The Production of Rice Husk Ash and Blast Furnace Slag-Based Alkali-Activated Composites under High-Temperature Effects

Alkali-activated concretes offer several advantages over conventional Portland cement-based concretes, including environmental sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and improved permeability. The use of alkali-activated concretes, as a replacement for Portland cement, provides significant environmental benefits, such as reducing carbon dioxide emissions by up to 80%, and facilitates the recycling and reuse of industrial and agricultural by-products. This study focuses on the development of alkali-activated concrete by incorporating industrial by-products like blast furnace slag and rice husk ash. A mixture of alkali-activated concrete based on blast furnace slag will be prepared, with partial substitution of Portland cement by these by-products by weight. The study will investigate the effects of these substitutions on the flexural and compressive strengths of the concrete over periods of 7, 28, and 90 days, as well as its fire resistance at temperatures of 200, 400, 600, and 800°C. The aim of this research is to contribute to the advancement of alkali-activated concrete technology, promoting the use of industrial by-products in the creation of more sustainable and environmentally-friendly construction materials.