A STUDY ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF GEOPOLYMER CONCRETE REINFORCED WITH BASALT FIBER

Abstract

Concrete is most used construction material. Construction industry uses most of the natural resources as it includes production of cement. It is the major contributing factor to the CO 2 emission, causing global warming. An alternate to the OPC has been found out known as Geopolymer concrete. It uses industrial waste material such as fly ash and ggbs instead of cement thereby decreasing impacts due to cement production. In this study both fly ash and GGBS are utilized in making Geopolymer concrete. Alkaline solution used is comprises of sodium silicate (103 kg/m 3) and Sodium hydroxide in the ratio of 2.5.sodium hydroxide of 10 molarity is used. Plain concrete is weaker in tension. Fibers are added to enhance the strength to the concrete to meet given serviceability requirements. Basalt fiber is considered a promising new material .it has good strength characteristics, resistance to chemical attack, sound insulation properties. It has wide range of applications like soil strengthening, construction of bridges, highways, industrial floors. In present study various proportions of basalt fibers added to the geopolymer concrete and compressive and split tensile strength of the different mixes were compared with the geopolymer concrete without basalt fibers. Fibers are added to the geopolymer concrete in the range of 0.5% to 2.5% at 0.5% increments. Compressive and tensile strength of different mixes compared with reference mix (0% fiber). From the results it is concluded that addition of basalt fibers at an optimum content to the geopolymer concrete can increase both compressive and tensile strength.