Study on Influence of Various Factors on the Properties of Geopolymer Concrete Produced from Industrial By-Products

Large amounts of carbon dioxide and other gases are produced during the Portland cement manufacturing process. When these gases are released into the atmosphere, pollution results, which leads to environmental deterioration. For environmental sustainability, it is crucial to find a viable alternative solution to lessen the environmental damage caused by the usage of Portland cement. Conversely, fly ash, a waste product of coal-based thermal power plants, is widely accessible but presents disposal challenges. Using a cementitious substance like fly ash instead of Portland cement in concrete has advantages for the environment. In order to create geopolymer concrete, a new sustainable concrete, all of the cement is replaced with fly ash that has been treated and chemically activated using alkaline solutions containing sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and sodium silicate (Na2SiO3). This thesis examines how the compressive strength of fly ash-based geopolymer concrete is affected by a number of variables, including the ratio of alkaline liquid to fly ash, the molarity of NaOH, the curing temperature, and the curing hours. The foundational ingredient for creating geopolymer concrete is fly ash, which is activated by an alkaline solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate. The present investigation employed the following test variables: the molarities of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) 12M, 4M, 16M, and 18M; the ratio of NaOH to sodium silicate (Na2SiO3) 2.5; and the alkaline liquid to fly ash ratios of 0.35, 0.40, 0.45, and 0.50. It is also absorbed that compressive strength is remarkably affected by the curing hours and curing temperature. When curing temperature is increases, the compressive strength is also increases and it requires less curing period to gain the higher strength. Key Words: Fly ash, geopolymer concrete, alkaline liquid, density, compressive strength.