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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Construction and Building Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 May 2024) | Viewed by 15607

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Mohamed K. Ismail

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Guest Editor

1. Department of Civil Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L7, Canada
2. Department of Structural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
Interests: concrete structures; sustainable materials; high-performance composites; artificial intelligence; steel structures
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Dr. Ahmed A. Elansary

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Guest Editor

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
Interests: concrete structures; seismic analysis; materials; artificial intelligence
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Dr. Eslam Gomaa

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Guest Editor

Department of Civil, Architectural. and Environmental Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO, USA
Interests: concrete structure; sustainable materials; geopolymer concrete; 3D-printing concrete; machine learning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Special Issue, “Geopolymers and Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Composites”, will address advances in characterization, processing, scale-up, testing, and commercialization of various types of geopolymers and alkali-activated materials, as well as fiber-reinforced concrete composites. In this Special Issue, we welcome all research articles, case studies, and reviews aimed at enriching the available knowledge regarding such high-performance construction materials and highlighting the latest findings at both the material and structural levels. Topics of interest include but are not limited to the following:

Application of steel, carbon, and polymeric fibers in concrete;
Fiber-reinforced concrete and high-performance cement-based composites;
Fiber hybridization;
Fire resistance;
Fresh, mechanical, and durability properties;
Impact strength, bond, shear, flexural, cyclic, and cracking behavior;
Geopolymers and alkali-activated materials (i.e., concrete, mortar, adhesives) for different market applications;
Natural and recycled fibers;
Numerical modeling;
Repair applications;
Proposing new classes of geopolymers and fiber-reinforced concrete;
Small- and large-scale testing.

Dr. Mohamed K. Ismail
Dr. Ahmed A. Elansary
Dr. Eslam Gomaa
Guest Editors

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Keywords

alkali-activated materials
concrete
fibers
geopolymers
green construction materials
strength and durability
structural capabilities
sustainability

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 2863 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Performance-Based Test for Mitigating the Risk of Geopolymer Concrete Surface Efflorescence Due to Alkali Leaching

by Mahdi Babaee and Arnaud Castel

Materials 2024, 17(15), 3647; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17153647 - 24 Jul 2024

Viewed by 651

Abstract

Geopolymer concretes are considered to be a potential sustainable, low-embodied carbon alternative for Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) concrete. Alkali leaching is considered to be a major esthetic concern for Na-silicate-based geopolymers as it can lead to the formation of efflorescence products on the surfaces of concrete members exposed to humidity. In this context, this research aims to investigate the effect of the alkali content and the FA/GGBS mass ratio on the alkali leaching and formation of the efflorescence products. Paste cylinders were fabricated and cured in ambient conditions. Samples were submerged in deionized water and the concentration of the leached-out ions was measured. Efflorescence potential was also investigated by partial immersion of the samples in deionized water. The results highlight the complexity of the interacting parameters governing the formation of efflorescence products in geopolymer materials. Establishing relationships between the concrete mix variables and the risk of efflorescence seems unfeasible particularly because of the wide range of possible precursors and activators available to design geopolymer concrete mixes. To overcome this barrier, a practical performance-based testing method is developed. For the first time, by testing a wide range of geopolymer materials, performance-based requirements associated with the risk of efflorescence for geopolymer concrete surfaces exposed to humidity are calibrated. Four categories of risk are proposed and typical suitable exposure conditions for geopolymer concrete surfaces are suggested for each risk category. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolymers and Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Composites)

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18 pages, 14833 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Diatomite Addition on the Properties of Geopolymers Based on Fly Ash and Metakaolin

by Marek Nykiel, Kinga Korniejenko, Kinga Setlak, Mykola Melnychuk, Nina Polivoda, Barbara Kozub, Maria Hebdowska-Krupa and Michał Łach

Materials 2024, 17(10), 2399; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17102399 - 16 May 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 961

Abstract

Geopolymer materials, considered to be an alternative to Portland cement-based concretes, can be produced from various types of waste aluminosilicate raw materials. This article presents the results of research related to the use of diatomite as an additive in geopolymers. The results of testing geopolymer composites with 1%, 3%, and 5% additions of diatomite with a grain size of 0–0.063 mm after and without thermal treatment were presented. This article presents the physical properties of the diatomite additive, the morphology of diatomite particles SEMs, thermal analysis, and compressive strength test results. In this research, diatomite was treated as a substitute for both fly ash and metakaolin (replaced in amounts of 1 and 3%) and as a substitute for sand introduced as a filler (in this case, 5% of diatomite was added). As a result of this research, it was found that the addition of diatomite instead of the main geopolymerization precursors in amounts of 1 and 3% had a negative impact on the strength properties of geopolymers, as the compressive strength was reduced by up to 28%. The introduction of crushed diatomite instead of sand in an amount of 5% contributed to an increase in strength of up to 24%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolymers and Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Composites)

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21 pages, 9193 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Rest Time and Curing Regime on Short- and Long-Term Strength of Class C Fly Ash-Based Alkali-Activated Mortars

by Cedric Kashosi, Ahmed Gheni, Eslam Gomaa and Mohamed ElGawady

Materials 2024, 17(7), 1632; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17071632 - 2 Apr 2024

Viewed by 1315

Abstract

This study investigated how different rest times affect the strength development of fly-ash-based alkali-activated mortar (AAM) over a period of 90 days. Two types of fly ash with varying calcium oxide contents of 37 and 21% were used. The rest times ranged from 2 to 36 h, and three curing methods (ambient, oven, and steam) were tested. The results showed that the rest time significantly influenced the compressive strength of the AAM. The optimal rest time was found to be between 12 and 30 h depending on the curing method and fly ash type. Beyond this range, there were only minor changes in strength. One type of fly ash (FA21) showed higher strength with longer rest times up to 30 h, while the other type (FA37) had the highest strength within a rest time range of from 12 to 24 h. Over the 90-day period, the specimens cured under ambient, oven, and steam conditions at 55 °C (131 °F) experienced increasing strength, but those steam-cured at 80 °C (176 °F) showed a decrease in strength. Analysis revealed the formation of hydration products in FA37, while FA21 showed a reduction in peaks for its main compounds. Additionally, XRD analysis revealed the formation of hydration products (CSH and CASH) in FA37, while FA21 displayed a reduction in peaks for its main compounds. EDS analysis indicated the presence of partially unreacted FA particles, highlighting the impact of curing methods on dissolving FA particles and the formation of geopolymer products (NASH and CNASH) responsible for compressive strength development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolymers and Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Composites)

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11 pages, 3690 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mechanical Properties of MiniBars™ Basalt Fiber-Reinforced Geopolymer Composites

by Gabriel Furtos, Doina Prodan, Codruta Sarosi, Marioara Moldovan, Kinga Korniejenko, Leonard Miller, Lukáš Fiala and Nováková Iveta

Materials 2024, 17(1), 248; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17010248 - 2 Jan 2024

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1925

Abstract

Fly ash-based geopolymers represent a new material, which can be considered an alternative to ordinary Portland cement. MiniBars™ are basalt fiber composites, and they were used to reinforce the geopolymer matrix for the creation of unidirectional MiniBars™ reinforced geopolymer composites (MiniBars™ FRBCs). New materials were obtained by incorporating variable amount of MiniBars™ (0, 12.5, 25, 50, 75 vol.% MiniBars™) in the geopolymer matrix. Geopolymers were prepared by mixing fly ash powder with Na₂SiO₃ and NaOH as alkaline activators. MiniBars™ FRBCs were cured at 70 °C for 48 h and tested for different mechanical properties. Optical microscopy and SEM were employed to investigate the fillers and MiniBars™ FRBC. MiniBars™ FRBC showed increasing mechanical properties by an increased addition of MiniBars™. The mechanical properties of MiniBars™ FRBC increased more than the geopolymer wtihout MiniBars™: the flexural strength > 11.59–25.97 times, the flexural modulus > 3.33–5.92 times, the tensile strength > 3.50–8.03 times, the tensile modulus > 1.12–1.30 times, and the force load at upper yield tensile strength > 4.18–7.27 times. SEM and optical microscopy analyses were performed on the fractured surface and section of MiniBars™ FRBC and confirmed a good geopolymer network around MiniBars™. Based on our results, MiniBars™ FRBC could be a very promising green material for buildings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolymers and Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Composites)

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15 pages, 12763 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Possibilities of Using Geopolymers in Welding Processes and Protection against High Temperatures

by Sławomir Parzych, Maja Paszkowska, Dawid Stanisz, Agnieszka Bąk and Michał Łach

Materials 2023, 16(21), 7035; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16217035 - 3 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 931

Abstract

Geopolymer materials have long been known for their competitive properties against traditional construction materials. Their special features include high resistance to elevated temperatures and good fire resistance. They are typically used as insulating materials at temperatures not exceeding 100 °C (because they can achieve a thermal conductivity coefficient of 0.060 W/m × K or less under these conditions). Still, they can also be used as thermal insulation at temperatures exceeding 1000 °C. One technology that uses very high temperatures is metal welding technology, where temperatures often exceed as many as 3000 °C. Geopolymers, due to their properties, can also be an interesting new alternative in various welding applications. This paper presents the preliminary results of pot-proofing the resistance of geopolymers to temperatures exceeding 3000 °C. Test results of a foamed geopolymer insulating a steel substrate are presented, and a geopolymer mold for thermite rail welding was made and realistically tested. The results confirmed the feasibility of using cast geopolymer molds for thermite welding of railroad rails. The geopolymer material performed well during the test and no cracks or other damage occurred. The following article presents the potential of using geopolymer materials for welding applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolymers and Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Composites)

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17 pages, 6316 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Study on Compressive and Flexural Performance of Lightweight Cement-Based Composites Reinforced with Hybrid Short Fibers

by Cong-Thuat Dang, My Pham and Ngoc-Hieu Dinh

Materials 2023, 16(12), 4457; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16124457 - 19 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1388

Abstract

This paper aims to experimentally study the compressive and flexural characteristics of cement-based composites developed for fabricating thin, lightweight, and high-performance components of buildings. Expanded hollow glass particles with a 0.25–0.5 mm particle size were used as lightweight fillers. Hybrid fibers made of amorphous metallic (AM) and nylon fibers were used to reinforce the matrix with a total volume fraction of 1.5%. The primary test parameters included the expanded glass-to-binder (EG/B) ratio, the fiber volume content ratio, and the length of the nylon fibers in the hybrid system. The experimental results demonstrate that the EG/B ratio and the volume dosage of the nylon fibers exhibited insignificant effects on the compressive strength of the composites. Additionally, the utilization of nylon fibers with a longer length of 12 mm resulted in a slight compressive strength reduction of approximately 13% compared to that of the 6 mm nylon fibers. Further, the EG/G ratio exhibited an insignificant effect on the flexural behavior of lightweight cement-based composites in terms of their initial stiffness, strength, and ductility. Meanwhile, the increasing AM fiber volume fraction in the hybrid system from 0.25% to 0.5% and 1.0% improved flexural toughness by 42.8% and 57.2%, respectively. In addition, the nylon fiber length significantly affected the deformation capacity at the peak load and the residual strength in the post-peak stage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolymers and Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Composites)

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22 pages, 9282 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact Behaviour of Steel-Fibre-Reinforced Alkali-Activated Slag Concrete Exposed to Elevated Temperatures

by Ahmed Abubakr and Ahmed Soliman

Materials 2023, 16(11), 4096; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16114096 - 31 May 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1114

Abstract

Concrete protective structures are mainly meant to withstand impact loads. However, fire events weaken concrete and reduce its impact resistance. This study investigated the impact behaviour of steel-fibre-reinforced alkali-activated slag (AAS) concrete before and after exposure to elevated temperatures (i.e., 200 °C, 400 °C, and 600 °C). Hydration products’ stability under elevated temperatures, their effects on the fibre–matrix bond, and, consequently, AAS’s static and dynamic responses were investigated. The results reveal that adopting the performance-based design concept to achieve a balance between AAS mixtures’ performance under ambient and elevated temperatures is a crucial designing aspect. Advancing hydration products’ formation will increase the fibre–matrix bond at ambient temperature while negatively affecting it at elevated temperatures. High amounts of formed and, eventually, decomposed hydration products at elevated temperatures reduced the residual strength due to lowering the fibre–matrix bond and developing internal micro-cracks. Steel fibre’s role in reinforcing the hydrostatic core formed during impact loads and delaying crack initiation was emphasized. These findings highlight the need to integrate material and structure design to achieve optimum performance and that low-grade materials can be desired based on the targeted performance. A set of empirical equations for the correlation between steel fibre content in the AAS mixture and corresponding impact performance before and after fire exposure was provided and verified. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolymers and Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Composites)

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12 pages, 3995 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Alkali-Activated Mortars Reinforced with Arundo donax: Properties and Durability to Environmental Stresses

by Stefania Manzi, Luisa Molari, Grazia Totaro and Andrea Saccani

Materials 2023, 16(11), 3898; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16113898 - 23 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1117

Abstract

Natural fibers were used to modify alkali-activated fly-ash mortars. Arundo donax is a common, fast-growing, widespread plant with interesting mechanical properties. Short fibers of different lengths (from 5 to 15 mm) were added at a 3 wt% ratio to the binder amount to the alkali-activated fly-ash matrix. The possible effects on the fresh and cured properties of the mortars deriving from the different lengths of the reinforcing phase were investigated. The flexural strength of the mortars increased by up to 30% at the longest fiber dimensions, while the compressive strength remained almost unchanged in all of the compositions. The dimensional stability was increased slightly upon the addition of the fibers, depending on the fiber length, while the porosity of the mortars was reduced. Moreover, contrary to what was expected, the water permeability was not increased by the fibers’ addition, irrespective of their length. The durability of the obtained mortars was tested through freeze–thaw and thermo-hygrometric cycles. The results obtained so far underline a fair resistance to the changes in temperature and moisture and a better resistance to the freeze–thaw stresses of the reinforced mortars. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolymers and Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Composites)

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14 pages, 2114 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Study of Fiber Pull-Outs in a Polymer Mortar Matrix

by Lihua Wang, Tongshuai Li, Qinghua Shu, Shifu Sun, Chunfeng Li and Chunquan Dai

Materials 2023, 16(9), 3594; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16093594 - 8 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1425

Abstract

In order to study the influence of vinyl acetate–ethylene copolymerization emulsions on the bonding performance of fiber and mortar, mortar materials with different polymer contents were prepared. The optimal mix ratio of the matrix was obtained using a pull-out test with a 0° inclination angle. On this basis, polypropylene fibers and alkali-resistant glass fibers were set at different burial depths (6 mm, 12 mm, and 18 mm) and different burial angles (0°, 30°, 45°, and 60°). The load–displacement curves of two types of fibers pulled out from the polymer mortar were obtained. The test results show that polymer contents of 3% and 5% increase the peak pull-out loads of glass fibers and polypropylene fibers by 16.28% and 30.72% and 7.41% and 27.11%, respectively. When the polymer content is 7%, the peak pull-out load decreases by 1.31% and 24.26%, especially for polypropylene fiber, which significantly weakens the bonding performance between the matrix and the fiber. The pull-out load of glass fibers and polypropylene fibers increases with the increase in the buried depth, and both show tensile failure at 18 mm. As the embedding angle increases, the pull-out load of polypropylene fibers decreases continuously, while the glass fiber shows a higher pull-out load at 30°. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolymers and Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Composites)

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13 pages, 3063 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Utilization of Foamed Glass as an Effective Adsorbent for Methylene Blue: Insights into Physicochemical Properties and Theoretical Treatment

by Hussein Al-kroom, Hamdy A. Abdel-Gawwad, Mohamed Abd Elrahman, Saleh Abdel-Aleem, Mohamed Saad Ahmed, Yasser F. Salama, Saleh Qaysi, Mateusz Techman, Moaaz K. Seliem and Osama Youssf

Materials 2023, 16(4), 1412; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16041412 - 8 Feb 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1897

Abstract

This study reports a potential approach for the valorization of glass waste (GW) that is mainly composed of amorphous silica to prepare lightweight foamed glass (FG). The preparation of FG was achieved by mixing sodium hydroxide with GW powder followed by sintering at a temperature of 800 °C. As-synthesized FG was characterized and applied as an effective adsorbent for the removal of hazardous organic water contaminants, in particular, methylene blue (MB) dye. FG exhibited porosity of 91%, bulk density of 0.65 g/cm³, compressive strength of 4 MPa, and thermal conductivity of 0.27 W/m·K. Theoretical treatment indicated that a monolayer model with one energy site was the best in fitting the removal of MB molecules. The number of MB molecules per active site (n) ranged from 2.20 to 1.70, suggesting vertical orientation and a multi-molecular adsorption mechanism. The density of FG receptor sites (D_M) increased with the temperature, and this parameter played a vital role in the adsorption process. The adsorption capacity (Q_sat) increased from 255.11 to 305.58 mg/g, which signifies endothermic interactions. MB adsorption on FG was controlled by physical forces such as electrostatic interactions (i.e., the adsorption energies were <20 kJ/mol). The results of this study prove the feasibility of glass waste as an effective and low-cost adsorbent for water remediation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolymers and Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Composites)

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9 pages, 3085 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Study on the Blast Resistance Performance of FRP Grid & Mortar Reinforced Concrete Arch Structure

by Meirong Jiang, Shihu Qi, Shikun Pu, Peng Wang, Bo Wang and Zhanzhan Du

Materials 2022, 15(20), 7149; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15207149 - 14 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1573

Abstract

In order to verify the feasibility of using FRP grid and mortar reinforcement technology to enhance the blast resistance of concrete arch structures, this paper designed and fabricated FRP grid and mortar reinforced concrete arch structures and conducted blast resistance tests in the field. A detailed design of anti-explosion scheme was carried out before the experiment. The tests were conducted to observe the structural cracking, concrete collapse, and reinforcement peeling of FRP grid and mortar reinforced concrete arch under the explosion. In order to compare the anti-explosion performance with the protective arch structures in other literature, the explosion of 2 kg TNT with a blast distance of 600 mm was selected. After the explosion, it was found that the blast resistance of the FRP grid and mortar reinforced concrete arch was significantly higher than that of the unreinforced arch, and the concrete arch reinforced with FRP grid and mortar has a better damage patterns and improved blast resistance performance than that of the FRP and steel plate reinforced arch. According to the research results, the FRP grid and mortar composite reinforcement technology can be used to enhance the blast resistance of arch structures in protection projects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolymers and Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Composites)

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