Marine Geopolymer Concrete—A Hybrid Curable Self-Compacting Sustainable Concrete for Marine Applications

Abstract

Marine environments are widely addressed as a serious threat to coastal concrete structures due to higher repair and rehabilitation costs. The rising concerns of climate change and related issues also require marine structures to be resilient and sustainable at the same time. Geopolymer concrete has been given more significant consideration as an alternative, reporting better resistance to harsh and hazardous environmental exposure, including sulphate attacks, chloride attacks, and freeze–thaw climates. This study investigated the mechanical properties of fly ash (FA) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS)-based self-compacting geopolymer concrete (SCGC), subjected to short term ambient and marine curing conditions. The mechanical performance, inclusive of compressive strength, tensile strength, and modulus of elasticity under three-month marine exposure compared to an ambient environment, indicates that the SCGC mix offered an increase in strength. It is reported that the compressive strength of SCGC increased to the range of 50 MPa after marine exposure in comparison to the 40 MPa strength after 28-day curing. A similar increase in indirect tensile strength and modulus of elasticity were observed for the test specimens, with no signs of leaching of salts under marine exposure. Thus, the current SCGC acts as a sustainable construction material in counteracting the threats of marine degradation in civil structural components.