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Optimum mix for the geopolymer concrete

Article in Indian Journal of Science and Technology · March 2012

DOI: 10.17485/ijst/2012/v5i3.8

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Indian Journal of Science and Technology Vol. 5 No. 3 (Mar 2012) ISSN: 0974- 6846

Optimum mix for the geopolymer concrete

M.I. Abdul Aleem1* and P.D. Arumairaj2

1
*Department of Civil Engineering, Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Technology, Coimbatore –641010, India
2
Department of Civil Engineering, Government. College of Technology, Coimbatore -641013, India
aleemces@gmail.com*, arumairajcbe@gmail.com

Abstract
Geopolymer concrete utilizes an alternate material including fly ash as binding material in place of cement. This fly ash
reacts with alkaline solution (e.g., NaOH) and Sodium Silicate (Na2SiO3) to form a gel which binds the fine and coarse
aggregates. Since Geopolymer concrete is the emerging field, the guidelines from the Bureau of Indian Standards are
yet to be formulated. An attempt has been made to find out an optimum mix for the Geopolymer concrete. Concrete
cubes of size 150 x 150 x 150 mm were prepared and cured under steam curing for 24 hours. The compressive
strength was found out at 7 days and 28 days. The results are compared. The optimum mix is Fly ash: Fine aggregate:
Coarse aggregate (1:1.5:3.3) with a solution (NaoH & Na2SiO3 combined together) to fly ash ratio of 0.35. High and
early strength was obtained in the Geopolymer concrete mix.

Keywords: Geopolymer concrete, optimum mix ratio

Introduction presented in Table 1. The reaction of fly ash with an
Geopolymer cement (Davidovits, 1984, 2008, 2010) aqueous solution containing Sodium Hydroxide and
represents a broad range of materials characterized by Sodium Silicate in their mass ratio, results in a material
networks of inorganic molecule. The fly ash which has with three dimensional polymeric chain and ring structure
high content of Silica (Si) and Alumina (Al) reacts with consisting of Si-O-Al-O bonds, as follows:
alkaline solution like Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) or
Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) and Sodium Silicate Mn [-(SiO2) z–AlO2] n . wH2O
(Na2SiO3) or Potassium Silicate (K2SiO3) and forms a gel
which binds the fine and coarse aggregates. Geopolymer where M is a monovalent cation such as potassium or
concrete do not require any water for matrix bonding, Sodium, the symbol – indicates the presence of a bond, n
instead the alkaline solution react with Silicon and is the degree of polycondensation or polymerization and
Aluminium present in the flyash. The polymerisation z is 1, 2,3 or higher, as reported earlier (Hardjito D,
process involves a substantially fast chemical reaction Wallah et al., 2004; Van Chanh Bui et al., 2008).
under alkaline condition on Si-Al minerals. The schematic formation of geopolymer material can be
Fig 1. SEM image of fly ash
shown in Fig.2, as described by Equations (A) and (B).
Mix design
The mix ratio proposed by Dr. B.Vijaya Rangan of
Curtin University, Australia (Van Chanh Bui et al., 2008;
Wallah & Rangan, 2006) was taken as a base mix.
Different mix proportions were used to find out the
compressive strength for optimisation.

Fig. 2. The schematic formation of Geopolymer Concrete

Constituents of fly ash and the chemical reaction

The fly ash was obtained from Thermal Power
Station, Mettur, Tamil Nadu, India. This fly ash is of class
F. The SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) analysis
was carried out and the image is presented in Fig.1. An
EDAX (Energy Dispersive and X-ray Technique) test was
carried out on the fly ash and the constituents are
Research article “Geopolymer concrete” M.I.A.Aleem & P.D.Arumailraj
©Indian Society for Education and Environment (iSee) http://www.indjst.org Indian J.Sci.Technol.
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Indian Journal of Science and Technology Vol. 5 No. 3 (Mar 2012) ISSN: 0974- 6846

Table 1. Constituents of fly ash the sodium silicate solution and the sodium hydroxide
Element App. Intensity Weight Weight Atomic solution were mixed together one day prior to the use in
Const. % % Sigma % preparing the geopolymer concrete. This is followed in
C 4.29 0.2747 8.34 2.52 13.15 this study. The ratio of sodium silicate solution to sodium
O 82.17 0.8606 50.95 1.50 60.32 hydroxide solution was fixed as 2.5%.
Mg 0.55 0.7768 0.37 0.09 0.29
Al 22.96 0.8770 13.98 0.46 9.81 Mixing of Geopolymer concrete: The fly ash, fine
Si 31.76 0.7869 21.54 0.67 14.53 aggregates and coarse aggregates were mixed manually
K 1.50 0.9855 0.81 0.09 0.39 in a container and then the alkaline solution was added to
Ca 0.91 0.9496 0.51 0.08 0.24 prepare the geopolymer concrete. The geopolymer
Ti 1.90 0.8092 1.26 0.13 0.50 concrete was placed in 150 mm cube moulds in three
Fe 3.44 0.8193 2.24 0.19 0.76 layers and each layer was compacted by giving 25 blows
with a 25mm tamping rod. The Geopolymer concrete was
Materials used dark in colour with shiny appearance as shown in Fig.3
The fine aggregates (karur sand) were obtained from and a workable mix.
the local supplier at Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. The
coarse aggregates were collected from a local approved Table 2. Trial mix - I (1 : 1.3 : 3.10 )
3
Crusher Unit, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. Materials Kg/ m
Sodiumium Hydroxide (NaOH) is available in the local Fly ash (Class F) 408.00
market in pellet form. 10 Molar solution was used. Since Fine sand 530.40
the molecular weight of Sodium Hydroxide is 40, and in Coarse aggregate (20mm in size) 1264.80
order to prepare 10 molar solution 10 x 40= 400 gms of Sodium silicate solution 103.00
Sodium Hydroxide was dissolved in 1000 ml of water. Sodium hydroxide solution(10 41
Sodium Silicate (Na2SiO3) is also commercially Molar)
available in the market. The sodium silicate solution (A53)
with a ratio of SiO2 to Na2O is approximately 2 was used. Table 3. Trial Mix - II (1 : 1.4 : 3.20)
3
Materials Kg/ m
That is 29.4% SiO2, 14.7 % Na2O and 55.9 % of water.
Fly ash (Class F) 408.00
Mix proportions Fine sand 571.20
Coarse aggregate (20mm in size) 1305.60
The previous studies on Geopolymer concrete ((Van
Sodium silicate solution 103.00
Chanh Bui et al., 2008; Wallah & Rangan, 2006)) used a
Sodium hydroxide solution(10 Molar) 41.00
mix proportion of fly ash: Fine Aggregate: Coarse
Aggregate are 1:1.35:3.17 with a solution (NaOH & Table 4.Trial Mix - III (1 : 1.5 : 3.3)
Na2SiO3 combined together) to fly ash ratio of 0.35. Four Materials 3
Kg/ m
trail mixes were arrived by slightly modifying the
Fly ash (Class F) 408.00
quantities of fine and coarse aggregates. The proposed Fine sand 612.00
mix ratios are: Trial Mix I - : 1:1.3 : 3.10; Trial Mix II - : Coarse aggregate (20mm in size) 1346.40
1:1.4 : 3.20; Trial Mix III- : 1:1.5 : 3.30; Trial Mix IV- : 1:1.6 Sodium silicate solution 103.00
: 3.40. For all the four trial mixes, the solution to fly ash Sodium hydroxide solution(10 Molar) 41.00
ration was kept same as 0.35. The exact quantities for 1
cubic metre are presented in Table 2, 3, 4 and 5. Table 5. Trial Mix - IV (1 : 1.6 : 3.4)
3
Materials Kg/ m
Preparation of alkaline solution: Prof. Davidovits, Fly ash (Class F) 408.00
(Geopolymer Institute, France) has recommended that Fine sand 652.80
Fig. 3. Preparation of Geopolymer concrete Coarse aggregate (20mm in size) 1387.20
Sodium silicate solution 103.00
Sodium hydroxide solution(10 Molar) 41.00

Curing
The previous studies on Geopolymer concrete
revealed that geopolymer concrete did not attain any
strength at room temperature or by water curing. The
Geopolymer concrete will harden at steam curing or hot
air curing and the minimum curing period shall be 24
hours. After casting the specimens, they were kept in rest
period in room temperature for 2 days. The term ‘Rest
Period’ was coined to indicate the time taken from the
completion of casting of test specimen to the start of
Research article “Geopolymer concrete” M.I.A.Aleem & P.D.Arumailraj
©Indian Society for Education and Environment (iSee) http://www.indjst.org Indian J.Sci.Technol.
 2301

Indian Journal of Science and Technology Vol. 5 No. 3 (Mar 2012) ISSN: 0974- 6846

curing at an elevated temperature. The geopolymer solution (NaoH & Na2SiO3 combined together) to fly ash
concrete was demoulded and then placed in an autoclave ratio of 0.35.
for steam curing for 24 hours at a temperature of 60oC.
The cubes were then allowed to cool in room temperature References
for 24 hours. 1. Davidovits J (1984) Pyramids of Egypt made of
Table 6. Compressive strength (N/mm2) in 7 days man-made Stone, Myth or fact. Symp. on
Archaeometry. Smithsonian Institution,
Trial Mix I Trial Mix II Trial Mix III Trial Mix IV
Washington, DC.
(1 : 1.3 : 3.10) (1 : 1.4 : 3.20) 1 : 1.5 : 3.3 (1 : 1.6 : 3.4)
32.0 43.5 47.0 42.0 2. Davidovits J (2008) Geopolymer chemistry and
36.5 42.5 48.5 41.5 applications. Institut Géopolymère, Saint-Quentin,
38.0 41.0 48.0 39.8 France.
Values in parentheses represent the ratio of mix 3. Davidovits J (2010) What Is a Geopolymer?
Introduction. Institut Géopolymère, Saint-Quentin,
Compressive Strength Test France. Accessed on January 29 at
The cube specimens were tested in a compressive http://www.geopolymer.org/science/introduction.
testing machine having 2000kN capacity in accordance 4. Hardjito D, Wallah S, Sumajouw DMJ and Rangan
with the Bureau of Indian Standard test procedures. The BV (2004) On the development of fly ash–based
compression test results are tabulated in Table 6 & 7. The geopolymer Concrete. ACI. Mater. J, 101 (6), 467–
results of 28 days compressive strength is presented in 472.
Fig. 4. 5. Van Chanh Bui, Dang Trung and Dang Van Tuan
(2008) Recent research geopolymer concrete-
Table 7. Compressive strength (N/mm2) in 28 days Nguyen during the 3rd ACF Int.Conf.-ACF/VCA.
Trial Mix I Trial Mix II Trial Mix III Trial Mix IV 6. Wallah SE and Rangan BV (2006) Low calcium fly
(1 : 1.3 : 3.10) (1 : 1.4 : 3.20) (1 : 1.5 : 3.3) (1 : 1.6 : 3.4) ash based geopolymer concrete–Long term
37.33 47.11 51.55 48.88
properties. Res. Report-GC2, Curtin University,
39.11 48.0 53.33 49.33
Australia. pp:76-80.
42.66 47.55 52.44 48.00
Values in parentheses represent the ratio of mix

Fig. 4. Compressive strength of various mixes

Results and discussion

The Geopolymer concrete showed high performance
with respect to the strength. The Geopolymer concrete
was a good workable mix. High early strength was
obtained in the Geopolymer concrete mix. The increase
in percentage of fine aggregates and coarse aggregates
increased the compressive strength up to the optimum
level. This may be due to the high bonding between the
aggregates and alkaline solution. The compressive
strength was found reduced beyond the optimum mix.
This may be due to the increase in volume of voids
between the aggregates. The optimum mix is- Fly ash:
Fine aggregate: Coarse aggregate are 1:1.5:3.3 with a

Research article “Geopolymer concrete” M.I.A.Aleem & P.D.Arumailraj

©Indian Society for Education and Environment (iSee) http://www.indjst.org Indian J.Sci.Technol.

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