Evaluating the Impact of Inclusion Metakaolin and Silica Fume on the Green and Mechanical Properties of Low Calcium Fly Ash Concrete

Abstract

Generally, low calcium fly ash concretes (FFACs) subjected to ambient temperatures exhibit low initial strengths. Thus, FFACs require higher temperatures to improve the monomer dissolutions, but that increases the energy consumption. Thus, this paper aims to evaluate the influence of the incorporation of different dosages of silica fume (SF) and metakaolin (MK) on the green and hardened properties of FFACs cured at room temperature of 21 ˚C. Slump and air content tests were applied to evaluate the green characteristics of the designed geopolymer concrete mixes (GPCMs). The hardened properties of FFACs were assessed in terms of compressive, flexural, and splitting tensile strengths at different curing ages. Outcomes revealed that the slump and air content of GPCMs declined with improving SF or MK percentages. The 28 days flexural, compressive, and splitting tensile strengths of FFACs manufactured with the optimum dosages of 20% MK and 10% SF cured at 21 ˚C were evidently higher than those of FFACs (100 % FFA) subjected to curing temperatures ranging from 10-to-50 ˚C. Also, the strength enhancement of MK was relatively comparable to those of SF with less requirement for superplasticizers.