Journal of Babylon University/Engineering Sciences/ No.(1)/ Vol.

(26): 2018

Mechanical properties of fly ash geopolymer

mortar reinforced with polypropylene fibers
Qais J. Frayyeh Ahmed M. Swaif
Department of Building and Construction Engineering, Building Materials Engineering
[email protected] [email protected]
Abstract
Geopolymers are new ceramic substances with the possibility to supplant Portland concrete in a
wide scope of uses, from immobilization of substantial metals to concerts for structural designing. They
rely on the alkaline activation of aluminosilicates, for example, blast furnace slag, pulverized fly ash, and
metakaolin. Notwithstanding their high mechanical strength what's more, chemical durability, geopolymer
concretes are in as a rule set apart with high permeability and porosity, which could contrarily influence the
long-term durability or performance of concretes. This paper utilizes polypropylene fibers to enhance the
geopolymer mechanical properties. Four percentage of polypropylene fibers where utilized which were 0.2,
0.5, 1 and 1.5% by weight of fly ash. The impact of these percentage on flow, dry density, mechanical
strength, in expansion to flexural strength, were resolved. Results have demonstrated that the addition of
polypropylene fibers lead very slightly decreased in the dry density, and decreased the flow, while it lead to
enhance the flexural and compressive strength. The best percentage that give higher compressive and
flexural strength was the one with a 0.5% addition by weight of fly ash.
Key word: Geopolymer, polypropylene fibers, fly ash, board, alkaline activator.
‫الخالصه‬

1.0 1 2.0 2.0

2.0

Introduction
At exhibit, geopolymer is getting more attention as an option binder to normal
cement binders for applications in concrete industry (Hu et.al., 2008; Pacheco et.al.,
2008). It is produced utilizing rich alumina and silica source materials, for example,
calcined kaolin, fly ash, and blast furnace slag. Fly ash remains is utilized for the most
part as supplementary cementitious substances to supplant of Portland cement in
development industry. Numerous researchers have demonstrated that it can likewise be
utilized as starting material for making good geopolymer (Chindaprasirt et.al., 2007;
Pangdaeng et.al., 2012).
Geopolymeric reaction relies upon the enactment with alkali solutions and
temperature curing at 40–75 ˚C (Chindaprasirt et.al., 2007; Sinsiri et.al., 2014). The
acquired geopolymer paste possesses similarly strength and appearance to normal
Portland cement paste. Regardless, when fly ash geopolymer material is cured at ambient
temperature of around 25 ˚C, the strength improvement is rather slow and low strength is
obtained (Guo et.al., 2010). Numerous researchers have tried to improve the strength

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improvement of fly ash geopolymers (Palomo et.al., 2007; Phoo et.al., 2013). (Khater
et.al., 2013; Riahi and Nazari, 2012) revealed that the compressive strength of
geopolymer relies upon the kind of beginning material and its fineness. The fine particles
induce higher leaching of alumina and silica in the alkali environment and prompts a
higher strength geopolymer (Chindaprasirt et.al., 2007).
As of late, nanoparticle is getting more attention as an alternative binder used for
the change of nanostructure of building materials). (Khater et.al., 2013). Nano-SiO2 and
nano-Al2O3 are most commonly utilized (Stefanidou et.al., 2012) to enhance
compressive and tensile strengths of concrete by additional pozzolanic and filler effects
(Li, 2004). The nano-SiO2 particle belongs to highly pozzolanic materials since it
comprises basically of SiO2 in amorphous form with a high specific surface, therefore,
exhibits great pozzolanic activity (Qing et.al., 2007). The objective of this study is to
assess the effects of using PF at different weight fractions in a mix of (FGM) and study
some mechanical properties of this mortar.
Materials and methods
2.1. Materials
Geopolymer pastes were orchestrated utilizing a fly ash from Turkish hard coal
from power station Iskenderun (ASTM class F fly ash) as it shown in Fig. 1, with a
chemical composition determined as shown in Table 1. and Fig. 2 shows the particle size
range determined by laser diffraction according to the standard test method ASTM D422
(ASTM Committee, 2007).
The alkaline activators were blends of commercial soluble sodium silicate
(SiO2 = 27.75wt.%, Na2O = 15.25wt.% and H2O = 57 wt.%) in addition to sodium
hydroxide pellets as it shown in Fig. 3. Decontaminated water was utilized to break up
the sodium hydroxide pellets to 8 molarity. A natural sand was utilized, with particle size
lower than 4.75 mm, specific gravity of 2.60 g/cm3 was utilized to get ready mortars, and
a high range water reducer superplasticizer of modified polycarboxylate was used. In
addition to the polypropylene fibers with 12 mm length used Table 2. shows the
properties of the polypropylene fibers see Fig. 4.

Figure 1 Fly Ash.

Table 1 Fly Ash Chemical Composition.
component SiO2 Fe2O3 Al2O3 L O I CaO MgO SO3 Na2O K2O
Mass % 65.65 5.98 17.69 3.1 0.98 0.72 0.19 1.35 2.99

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Figure 2 Fly Ash particle size distribution.

Figure 3 Soluble sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide pellets.

Table 2 Mechanical properties of polypropylene fiber.
Property Carbon fiber
Specific gravity (g/cm3) 0.91
Diameter (μm) 8-16
Tensile strength (MPa) 165
Alkali resistance Excellent resistance
Melting point (°C) 160
Length (mm) 12

Figure 4 Polypropylene fiber.

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2.2. Sample synthesis and tests conducted

In view of the substance piece of the fly ash (the reactive fraction), geopolymeric
mortars with an aggregate: binder weight ratio of 1.5:1 were explained, the details are
given in Table 3. The alkaline solutions were explained in the suitable extents and after
that blended with the fly ash powders for 3 min in a planetary mixer to obtain overall
(activator + fly ash) sodium hydroxide to sodium silicate weight ratio of 0.5. The sand,
beforehand soaked with 4.0 wt% of water was at that point added to the geopolymeric
blends and blended for about 3 min. The mortars were thrown into cubic molds of 5 cm
per side and vibrated for 120 sec. The specimens were secured with plastic film and cured
at 70 ˚C in electrical oven up to 24 hr.
For each mix, the compressive strength was resolved utilizing a programmed
hydraulic press as indicated by the standard procedure ASTM C109 (ASTM Committee,
2011) after 3, 7 and 28 days; the data were accounted for as the average from three tested
cubes randomly taken from the group, the testing machine which shown in Fig. 5.
Also prisms with dimensions of (305*152*12) mm prepared for flexural strength
test after 7 and 28 days age as indicated by the standard procedure ASTM 1185-12
(ASTM Committee, 2012) see Fig. 6, in addition to flow table test subjected before
preparing the flexural and compressive strength for all blends.
For dry density, cubes samples of 5 cm per side like that used in compressive
strength were used at age 28 days.
Table 3 mix content.
Material Quantity (kg/m3)
Fly ash 900
Sand 1350
Sodium silicate solution 247
Sodium hydroxide solutions (8 M) 174
Superplasticizer 19
Results and Discussion
1- Flow table
The impact of fibers on the flow of the four mortar blends is highlighted in Table 4
and Fig. 7. It is anything but difficult to take note of polypropylene fibers in fly ash
geopolymer mortar reduces the flowing capacity. Then again; a higher amount of
polypropylene fibers makes misfortune flow ability. In rundown, the impact of
polypropylene fibers on either the flowing or working capacity is much less than the
control fly ash geopolymer mortar. Results are in good agreement with previous finding
(Hardjito et.al., 2009).

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Figure 5 The compressive machine.

Figure 6 Tester device for flexural testing.

Table 4 Workability estimations of all blends.
Fiber type Fiber by weight (% ) Flow (%)
None 0 34
Polypropylene 0.2 32.5
Polypropylene 0.5 30.25
Polypropylene 1 26.5
Polypropylene 1.5 23

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40
35
30
25
20
Flow %

15
10
5
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6
Fibers %

Figure 7 Flow of geopolymer mortar reinforced with polypropylene fibers.

2- Compressive strength
Table 5 and Fig. 8 demonstrates the average compressive strength of specimens
from all blends at various ages. The early-age (up to three days) results generally indicate
that the compressive strength of the fly ash geopolymer mortar was mostly gained, also
mortars extraordinarily enhanced with the addition of polypropylene fibers, as all values
were above 16 MPa. For instance, contrasted with the control specimens without
polypropylene fibers, the compressive strength of the fly ash geopolymer mortar
reinforced with polypropylene fibers increased by up to 124.5%, 128.8% and 106.6% at
three days for mixtures with 0.2, 0.5 and 1% by weight fibers, respectively, while there
was very slight decreased for blend with 1.5% by weight fibers. Moreover, the results of
the fly ash geopolymer mortars at 7 and 28 days indicated that also there was more
improvement in strength. For instance, contrasted with the control specimens without
polypropylene fibers, the compressive strength of the fly ash geopolymer mortar
reinforced with polypropylene fibers increased by up to 107.3%, 114.5% and 103.8% at
28 days for mixtures with 0.2, 0.5 and 1% by weight fibers, respectively, while there was
very slight decreased for blend with 1.5% by weight fibers.
As it is known, fibers are added to mortar/concrete blends essentially to enhance
flexural toughness, with a normal minor commitment to compressive strength, also as it is
known increased addition of fibers lead to diminish the strength because of high air
content and vast volume of voids present in the mixes, and consequently weakness of the
composite matrix (Söylev et.al., 2014). In this investigation, the results about for the most
part demonstrated that the fly ash geopolymer mortar with polypropylene fibers gained
relatively compressive strength at early and later ages more than without polypropylene
fibers.
Table 5 Compressive strength of tested specimens.
Fiber Compression Compression Compression
Fiber type by weight (%) strength strength strength
(age 3 days) (age 7 days) (age 28 days)
Mpa Mpa Mpa
None 0% 16.23 24.33 26.2
Polypropylene 0.2% 20.2 26.1 28.1
Polypropylene 0.5% 20.9 27.6 30
Polypropylene 1% 17.3 25.2 27.2
Polypropylene 1.5% 16 22.8 24

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35

30
Compressive strength

25

20

15

10
3 days
5 7 days
28 days
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6
Fibers %
Figure 8 Compressive strength results for fly ash based geopolymer mortar
reinforced with polypropylene fibers at 3, 7 and 28 days age.
3- Flexural strength
From Table 6 and Fig. 9 it is observed that with the increasing in the ratio of
polypropylene fibers, the flexural strength increase. The outcomes demonstrate that ideal
dose for flexure is 0.0% of polypropylene fibers by weight. The above outcomes
demonstrate that flexural strength increments with increment in fibers weight fraction;
this is because of the extra load taken by the fiber introduce in the matrix. In any case,
subsequent to expanding the weight percentage of polypropylene fibers past the ideal
esteem (0.0%) disgraceful blending of fibers with the matrix happens because of balling
impact of fibers, this builds the measure of vibrations required to expel air voids from the
blend which thusly causes the issue of draining and reductions flexural strength of the
blend. The failure pattern of plain and fibrous mortar in flexural strength test shows that
fibrous mortar are more malleable as thought about to plain mortar. This is on the
grounds that when the matrix cracked, the load was exchanged from the composite to the
fibers at the crack surfaces, which keeps the brittle failure of the composite, also as it is
happened in compressive strength increased addition of fibers lead to diminish the
strength because of high air content and vast volume of voids present in the mixes, and
consequently weakness of the composite matrix. A similar effect of fibers in the concrete
have been observed in other studies (Söylev et.al., 2014).
Table 6 Flexural strength of tested specimens.
Fiber Flexural strength Flexural strength
Fiber type by weight (% ) (age 7 days) (age 28 days)
Mpa Mpa
None 0% 2.919 3.296
Polypropylene 0.2% 3.263 3.66
Polypropylene 0.5% 3.588 3.9
Polypropylene 1% 3.654 3.83
Polypropylene 1.5% 3.237 3.4

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4.5
4
3.5
Flexural strength 3
2.5
2
1.5
1 7 days 28 days
0.5
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6
Fibers %
Figure 9 Flexural strength results for fly ash based geopolymer mortar reinforced
with polypropylene fibers at 7 and 28 days age.
4- Density
Table 7 demonstrates the outcomes of the dry density for all blends, and from the
outcomes, it can be seen that the incorporation of polypropylene fibers in the mortar
blends diminishes the hardened density with slightly amount, and this can be credited to
the gravity of fibers which specific gravity of fiber which reduce the general density of
mortar as appeared in Fig. 10 It agree with the study (Dawood et.al., 2014).
Table 7 Density of tested specimens
Fiber Density
Fiber type by weight (% ) (age 28 days)
Kg/m3
None 0% 2175
Polypropylene 0.2% 2171
Polypropylene 0.5% 2166
Polypropylene 1% 2158
Polypropylene 1.5% 2146

2180
2175
2170
2165
Density

2160
2155
2150
2145
2140
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6
Fibers %

Figure 10 Density results for fly ash based geopolymer mortar reinforced with
polypropylene fibers at 28 days age.
Conclusions
Some conclusions from this study can be uncovered as takes after.
1. The utilization of polypropylene fibers has clear effects on the properties of fly ash
geopolymer mortar lead to produced boards with exceptionally worthy properties.

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2. The flowability of the mortar is influenced marginally by the incorporation of the

polypropylene fibers in the mixes, and this may help to utilize this fiber in the field of
flowable mortar uses.
3. The use of polypropylene fibers slightly reduces the density.
4. The compressive strength results show that the use of 0.5% of the polypropylene fiber
as weight fraction builds the strength by about 14.5%, yet past this rate there is an
unmistakable decline in compressive reaches about 8.4% using 1.5% of fiber by
weight fraction.
5. The flexural strength outcomes demonstrate that the utilization of 0.5% of the palm
fiber as weight fraction expands the strength by about 18.3%.
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