Influence of fineness of fly ash on compressive strength and microstructure of bottom ash admixed geopolymer mortar

Abstract

Investigations were conducted to find out the suitability of bottom ash as a possible replacement to fine aggregates in geopolymer mortar. Experimental work was done to study the influence of fineness of fly ash (with three levels of Blaine's fineness, 2043 cm2/g, 2602 cm2/g and 3113 cm2/g on compressive strength and microstructure development of fly ash based geopolymer mortar with natural river sand and bottom ash as fine aggregates. three different water to solids ratios of 0.246, 0.349, and 0.443 were chosen for this study and the curing of the specimens was at ambient temperature (28 3 c). compressive strength development for all eighteen mortar mixes was measured at 7, 14, 28 and 56 days. Further, the effect of fineness of fly ash on degree of polymerization, microstructure and properties of geopolymers was studied using Fourier transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FtIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). It was observed from the compressive strength of the geopolymer mortar that the degree of polymerization is gradual for both types of mortar. there is a continuous increase in the development of compressive strength noticed till the age of 56 days for both types of mortar, sand as well as bottom ash admixed. However, the increment of compressive strength for bottom ash found to be significantly less as compared to natural sand. Improvement in compressive strength due to fineness of fly ash were characterised by SEM and FtIR and it is revealed that with increase in fineness levels, the microstructure significantly enhanced the characteristics of geopolymer mortar. 2018 Associated Cement Companies Ltd.. All rights reserved.