Geopolymer concrete using industrial byproducts

Abstract

Recently, researchers and technologists have been focusing their efforts on the development of environmentally friendly construction materials with particular attention on the utilisation of industrial waste materials in their manufacture for sustainable development. Geopolymer concrete is a material obtained from binders made out of an industrial waste such as fly ash but activated by commercially available alkaline solutions. Relatively large quantities of alkali effluents are being produced from paper and other poly-fibre industries worldwide. This preliminary paper reports the development of a fly ash-based geopolymer concrete with the partial replacement of alkaline solutions with an industrial effluent that is a byproduct of the fibre industry. Initial test results showed that geopolymer concrete of the order of 50 MPa could be produced by using such an effluent that was strengthened by commercially procured sodium hydroxide flakes and sodium silicate solution.