A Study on the Effect of Low Calcium Ultra-fine Fly Ash as a Partial Sustainable Supplementary Material to Cement in Self-compacting Concrete

The aim and scope of the present study were to determine the efficacy of UFFA in evaluating the workability,static and dynamic stabilization properties,retention period,and slump loss of SCC systems in their fresh state,as well as their compressive strength at various ages.Microstructure(SEM and XRD)of blended SCC systems were studied.Also,the thermogravimetry behavior of blended SCC specimens were researched.According to the evaluated results,incorporating up to 20%UFFA into fresh concrete improved its performance due to its engineered fine particle size and spherical geometry,both of which contribute to the enhancement of characteristics.Blends of 25%and 30%of UFFA show effect on the water-binder ratio and chemical enhancer dosage,resulting in a loss of homogeneity in fresh SCC systems.The reduced particle size,increased amorphous content,and increased surface area all contribute to the pozzolanic reactivity of the early and later ages,resulting in denser packing and thus an increase in compressive strength.The experimental results indicate that UFFA enhances the properties of SCC in both its fresh and hardened states,which can be attributed to the particles’fineness and their relative effect on SCC.

Analysis of the Performances and Optimization of Polyurethane Concrete with a Large Percentage of Fly Ash

The properties of polyurethane concrete containing a large amount of fly ash are investigated,and accordingly,a model is introduced to account for the influence of fly ash fineness,water ratio,and loss of ignition(LOI)on its mechanical performances.This research shows that,after optimization,the concrete has a compressive strength of 20.8 MPa,a flexural strength of 3.4 MPa,and a compressive modulus of elasticity of 19.2 GPa.The main factor influencing 28 and 90 d compressive strength is fly ash content,water-binder ratio,and early strength agent content.

Effect of CSH Crystal Nucleus on Steam-Free Cured Fly Ash Precast Concrete Components

The measures of steam curing and early-strengthening agents to promote the precast components to reach the target strength quickly can bring different degrees of damage to the concrete.Based on this,the new nanomaterial CSH-the hydration product of cement effectively solves these measures’disadvantages,such as excessive energy consumption,thermal stress damage,and the introduction of external ions.In this paper,the effect of CSH on the early strength of precast fly ash concrete components was investigated in terms of setting time,workability,and mechanical properties and analyzed at the microscopic level using hydration temperature,XRD,and SEM.The results showed that under the same workability,CSH could significantly reduce the amount of admixture,shorten the final setting time,almost not affect the initial setting time,and accelerate the hydration of cement.At the optimum dose of 5%,the mechanical properties of the specimens were improved by more than 98%within 12 h of hydration,resulting in an earlier release time of 12 h and no risk of strength inversion later.The results of this paper give theoretical support to the behavior of precast components under steam-free curing.

Utilization of Basalt Saw Mud as a Spherical Porous Functional Aggregate for the Preparation of Ordinary Structure Concrete

To promote the production and application of artificial aggregates,save natural sand resources and protect the ecological environment,we evaluated the feasibility of using spherical porous functional aggregates(SPFAs) formed by basalt saw mud under autoclave curing in ordinary structural concrete.In our work,two types of prewetted functional aggregates were taken as replacements for natural aggregates with different volume substitution rates(0%,5%,10%,15%,20%,25%,and 30%) in the preparation of ordinary structural concrete with water-to-binder ratios(W/B) of 0.48 and 0.33.The effects of the functional aggregate properties and content,W/B,and curing age on the fluidity,density,mechanical properties and autogenous shrinkage of ordinary concrete were analyzed.The experimental results showed that the density of concrete declined at a rate of not more than 5%,and the 28 d compressive strength could reach 31.0-68.2 MPa.Low W/B,long curing age and high-quality functional aggregates were conducive to enhancing the mechanical properties of SPFAs concrete.Through the rolling effects,SPFAs can optimize the particle gradation of aggregate systems and improve the fluidity of concrete,and the water stored inside SPFAs provides an internal curing effect,which prolongs the cement hydration process and considerably reduces the autogenous shrinkage of concrete.SPFAs exhibits high strength and high density,as well as being more cost-effective and ecological,and is expected to be widely employed in ordinary structural concrete.

Prediction of Geopolymer Concrete Compressive Strength Using Convolutional Neural Networks

Geopolymer concrete emerges as a promising avenue for sustainable development and offers an effective solution to environmental problems.Its attributes as a non-toxic,low-carbon,and economical substitute for conventional cement concrete,coupled with its elevated compressive strength and reduced shrinkage properties,position it as a pivotal material for diverse applications spanning from architectural structures to transportation infrastructure.In this context,this study sets out the task of using machine learning(ML)algorithms to increase the accuracy and interpretability of predicting the compressive strength of geopolymer concrete in the civil engineering field.To achieve this goal,a new approach using convolutional neural networks(CNNs)has been adopted.This study focuses on creating a comprehensive dataset consisting of compositional and strength parameters of 162 geopolymer concrete mixes,all containing Class F fly ash.The selection of optimal input parameters is guided by two distinct criteria.The first criterion leverages insights garnered from previous research on the influence of individual features on compressive strength.The second criterion scrutinizes the impact of these features within the model’s predictive framework.Key to enhancing the CNN model’s performance is the meticulous determination of the optimal hyperparameters.Through a systematic trial-and-error process,the study ascertains the ideal number of epochs for data division and the optimal value of k for k-fold cross-validation—a technique vital to the model’s robustness.The model’s predictive prowess is rigorously assessed via a suite of performance metrics and comprehensive score analyses.Furthermore,the model’s adaptability is gauged by integrating a secondary dataset into its predictive framework,facilitating a comparative evaluation against conventional prediction methods.To unravel the intricacies of the CNN model’s learning trajectory,a loss plot is deployed to elucidate its learning rate.The study culminates in compelling findings that underscore the CNN model’s accurate prediction of geopolymer concrete compressive strength.To maximize the dataset’s potential,the application of bivariate plots unveils nuanced trends and interactions among variables,fortifying the consistency with earlier research.Evidenced by promising prediction accuracy,the study’s outcomes hold significant promise in guiding the development of innovative geopolymer concrete formulations,thereby reinforcing its role as an eco-conscious and robust construction material.The findings prove that the CNN model accurately estimated geopolymer concrete’s compressive strength.The results show that the prediction accuracy is promising and can be used for the development of new geopolymer concrete mixes.The outcomes not only underscore the significance of leveraging technology for sustainable construction practices but also pave the way for innovation and efficiency in the field of civil engineering.

Analysis of the Relationship between Mechanical Properties and Pore Structure of MSW Incineration Bottom Ash Fine Aggregate Concrete after Freeze-Thaw Cycles Based on the Gray Theory

The destruction of concrete building materials in severely cold regions of the north is more severely affected by freeze-thaw cycles,and the relationship between the mechanical properties and pore structure of concrete with fine aggregate from municipal solid waste(MSW)incineration bottom ash after freeze-thaw cycles is analyzed under the degree of freeze-thaw hazard variation.In this paper,the gray correlation method is used to calculate the correlation between the relative dynamic elastic modulus,compressive strength,and microscopic porosity parameters to speculate on the most important factors affecting their changes.The GM(1,1)model was established based on the compressive strength of the waste incineration ash aggregate concrete,the relative error between the simulated and actual values in the model was less than 5%,and the accuracy of the model was level 1,indicating that the GM(1,1)model can well reflect the change in the compressive strength of the MSW incineration bottom ash aggregate concrete during freeze-thaw cycles.Using the gray correlation method,the correlation between the relative dynamic elastic modulus,compressive strength,air content,specific surface area,pore spacing coefficient,and pore average chord length was calculated,and the pore spacing coefficient and pore average chord length were determined to be highly correlated with each other.This determination can help analyze and infer the deterioration mechanism of concrete subject to freeze-thaw cycles.These results can provide a theoretical basis for guiding the engineering practice of concrete with fine aggregates of household bottom ash in the northern cold region.

Effectiveness of Rice Husk and Sugarcane Bagasse Ashes Blended Cement in Improving Properties of Concrete

This paper emphasized the use of rice husk ash (RHA) and sugarcane bagasse ash (SBA) in improving concrete properties, and also their combined effects on workability, compressive strength, flexural strength, permeability and water absorption capacity. Thus, in this study, the water-to-cement ratio was kept constant (0.45), the binder materials content for conventional mix was kept constant at (350 kg/m3) and the partial replacement of cement with RHASBA used was 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30% by weight of cement. The maximum compressive strength was noted at a 5% replacement level of cement with RHASBA. The Results showed that the optimum replacement of cement with RHASBA in concrete was 5%, which was found to increase the compressive strength by 15%, flexural strength by 3.4%, lowered permeability by 50%, lowered sorptivity by 11.34% as compared with control concrete at 90 days of curing time. The micro-structural test results further established that RHA and SBA have a high content of SiO2 which enables them to be more reactive in concrete and also revealed that the presence of RHASBA depletes Ca(OH)2 crystals, converting it into CaH2O4Si (C-S-H gel) leading to the strengthening of bond within the concrete matrix.

Effectiveness of Rice Husk and Sugarcane Bagasse Ashes Blended Cement in Improving Properties of Concrete

This paper emphasized the use of rice husk ash (RHA) and sugarcane bagasse ash (SBA) in improving concrete properties, and also their combined effects on workability, compressive strength, flexural strength, permeability and water absorption capacity. Thus, in this study, the water-to-cement ratio was kept constant (0.45), the binder materials content for conventional mix was kept constant at (350 kg/m3) and the partial replacement of cement with RHASBA used was 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30% by weight of cement. The maximum compressive strength was noted at a 5% replacement level of cement with RHASBA. The Results showed that the optimum replacement of cement with RHASBA in concrete was 5%, which was found to increase the compressive strength by 15%, flexural strength by 3.4%, lowered permeability by 50%, lowered sorptivity by 11.34% as compared with control concrete at 90 days of curing time. The micro-structural test results further established that RHA and SBA have a high content of SiO2 which enables them to be more reactive in concrete and also revealed that the presence of RHASBA depletes Ca(OH)2 crystals, converting it into CaH2O4Si (C-S-H gel) leading to the strengthening of bond within the concrete matrix.

Tests on Alkali-Activated Slag Foamed Concrete with Various Water-Binder Ratios and Substitution Levels of Fly Ash

To provide basic data for the reasonable mixing design of the alkali-activated (AA) foamed concrete as a thermal insulation material for a floor heating system, 9 concrete mixes with a targeted dry density less than 400 kg/m3 were tested. Ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) as a source material was activated by the following two types of alkali activators: 10% Ca(OH)2 and 4% Mg(NO3)2, and 2.5% Ca(OH)2 and 6.5% Na2SiO3. The main test parameters were water-to-binder (W/B) ratio and the substitution level (RFA) of fly ash (FA) for GGBS. Test results revealed that the dry density of AA GGBS foamed concrete was independent of the W/B ratio an RFA, whereas the compressive strength increased with the decrease in W/B ratio and with the increase in RFA up to 15%, beyond which it decreased. With the increase in the W/B ratio, the amount of macro capillaries and artificial air pores increased, which resulted in the decrease of compressive strength. The magnitude of the environmental loads of the AA GGBS foamed concrete is independent of the W/B ratio and RFA. The largest reduction percentage was found in the photochemical oxidation potential, being more than 99%. The reduction percentage was 87% - 93% for the global warming potential, 81% - 84% for abiotic depletion, 79% - 84% for acidification potential, 77% - 85% for eutrophication potential, and 73% - 83% for human toxicity potential. Ultimately, this study proved that the developed AA GGBS foamed concrete has a considerable promise as a sustainable construction material for nonstructural element.

Compressive Strength, Pore Size Distribution and Chloride-ion Penetration of Recycled Aggregate Concrete Incorporating Class-F Fly Ash

The effects of fly ash on the compressive strength, pore size distribution and chloride-ion penetration of recycled aggregate concrete were investigated. Two series of concrete mixtures were prepared. The concrete mixtures in series I had a water-to-binder ratio and a cement content of 0.55 and 410 kg/m^3, respectively. The concrete mixtures in series II had a water-to-binder ratio and a cement content of 0.45 and 400 kg/m^3 respectively. Recycled aggregate was used as 20%, 50%, and 100% replacements of natural coarse aggregate in the concrete mixtures in both series. In addition, fly ash was used as 0%, 25% and 35% by weight replacements of cement. The results show that the compressive strengths of the concrete decreased as the recycled aggregate and the fly ash contents increased. The total porosity and average porosity diameter of the concrete increased as the recycled aggregate content increased. Furthermore, an increase in the recycled aggregate content decreased the resistance to chloride ion penetration. Nevertheless, the replacement of cement by 25% fly ash improved the resistance to chloride ion penetration and pore diameters and reduced the total porosity of the recycled aggregate concrete.

Two-and Three-Dimensional Chloride Ingress into Fly Ash Concrete

2D,3D chloride ion concentration at the edge and corner zones were systematically investigated for fly ash concretes made with different cement replacement percentage by fly ash (0%,10%,20%,40%,60%),water to binder ratios (0.3,0.35,0.4),and curing ages (28 d,90 d).An interaction effect caused by 2D and 3D diffusion could obviously be observed through the comparison with 1D testing results.In order to quantify the interaction effect,2D and 3D diffusion interaction coefficients was proposed in this paper.Finally,the changes of 2D and 3D interaction coefficients with the change in the free chloride ion concentration were given.The above research provide an insight into chloride ion attack on the edge and corner reinforcing bars of concrete structures in the field of civil engineering.

Recycled Aggregate Pervious Concrete: Analysis of Influence of Water-Cement Ratio and Fly Ash under Single Action and Optimal Design of Mix Proportion

Pervious concrete is recommended,which is of great benefit to the ecological environment and human living environment.In this paper,the influences of five water-cement ratios and four fly ash contents to replace the cement by mass with a water-cement ratio of 0.30 on the properties of Recycled Aggregate Pervious Concrete(RAPC)were studied.Following this,based on the Grey relational-Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution(TOPSIS)optimization method,the strength,permeability,abrasion loss rate,and material costs of RAPC were adopted as evaluation indices to establish a mix proportion optimization model.The results show that the increase of water-cement ratio and fly ash replacement level of RAPC leads to decreased compres-sive strength while an increase in the permeability and abrasion loss rate.According to test results based on the optimal model 0.30 was identified as the best mix proportion.In addition,ecological-economic analysis of RAPC raw materials was carried out by comparing different natural aggregates.The results of EE(embodied energy)and ECO 2e(embodied CO_(2) emission)pointed out that the combination of recycled aggregate and fly ash leads to sig-nificant ecological and economic benefits.

Influence of fly ash on early-age cracking behavior of high-flowing concrete

The effects of quality and content of fly ash on the early-age cracking behavior of high-flowing concrete(HFC)were investigated.The early-age cracking behavior of the HFC was analyzed by combining the tests of evaporation capacity and electrical resistivity of the HFC.In these tests,a modified flat-type specimen was adopted.The results show that the HFC will have a lower evaporation capacity when it is mixed with fine fly ash,while it will have a higher evaporation capacity when grade III fly ash is used as mineral admixture.And the electrical resistivity rate of HFC reduces with the increase of the content of fly ash.A nonlinear relationship exists between the cracking time of HFC and the minimum electrical resistivity.The early-age cracking behavior of HFC with fly ash can be enhanced by appropriately increasing the fine particle content and MgO,K2O,and SO3 contents of fly ash.The optimal content of fly ash,which makes a satisfied early-age cracking behavior of HFC,is obtained.And when the content of fly ash exceeds a critical value,the early-age cracking behavior of HFC will rapidly decrease.

Accelerated Carbonation Assessment of High-Volume Fly Ash Concrete

The issue of concrete carbonation has gained importance in recent years due to the increase use in supplementary cementing materials (SCMs) in concrete mixtures. While there is general agreement that concrete carbonation progresses at maximum at a relative humidity of about 60%, the rate may differ in the case of cements blended with SCMs, especially with high-volume fly ash replacements. In this study, the effect of high-volume fly ash concrete exposed to low ambient relative humidity (RH) conditions (57%) and accelerated carbonation (4% CO2) is investigated. Twenty-three concrete mixtures were produced varying in cementitious contents (310, 340, 370, and 400 kg/m3), water-to-cementitious materials ratio (0.45 and 0.50), and fly ash content (0%, 15%, 30%, and 50%) using a low and high-calcium fly ash. The specimens were allowed 1 and 7 days of moist curing and monitored for their carbonation rate and depth through phenolphthalein measurements up to 105 days of exposure. The accelerated carbonation test results indicated that increasing the addition of fly ash also led to increasing the depth of carbonation. Mixtures incorporating high-calcium fly ash were also observed to be more resistant against carbonation than low-calcium fly ash due to the higher calcium oxide (CaO) content. However, mixtures incorporating high-volume additions (50%) specimens were fully carbonated regardless of the type of fly ash used. It was evident that the increase in the duration of moist curing from 1 day to 7 days had a positive effect, reducing the carbonation depth for both plain and blended fly ash concrete mixes, however, this effect was minimal in high-volume fly ash mixtures. The results demonstrated that the water-to-cementitious ratio (W/CM) had a more dramatic impact on carbonation resistance than the curing age for mixtures incorporating 30% or less fly ash replacement, whereas those mixtures incorporating 50% showed minor differences regardless of curing age or W/CM. Based on the compressive strength results, carbonation depth appeared to decrease with increase in compressive strength, but this correlation was not significant.

Effect of Fly Ash on Frost-Resistance and Chloride Ions Diffusion Properties of Marine Concrete

It is necessary to pay more attention to the durability of concrete undergoing freeze-thaw cycles and seawater attack simultaneously.Investigated are the effects of water-binder ratio,fly ash(FA)contents and air-entraining agent on resistance to frost and chloride diffusion of marine concrete blended with FA in natural seawater.The results show that fly ash does not improve the frost resistance of concrete but can improve its resistance to chloride diffusion by addition of less than 30%.The resistance to frost and chloride diffusion of FA concrete can be improved with the decrease of water-binder ratio,and FA may improve both of them simultaneously only being mixed with air-entraining agent.A ratio(named as R)of the frost-resisting durability factor to chloride diffusion coefficient can be used to evaluate the durability of marine concrete.Scanning electron microscope(SEM)analyses are consistent with the evaluations by the value of R.

Assessment of Curing Efficiency and Effect of Moist Curing on Performance of Fly Ash Concrete

This study was conducted to evaluate the sensitivity of compressive strength,water permeability and electrical resistance of near-surface layer concrete with different fly ash contents to curing conditions.It is shown that the sensitivity to curing condition and fly ash content descends in the following order:difference between internal and surface resistivity (ρ) at 28 days,water permeability and compressive strength;both of longer duration of moist curing and use of fly ash in concrete enhanced the water penetration resistance.It is indicated that the resistivity difference ρ at 28 days can reflect accurately the curing history of fly ash concrete regardless of mix proportions;and use of fly ash in concrete requires longer moist curing duration.

Preparation of Reactive Powder Concrete Using Fly Ash and Steel Slag Powder

To decrease the cement and SF content of RPC by using ultra-fine fly ash (UFFA) and steel slag powder (SS), the effect of these mineral admixtures on compressive strength of RPC were investigated. The experimental results indicate that the utilization of UFFA and SS in RPC is feasible and has prominent mechanical performance. The microstructure analysis (SEM and TG-DTG-DSC) demonstrated that the excellent mechanical properties of RPC containing SS and UFFA were mainly attributed to the sequential hydration filling effect of the compound system.

Environmental and Cost Advantages of Using Polyethylene Terephthalate Fibre Reinforced Concrete with Fly Ash as a Partial Cement Replacement

Solid waste disposal is an alarming problem in most African countries. Plastic wastes like Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles and powdered wastes like fly ash are severely persisting environmental hazards. They are brutally polluting the water bodies, landfills, as well as the atmosphere. The construction industry has been working towards improving concrete quality by developing alternative methods like partial cement replacement with different pozzolanic elements as well as using waste fibrous materials. Fly ash and PET bottle fibres are two common waste materials that can be used. This article is a part of a research that studied the combined effects of the addition of PET bottle fibres and fly ash (as a partial cement replacement) on the structural performance of concrete. From a purely engineering point of view, the research results indicate that the utilization and incorporation of PET and fly ash wastes in the construction industry are a viable solution to make concrete quality better. This article presents, beyond the engineering properties and experimental works, the economic and environmental advantages of the addition of these waste materials to the conventional concrete mixture. The addition of PET bottle fibres and fly ash resulted in positive cost implications providing a production cost reduction of 19% over the conventional concrete mixture. The removal of these materials from the environment also showed reduction of the emission of toxic elements to landfills and water bodies that put human, animal and plant lives in danger.

Effect of Fly Ash and Early Strength Agent on Durability of Concrete Exposed to the Cyclic Sulfate Environment

The effect of fly ash and early strength agent on resistance of concrete to the cyclic sulfate environment was studied.Concrete specimens made with ordinary portland cement or ordinary portland cement incorporating fly ash with the replacement of 10% or 20%,or 1% early strength agent and fly ash with the replacement of 20%,were made and subjected to 250 cycles of exposure to the cyclic sulfate environment.Concrete properties including loss of mass,chloride ion diffusion coefficient,compressive strength and flexural strength were measured.Microstructure and chemical component of samples were determined by means of X-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy.The experimental results indicated that effect of fly ash on the cyclic sulfate resistance of concretes was mostly dependent on the amount of fly ash.Early strength agent improved performances of concrete with 20% fly ash exposed to cyclic sulfate environment.

Research on the influence of the fly ash on the concrete carbonation

The influence of fly ash on the fresh properties, mechanical properties and carbonation properties were studied in this paper. The performance of a kind of curing agent which was applied to the hardened concrete surface was evaluated. Incorporating large volume of fly ash will risk the concrete carbonation. The curing agent could prevent the concrete carbonation, and the mechanism was explained.