The engineering properties of silica fume and GGBS-based geopolymer mortars cured in elevated temperature

Geopolymer, a promising alternative to traditional portland cement, offers a wide range of sustainable applications in the construction industry. Geopolymer mortar presents a sustainable future by mitigating carbon dioxide emissions associated with cement production. This study aims to investigate the effect of using different minerals admixtures and different curing methods on the engineering properties of geopolymer mortar. The study also investigates the possibility of incorporating geopolymer concrete to develop construction with sustainability features. Five different mixes were prepared by utilizing various mineral admixtures in different ratios of silica fume (SF) and granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), M20-80 (20% SF and 80% GGBS), M80-20 (80% SF and 20% GGBS), M50-50 (50% SF and 50% GGBS), MS100 (100% GGBS), MSF100 (100% SF). The curing methods for each sample were investigated separately under ambient and oven temperatures (65 °C) for 7 and 28 days to determine the compressive and flexural strength of the samples. The results revealed that the compressive strength value of the mixes MS100, M50-50 and M80-20 in which the curing of ambient method is used show significant increment compared to the same mixes cured in oven temperature. The increment in compressive strength of the ambient curing method was 14.4%, 25.8% and 46.4% for the mixes of MS100, M50-50 and M80-20, compared to the oved curing method, respectively. However, the compressive strength value of the mix of M20-80 and MSF100 cured in oven temperature shows similar compressive strength compared to the ambient temperature curing method.