
2. Aravind, A. and Paul, M. (2014) Study of Mechanical Properties of Geopolymer
Concrete Reinforced with Steel Fiber, International Journal of Engineering Research
and Technology, vol. 3, pp 159-167.
3. Jamdade, P. K. and Kawade, U. R. (2014) Evaluate Strength of Geopolymer Concrete
by Using Oven Curing, IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, vol. 11,
pp. 63-66.
4. Jangara, P. and Singhal, D. (2017) Development of mix design method for
geopolymer concrete Vol. 5, pp. 377-390
5. Jaydeep, S. and Chakravarthy, B.J. (2013), Study On Fly Ash Based Geopolymer
Concrete Using Admixtures, International Journal of Engineering Trends and
Technology, vol. 4, pp. 4614-4617.
6. Joseph, B. and Mathew, G. (2012) Influence of aggregate content on the behavior of
fly ash based geopolymer concrete, Scientia Iranica, vol. 19, pp. 1188-1194.
7. Krishnan, L., Karthikeyan, S., Nathiya, S. and Suganya, K. (2014) Geopolymer
Concrete an Eco friendly Construction Material, International Journal of Research in
Engineering and Technology, vol. 3, pp. 1167-1173.
8. Morsy, M.S, Alsayed, S.H, Al-Salloum, Y. Almusallam, T. (2014) Project thesis on
Effect of Sodium Silicate to Sodium Hydroxide Ratios on Strength and
Microstructure of Fly Ash Geopolymer Binder, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia.
9. Mustafa, M., Mohammed, H., Kamarudin, H., Niza, I.K., and Zarina, Y. (2011)
Review on Fly Ash Based Geopolymer Concrete without Portland Cement, Journal of
Engineering and Technology Research, vol. 3, pp. 1-4.
10. Mustafa, M., Omar, A., Abdulkareem, Rafiza, A.R., Zarina,Y., Norazian, M.N., and
Kamarudin, H. (2013) Review on Processing of Low Calcium Fly Ash Geopolymer
Concrete, Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, vol. 7, pp. 342-349.
11. Olivia, M. and Nikraz, H.R. (2011) Strength and Water Penetrability of Fly Ash
Geopolymer Concrete, Asian Research Publishing Network, vol. 6, pp. 70-78.
12. Patel, Y., Patel, I. and Shah, J. (2014) Review on Effects of Different Supplementary
Materials in Geopolymer Concrete, International Journal of Research in Engineering
& Advanced Technology, vol. 2, pp. 1-4.
13. Ramesh, V. and Joy, A. (2017) Review On The Study Of Fly Ash Based Geopolymer
Concrete, Toc H Institute of Science and Technology, Kerala, India, vol-3, pp. 1311-
1315.
14. Rangan, B. V.(2008) Studies on Fly Ash Based Geopolymer Concrete, Malaysian
Construction Research Journal, vol. 3, pp. 1-88.
15. Sanni, S.H. and Khadiranaikar, R. B. (2012), Performance of Geopolymer Concrete
under Severe Environmental Conditions, International Journal of Civil and Structural
Engineering, vol. 3, pp. 396-407.
16. Shah, C.K., Parikh, A. R. and Parmar , K. J. (2014) Study of Strength Parameters and
durability of Fly ash based Geopolymer Concrete, Indian Journal of Research, vol. 3,
pp. 207-210.
17. Singh, S. (2017), Project Thesis on the behavioural properties of the 90 % fly ash and
10 % Alccofine based geopolymer concrete, DCRUST University, Murthal, Sonipat.
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Concrete, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 3, pp.14-21.
19. Yasir, S. and Iftekar, G. (2015) Study of Properties of Fly Ash Based Geopolymer
Concrete, International Journal of Engineering Research, vol. 3, pp. 74-79.

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FLY ASH BASED GEOPOLYMER CONCRETE IN MARINE CONDITION OF INDIA

1.3 Aim and Objectives

1.4 Definition of terms

Fig 1.1 Fly Ash

1.4.2 Alkaline Liquids

The most common alkaline liquid used in geopolymerisation is a combination of sodium

Fig 1.2 Sodium Pellets

Table 1.1 Specification of Sodium Silicate

Sr No Molarity Mass of NaOH (gm) Mass of water (gm)

Fig 1.3 Aggregate

TABLE 1.3 Aggregate properties

PROPERTIES FINE AGGREGATE COARSE AGGREGATE

Fig 1.4 Plastisizer

1.4.5 Curing Compound

Fig 1.5 Sodium Chloride and Magnesium Sulphate

Table 1.4 Concentration Of Major Ions In Some Of The World Seas

Sodium 4900 8100 12400 12200 1100 2190 20700 11350

Magnisium 640 1035 1500 1110 1210 260 2300 1867

Chloride 9500 14390 21270 16550 20000 3960 36900 22660

Sulphate 1362 2034 2596 2220 2180 580 5120 3050

TDS 17085 26409 38795 33060 35370 7110 66650 40960

1.4.6 Equipment and method

2. Compression Testing Machine (CTM)

3. Mould (150 x150 x 150)mm

1.4.6.1 Sieve Analysis

1.4.6.2 Compression Testing Machine (CTM)

Fig.1.6 Compression Testing Machine

Fig 1.7 Casting Mould (150x150x150)mm

FLY ASH BASED GEOPOLYMER CONCRETE

RESEARCH PAPERS FROM JOURNELS

DATA COLLECTION CALCULATION OF TOOLS AND

Fig 1.8 Flow Chart

to 60% by mass (Malhotra 2002; Malhotra and Mehta 2002), is a significant

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.2 History of Geopolymer

effect of an alkaline liquid on the mechanical strength of fly ash-based mortar

2.3 Properties of Geopolymer Concrete

2.3.3 Sanni and Khadiranaikar (2012) Performance of Geopolymer Concrete under

reasonable time under ambient conditions. The production of versatile, cost-effective

2.3.9 Aravind and Mathews, (2014) Study of Mechanical Properties of Geopolymer

2. Higher curing temperature resulted in larger compressive strength of Geopolymer

process resulting in higher compressive strength of

CHAPTER 3 DATA COLLECTED AND PROCESSED

Geopolymer is a new development in the world of concrete in which cement is totally

3.1 Observational Design

a) Fine Aggregate b) Coarse Aggrgate

a) Fly Ash b) Alccofine

3.1.1.1 Proposed method for designing geopolymer concrete

AF-GPC-Graphs (Alccofine, Fly ash based Geopolymer-Graphs) have been developed

Fig. 3.3 Slump of GPC with different fly ash content

Set the parameters: strength and workability

Use AF-GPC graphs to determine the fly ash, molarity and

Calculate the alkaline activator liquid amount by taking AAL/FA=0.45 and

Determine the water content present in silicate and hydroxide, determine

Determine the aggregates value by assuming the density of the

Trial mix satisfactory No

Yes Increse Plasticiser amount

From which; AAL=0.45×Fly ash