Influence of zirconia and ground granulated blast furnace slag as supplementary cementitious materials on mechanical and durability performance of sustainable concrete

This paper investigates the mechanical and durability properties of OPC partially replaced by ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) and zirconia (ZrO 2 ). Zirconia was added at 1%, 3%, and 5% by weight of cement, while GGBS was used as a replacement at 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%. A detailed experimental program was performed to determine the mechanical performance by testing compressive strength, flexural strength, and split tensile strength. The rapid chloride penetration test (RCPT), sulfate expansion, drying shrinkage during different curing periods, water absorption, initial and final sorptivity measures were used to evaluate the durability parameters. Specifically, the significant decrease in drying shrinkage and chloride ion penetration showed that the microstructural integrity and long-term durability have been enhanced. The results of the study validate the use of optimal quantities of GGBS and zirconia to improve the performance of sustainable concrete, and provide ideas for practical application in challenging environments.