Proposing Several Model Techniques Including ANN and M5P-tree to Forecast the Stress at the Failure of Geopolymer Concrete Mixtures Incorporated Nano-silica

Geopolymers are innovative cementitious materials that can completely replace traditional Portland cement composites and have a lower carbon footprint than Portland cement. Recent efforts have been made to incorporate various nanomaterials, most notably nano-silica (nS), into geopolymer concrete (GPC) to improve the composite's properties and performance. Compression strength (CS) is one of the essential properties of all types of concrete composites, including geopolymer concrete. As a result, creating a credible model for forecasting concrete CS is critical for saving time, energy, and money, as well as providing guidance for scheduling the construction process and removing formworks. This paper presents a large amount of mixed design data correlated to mechanical strength using empirical correlations and neural networks. Several models, including artificial neural network, M5P-tree, linear regression, nonlinear regression, and multilogistic regression models were utilized to create models for forecasting the CS of GPC incorporated nS. In this case, about 207 tested CS values were collected from literature studies and then analyzed to promote the models. For the first time, eleven effective variables were employed as input model parameters during the modeling process, including the alkaline solution to binder ratio, binder content, fine and coarse aggregate content, NaOH and Na2SiO3 content, Na2SiO3/NaOH ratio, molarity, nS content, curing temperatures, and ages. The developed models were assessed using different statistical tools such as RMSE, MAE, SI, OBJ value, and R2. Results revealed that the ANN model estimated the CS of GPC incorporated nS more accurately than the other models. On the other hand, the alkaline solution to binder ratio, molarity, NaOH content, curing temperature, and ages were those parameters that have significant influences on the CS of GPC incorporated nS.

Effect of Silica Fume on the Rheological Properties of Cement Paste with Ultra-Low Water Binder Ratio

The effect of silica fume on the rheological properties of a cement–silica fume–high range water reducer–water mixture with ultra-low water binder ratio (CSHWM) was studied. The results indicate that the W/B ratio and silica fume content have different effects on the rheological parameters, including the yield stress, plastic viscosity, and hysteresis loop area. The shear-thickening influence of CSHWM decreased with the increased silica fume content. When the silica fume content increased from 0% to 35%, the mixture with W/B ratio of 0.19 and 0.23 changed from a dilatant fluid to a Newtonian fluid, and then to a pseudoplastic fluid. When the silica fume content was less than 15%, the yield stress was close to 0. With the increase of silica fume content, the yield stress increased rapidly. The plastic viscosity and hysteresis loop area decreased slightly with the addition of a small amount of silica fume, but increased significantly with the continuous increase of silica fume. Compared with the Bingham and modified Bingham models, the Herschel–Buckley model is more applicable for this CSHWM.

Mechanical Compression and Crushing Properties of a Straw-Lime Material

The aim of this study was to determine the compressive mechanical properties and the energy absorption characteristics of a bio-composite material based on lime, wheat straw, and additives (protein and entraining agent). The selected samples with fiber to binder ratio of 30% were subjected to compression tests at different strain rates (1 mm/min, 10 mm/min, and 100 mm/min), in the perpendicular and parallel directions to fiber orientation. Image analysis supported with Digital Image Correlation (DIC) method is performed to follow longitudinal and lateral deformations, thus making it possible to evaluate elastic properties. The results show that the highest density and compressive strength in the parallel direction are ~349 kg/m3 and ~0.101 MPa, respectively. The perpendicular specimens at 100 mm/min of speed test showed the highest values of densification strain, stress plateau, energy efficiency, and absorbed-energy of 47.27%, 0.32 MPa, 16.98 %, and 13.84 kJ/m2, respectively. The values of Young’s modulus identified with DIC are significantly different from those determined by the slope of the linear part of the stress-strain curve. A slight influence of strain rate on mechanical properties is observed.

Experimental Study on Preparation and Performance of Concrete With Large Content of Fly Ash

Producing concrete with large content of fly ash attracts increasing attention in low carbon building materials. In this paper, the fly-ash concrete (FAC) with a content of fly ash no less than 50% total weight of binders was developed. The adaptability of fly ash used for concrete was firstly examined by testing the water requirement of normal consistency and the setting time for cement fly-ash paste, and the strengths of cement fly-ash mortar at the curing age of 7 and 28 days. The factors of water-to-binder ratio from 0.3 to 0.5, the content of fly-ash from 40% to 80%, and the excitation measures with additional Ca(OH)2 and steam curing at initial were considered. After that, the FAC was designed by adding an excessive content of fly ash to reduce the water-to-binder ratio from 0.50 to 0.26, and the content of fly-ash varied from 52% to 60%. Results show that the cement fly-ash paste presented a reduction of water requirement and an elongation of setting time with the increased content of fly ash. This provides a foundation of maintaining the workability of fresh FAC with a decreased water-to-binder ratio by adding the excessive content of fly ash. The cement fly-ash mortar had a lower early strength due to the slow reaction of fly-ash with Ca(OH)2, which could be improved by steam curing at the initial 24 h due to the excitation of fly-ash activity. At curing age of 28 days, the FAC had the expected axial compressive strength and modulus of elasticity, but the tensile strength was lower than predicted. At the curing age of 56 days, all the basic mechanical properties of FAC reached the prediction. The resistances of FAC to chloride ion penetration and carbonization were realized at a very high level as specified in codes.

Effect of Mix Proportions on Fresh and Rheological Properties of Cementitious Mixture Containing Natural Fibre: Modelling Using Factorial Design

This paper aims to discuss the influence of mix composition of cement mortar on fresh and rheological properties of cement mortar. Two different natural fibres, basalt (BA) and sisal (SL) are selected based on fresh and rheological behaviour for its usability in a cementitious mixture. The workability and rheological behaviour are evaluated by flow table test, cone penetrometer and slump test of the mixture. A full factorial design method was used to investigate the effects of four mix components: dosage of cement content (B), percentage of fly-ash (FA) by mass of cement, dosage of basalt fibre (BA) and dosage of superplasticizer (SP) along with a water/binder ratio of 0.41. A mathematical model which predicts the main effect and interactions of these components for each of the measured properties are derived using the factorial design. The proposed mixtures consist of two levels of binder content as 550 kg/m3 and 650 kg/m3, FA as 5% and 20% by mass of cement, BA as 1 kg/m3 to 3 kg/m3 and SP as 2 kg/m3 to 4 kg/m3. By reducing the number of test batches needed, the mathematical models produced with this method can expedite optimizing the mixture proportions of cement mortar to achieve desired fresh and rheological properties.

Enhanced Metakaolin Reactivity in Blended Cement with Additional Calcium Hydroxide

This study aims to increase the pozzolanic reactivity of metakaolin (MK) in Portland cement (PC) blends by adding additional calcium hydroxide (CH_add) to the initial mixture. Cement paste samples were prepared with PC, MK and water with a water-to-binder ratio of 0.6. Cement replacement ratios were chosen from 5 to 40 wt.% MK. For higher replacement ratios, i.e., 20, 30 and 40 wt.% MK, CH_add was included in the mixture. CH_add-to-MK ratios of 0.1, 0.25 and 0.5 were investigated. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was carried out to study the pozzolanic reactivity after 1, 7, 28 and 56 days of hydration. A modified mass balance approach was used to normalize thermogravimetric data and to calculate the calcium hydroxide (CH) consumption of samples with CH_add. Results showed that, without CH_add, a replacement ratio of 30 wt.% or higher results in the complete consumption of CH after 28 days at the latest. In these samples, the pozzolanic reaction of MK turned out to be restricted by the amount of CH available from the cement hydration. The increased amount of CH in the samples with CH_add resulted in an enhanced pozzolanic reaction of MK as confirmed by CH consumption measurements from TGA.

Compressive Strength and Chloride Ion Permeability Test of Concrete Incorporating Fly Ash and GGBS with Diverse Water Binder Ratio

In this study conventional concrete of M40 grade developed with diverse water binder ratio and fixed optimum dosage of 30% mineral admixture fly ash and GGBS with weight of cement .Compression test has been conducted on cube samples and Rapid Chloride permeability test (RCPT) are conducted on cylindrical specimens to acknowledge durability parameter. Compression test results has been enhanced with replacement of supplementary cementitious materials and chloride ion permeability has been reduced with substitution of fly ash and GGBS .incremental of water binder ratio also reduce the permeability value however compression value increased

Effect of the water/binder ratio on the hydration process of Portland cement pastes with silica fume and metakaolin

abstract: The microstructure of cement pastes is important to understand the effect of some parameters in the hydration process. In this context, this study had as objective to evaluate the effect of different water/binder (w/b) ratios in the hydration process of cementitious pastes produced with and without incorporation of silica fume and metakaolin. The pastes were obtained with water/binder ratios of 0.3, 0.4 e 0.5, with replacement, by weight, of Portland cement for silica fume and metakaolin, in the contents of 10% and 20%, respectively. It was performed the X-ray diffraction test of the pastes in the ages of 1, 3, 7, and 28 days, to evaluate the hydration evolution of the cementitious materials. According to the results obtained, it was observed that the cementitious pastes presented similar mineralogical phases, except for the pastes containing metakaolin due to the formation of new aluminate phases. With the increase of the water/binder ratio, the pozzolanic reactions and hydration occurred in greater proportion, standing out the metakaolin with greater reactivity.

Early-Age Mechanical Properties of 3D-Printed Mortar with Spent Garnet

This study determines the effect of spent garnet as a replacement for natural sand in 3D-printed mortar at early ages. Five mixes with different spent garnet amounts were prepared (0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% by volume). The ratio of binder to aggregate remained unchanged. In all mixes the water/binder ratio was assumed as a constant value of 0.375. Tests were performed to confirm the printability of the mix (a path quality test using a gantry robot with an extruder). Determinations of key buildability properties of the mix (green strength and Young’s Modulus) during uniaxial compressive strength at 15 min, 30 min and 45 min after adding water were conducted. A hydraulic press and the GOM ARAMIS precision image analysis system were used to conduct the study. The results showed that an increase in spent garnet content caused a decrease in green strength and Young’s Modulus (up to 69.91% and 80.37%, respectively). It was found that to maintain proper buildability, the recommended maximum replacement rate of natural sand with garnet is 50%. This research contributes new knowledge in terms of using recycled waste in the 3D printing technology of cementitious materials.