The discovery of geopolymers is a breakthrough which provides a cleaner and environmentally-friendlier alternative to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). Since the pioneering days, the understanding of the chemistry, synthesis, and practical application of geopolymers has improved to the extent that commercialisation of geopolymers on a large scale is possible in the near future. However, the fundamental breakthroughs and understanding to date are based on investigations of ‘pure’ raw materials, like metakaolinite. The utilisation of metakaolinite has been useful in a research setting, but will be impractical for widespread application. Therefore, the thesis attempts to do a more detailed study on geopolymers synthesised from waste materials, such as fly ash. The motivation for using fly ash as the main raw material is driven by various factors: (1) it is cheap and available in bulk quantities, (2) it is currently under-utilised, except for its use as an additive in OPC, (3) it has high workability, and (4) it requires less water (or solution) for activation.

The hydration behavior of the calcium aluminates as a function of the glass content, the curing temperature, and the water-solid ratio was investigated. In order to keep them from influencing the results, the free-lime content and the surface area of all samples were kept constant, whenever possible. Samples were hydrated with a water-solid ratio of 10/1 for periods of 1 to 90 days. Three curing temperatures were studied; 2°C, 25°C, and 50°C. Samples were hydrated in tightly sealed polyethylene containers to prevent reactions with atmospheric carbon dioxide. The hydration was followed by X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis. Only two samples, Hexacalcium Tetra-alumino Magnesium Silicate and Tricalcium Magnesium Dialuminate, were successfully prepared in an amorphous form. These compounds were used to investigate the effect of glass content on the hydration behavior. Results indicate that when the glass content is increased a corresponding increase is found in the percent combined water. Samples hydrated at 25°C were influenced by changes in the glass content to a greater degree than were those hydrated at either 2°C or 50°C. The effect of the water-solid ratio on the hydration behavior of the calcium aluminates was studied using the compounds; Hexacalcium Tetra-Alumino Magnesium Silicate/ and Dodecacalcium Hepta-Aluminate. In general, samples that were hydrated with large water-solid ratios reacted more completely than did those hydrated with small water-solid ratios. The presence of sufficient water to theoretically hydrate the samples to completion did not guarantee that the sample would do so. The curing temperature influenced the hydration behavior to a greater degree than did the glass content or the water-solid ratio. Increasing the curing temperature not only increased the rate of hydration, but, in some cases, also changed the hydration products.

Yes / This paper examines the impacts of clay mineralogy on the effectiveness of lime stabilisation at different temperatures. A comprehensive experimental programme was conducted to track down the evolution of lime-clay reactions and their durations through monitoring the evolution of strength gain at predetermined times using the Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) test. The study examined clays with different mineralogy compositions comprising Na+ Bentonite and Ball (Kaolinite) clay. Four different clays were tested including 100% bentonite, 100% Ball clay and two clay mixtures with ratios of 1:1 and 1:3 by mass of bentonite to Ball clay. All clays were treated using a range of lime content up to 25% and cured for a period of time up to 672 h at two different temperatures of 20 and 40 °C. The results showed that the continuity of the fast phase (stage 1) of strength gain was dependent on the availability of lime in particular at the higher temperature. Whereas, for the same lime content, the duration of the fast phase and the kinetic of strength gain were significantly related to the clay mineralogy and curing temperature. Except for the initial strength gain at 0 h curing time, the lime-treated Ball clay specimens at 20 °C appeared to show no strength gain throughout the curing period that extended up to 672 h. However, when curing occurred at 40 °C, the no strength gain stage only lasted for 72 h after which a gradual increase in the strength was observed over the remaining curing period of time. The addition of Bentonite to Ball clay succeeded in kicking off the strength gain after a short period of curing time at both curing temperatures.

Yes / This study aims to provide a thorough evaluation for the changes in the microstructure and evolution of strength of highly reactive clays that were treated with 7 % lime over a period of curing time as a function of the mixing moisture content. Three series of testing were carried out on specimens with 100 %, 85 % and 75 % of bentonite content and prepared with different moisture content of 10, 20, 30 and 40 % above the corresponding optimum moisture content. Specimens of 100 % bentonite were treated with 7 % of lime, compacted to achieve a predetermined dry unit weight and cured at temperatures of 20 OC and 40 OC for up to 28 days whereas the specimens with 85 % and 75 % of bentonite content were prepared by the addition of sand and were cured at 20 oC for up to 7 days. Unconfined Compressive Strength tests and Scanning Electron Microscopy were conducted to observe the strength and the microstructural changes resulting from increasing mixing moisture content. California Bearing Ratio and Resilient Modulus were correspondingly determined based on correlations with the Unconfined Compressive Strength. The failure pattern was also studied to better understand the ultimate behaviour of lime stabilised clays. The results revealed that the strength of treated bentonite increased with the increase in the moisture content up to 30 % above the corresponding optimum moisture content and with increasing the curing time and temperature. Nevertheless, substituting bentonite with sand on the specimen resulted in a significant reduction on the attained strength. Furthermore, the results of California Bearing Ratio and Resilient Modulus showed that values for both parameters are significantly enhanced with lime treatment. The microstructural analysis provided visual evidence to the improved strength in which the pozzolanic reaction was found to be significantly affected by the amount of moisture in the mixture. The results suggested that compacting lime treated expansive clays with moisture content moderately higher than the optimum moisture content would result in a significant enhancement to the attained strength over the period of curing.

O emprego de resíduos da indústria como materiais alternativos na Engenharia vem sendo tópico recorrente em pesquisas de desenvolvimento de novos materiais, devido a uma maior consciência da opinião pública quanto ao impacto ambiental oriundo da produção industrial. Buscando colaborar com esta discussão, esta pesquisa procurou inserir dois resíduos (cinza volante e cal de carbureto), gerados na região metropolitana de Porto Alegre, como alternativa de solução em Engenharia. Analisando-se a microestrutura da cinza volante, observa-se que ela é formada por esferas ocas e plerosferas (esferas ocas preenchidas por esferas menores). Foi estudado o ganho de resistência da mistura promovido pela moagem da cinza volante em um moinho de bolas cerâmicas, visando uma potencialização da reatividade do material. A fim de possibilitar a utilização destes resíduos, é necessário um estudo do seu comportamento mecânico decorrente da cimentação proporcionada pela mistura e compactação destes materiais. A presente pesquisa busca fornecer subsídios para que seja possível determinar o seu comportamento, através do uso da relação porosidade (η)/teor volumétrico de cal (LV) obtidas a partir da identificação e quantificação das variáveis mais importantes no controle da resistência da mistura dos dois resíduos, com e sem o processo de moagem da cinza, levando a formulação de equações para previsão da resistência à compressão simples do material cimentado para cinza volante com diferentes tempos de moagem e cura acelerada. Para isso, foram realizados ensaios de compressão simples em corpos de prova com 5, 10 e 15% de cal, com peso específico aparente seco de 11, 12 e 13 kN/m3, curados por 7 dias, com umidade de 18% para os tempos de moagem 0, 2 e 6h nas temperaturas 23 e 40°C, e 0 e 6h a 60°C. Os resultados apontam que o aumento do teor de cal gerou ganhos de resistência para as maiores temperaturas de cura; a diminuição da porosidade proporcionou um ganho de resistência para todas as combinações; o aumento da temperatura foi importante no ganho de resistência entre 23oC e 40oC; a moagem da cinza por 2h promoveu ganhos significativos de resistência em relação à não moída, porém, para 6h de moagem os ganhos não foram significativos para as temperaturas de cura de 23oC e 60oC. A relação η/LV, ajustada por um expoente [η/(Lv)0,07], mostrou-se adequada na formulação de equações na previsão da resistência do material cimentado para todas as temperaturas e tempos de moagem estudados. Além disso, a existência de relações únicas e distintas no controle da resistência à compressão simples em função da porosidade, teor volumétrico de cal, temperatura de cura e tempo de moagem, mostraram-se úteis para formulações de dosagem. Os resultados foram submetidos à análise de variância que comprovou que todos os fatores controláveis escolhidos para o experimento são significativos, assim como todas suas interações. / The use of industry by-products as alternative materials in Engineering has been a recurring topic of research in development of new materials, mainly, due to a larger public conscience regarding the environmental impact of industrial production of waste. Aiming to contribute on this discussion, this research sought to introduce two by-products (fly ash and carbide lime), produced on the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, as an alternative Engineering solution. Analyzing the microstructure of the fly ash, it is observed that it is composed by void spheres and plerospheres (void spheres filed with smaller ones). Having that in mind, it was studied the admix strength gain promoted by the grinding of de fly ash on a ceramic ball mill, aiming an enhancement of the reactivity of the material. In order to enable the use of these byproducts, it is necessary the study of its mechanical behavior due to the cementation provided by the mixture and compaction of these materials. The current research seeks to provide subsides in order to determine its behavior, through the use of the ratio porosity (η)/ volumetric lime content (LV), obtained from the identification and quantification of the most important variables on the control of the strength of the admixes of both by-products, with or without the process of fly ash grinding. This means, the formulation of equations for the simple compressive strength forecast of the cemented material for the fly ash with different grinding times and accelerated curing temperature. In order to do so, it were realized simple compression tests with 5, 10 and 15% of lime, with a specific dry unit weight of 11, 12 and 13 kN/m3, cured for 7 days, with water content of 18% for the grinding times of 0, 2 and 6h to the curing temperatures of 23 and 40oC, and 0 and 6h to 60oC. The results show that, the increase of lime content provided strength gains for the higher temperatures; the decrease of porosity generated strength gain to all the combinations; the increase in curing temperature was important on the strength gain between 23oC and 40oC; the grinding of fly ash for 2h promoted significant strength gains when compared to the not ground samples, however, for 6h of grinding the strength gain wasn’t significant for the 23oC and 60oC curing temperatures. The η/LV ratio, adjusted by an exponent [η/(LV)0,07], presented itself adequate for the formulation of the equations for the forecast of the strength gain of the cemented material to all the studied temperatures and grinding times. Besides that, the existence of unique and distinct relationships on the control of the simple compression strength depending on the porosity, volumetric lime content, curing temperature and grinding time, have been shown useful for the dosage formulation. The results were submitted to variance analysis, which demonstrated that all the factors chosen on the experiment were significant, as all their interactions.

Orientador: Mônica Pinto Barbosa / Banca: Cassio Roberto Macedo Maia / Banca: Oswaldo Cascudo Matos / Resumo: O concreto auto-adensável (CAA) é um material que representa um dos maiores avanços na tecnologia do concreto das últimas décadas. O desenvolvimento do CAA propiciou eficiência e melhora nas condições de trabalho em canteiro de obras e na indústria de pré-moldados. Do ponto de vista reológico, o CAA é uma mistura fluida que proporciona diferenças de comportamento quando comparado ao concreto convencional. Neste contexto, a proposta desta pesquisa foi estudar, num primeiro plano, as características reológicas nas fases de pasta, argamassa e concreto do CAA no estado fresco e seu comportamento no estado endurecido. Para isso, optouse por empregar a metodologia de Repette e Melo (2005), que considera a resistência à compressão como ponto de partida para a composição do traço do CAA e que estuda os aspectos reológicos envolvidos nas diferentes fases de sua dosagem. Os materiais empregados para estudo de dosagem foram o fíler basáltico como adição, areia média, brita 19 mm, aditivo superplastificante e dois tipos de cimento. Foram elaborados dois concretos, com cimentos distintos, ambos com mesma classe de resistência igual a 40 MPa. Num segundo plano, foi realizado um estudo da avaliação da resistência à compressão desses concretos quando submetidos à cura térmica a vapor, variando-se as temperaturas de cura (entre 65oC e 80oC), assim como o patamar isotérmico de cura em 4 h,6 h e 8 h para cada temperatura. A avaliação das propriedades mecânicas dos concretos foi realizada empregando o Método da Maturidade. No emprego da maturidade foram utilizados as funções de Nurse e Saul e a proposta por Freiesleben-Hansen e Pedersen (FHP). As análises comparativas foram realizadas em função do tipo de cimento empregado, temperatura de cura e tempo de patamar isotérmico / Abstract: The self-compacting concrete (SCC) is a material that represents one of the greatest advances in concrete technology in recent decades. The development of SCC has resulted in improved efficiency and working conditions at the construction site and the precast industry. Rheological point of view, the SCC is a fluid mix that provides behavior differences when compared to conventional concrete. In this context, the proposal of this research was to study, in the foreground, the rheological phases of paste, mortar and concrete of SCC in the fresh state and its behavior in the hardened state. For this, we chose to employ the methodology Repette e Melo (2005), which considers the compressive strength as a starting point for the composition of the trace of SCC and studying the rheological aspects involved in the different stages of their dosage. The materials used to study the dosage was basalt fillers such as addition, medium sand, gravel 19 mm, superplasticizer additive and two types of cement. We prepared two concretes with different cements, both with the same strength class of 40 MPa. In the background, a study assessing the compressive strength of concrete when subjected to steam curing, varying the curing temperatures (between 65oC and 80oC) as well as the level of isothermal cure at 4 h, 6 h and 8 h for each temperature. The evaluation of mechanical properties of concrete was carried out using the Maturity Method. Employment of maturity was used to Nurse e Saul function, as well as function proposed by Freiesleben-Hansen and Pedersen (FHP). Comparative analysis were performed according to the type of cement used, curing temperature and isothermal plateau / Mestre

O emprego de resíduos da indústria como materiais alternativos na Engenharia vem sendo tópico recorrente em pesquisas de desenvolvimento de novos materiais, devido a uma maior consciência da opinião pública quanto ao impacto ambiental oriundo da produção industrial. Buscando colaborar com esta discussão, esta pesquisa procurou inserir dois resíduos (cinza volante e cal de carbureto), gerados na região metropolitana de Porto Alegre, como alternativa de solução em Engenharia. Analisando-se a microestrutura da cinza volante, observa-se que ela é formada por esferas ocas e plerosferas (esferas ocas preenchidas por esferas menores). Foi estudado o ganho de resistência da mistura promovido pela moagem da cinza volante em um moinho de bolas cerâmicas, visando uma potencialização da reatividade do material. A fim de possibilitar a utilização destes resíduos, é necessário um estudo do seu comportamento mecânico decorrente da cimentação proporcionada pela mistura e compactação destes materiais. A presente pesquisa busca fornecer subsídios para que seja possível determinar o seu comportamento, através do uso da relação porosidade (η)/teor volumétrico de cal (LV) obtidas a partir da identificação e quantificação das variáveis mais importantes no controle da resistência da mistura dos dois resíduos, com e sem o processo de moagem da cinza, levando a formulação de equações para previsão da resistência à compressão simples do material cimentado para cinza volante com diferentes tempos de moagem e cura acelerada. Para isso, foram realizados ensaios de compressão simples em corpos de prova com 5, 10 e 15% de cal, com peso específico aparente seco de 11, 12 e 13 kN/m3, curados por 7 dias, com umidade de 18% para os tempos de moagem 0, 2 e 6h nas temperaturas 23 e 40°C, e 0 e 6h a 60°C. Os resultados apontam que o aumento do teor de cal gerou ganhos de resistência para as maiores temperaturas de cura; a diminuição da porosidade proporcionou um ganho de resistência para todas as combinações; o aumento da temperatura foi importante no ganho de resistência entre 23oC e 40oC; a moagem da cinza por 2h promoveu ganhos significativos de resistência em relação à não moída, porém, para 6h de moagem os ganhos não foram significativos para as temperaturas de cura de 23oC e 60oC. A relação η/LV, ajustada por um expoente [η/(Lv)0,07], mostrou-se adequada na formulação de equações na previsão da resistência do material cimentado para todas as temperaturas e tempos de moagem estudados. Além disso, a existência de relações únicas e distintas no controle da resistência à compressão simples em função da porosidade, teor volumétrico de cal, temperatura de cura e tempo de moagem, mostraram-se úteis para formulações de dosagem. Os resultados foram submetidos à análise de variância que comprovou que todos os fatores controláveis escolhidos para o experimento são significativos, assim como todas suas interações. / The use of industry by-products as alternative materials in Engineering has been a recurring topic of research in development of new materials, mainly, due to a larger public conscience regarding the environmental impact of industrial production of waste. Aiming to contribute on this discussion, this research sought to introduce two by-products (fly ash and carbide lime), produced on the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, as an alternative Engineering solution. Analyzing the microstructure of the fly ash, it is observed that it is composed by void spheres and plerospheres (void spheres filed with smaller ones). Having that in mind, it was studied the admix strength gain promoted by the grinding of de fly ash on a ceramic ball mill, aiming an enhancement of the reactivity of the material. In order to enable the use of these byproducts, it is necessary the study of its mechanical behavior due to the cementation provided by the mixture and compaction of these materials. The current research seeks to provide subsides in order to determine its behavior, through the use of the ratio porosity (η)/ volumetric lime content (LV), obtained from the identification and quantification of the most important variables on the control of the strength of the admixes of both by-products, with or without the process of fly ash grinding. This means, the formulation of equations for the simple compressive strength forecast of the cemented material for the fly ash with different grinding times and accelerated curing temperature. In order to do so, it were realized simple compression tests with 5, 10 and 15% of lime, with a specific dry unit weight of 11, 12 and 13 kN/m3, cured for 7 days, with water content of 18% for the grinding times of 0, 2 and 6h to the curing temperatures of 23 and 40oC, and 0 and 6h to 60oC. The results show that, the increase of lime content provided strength gains for the higher temperatures; the decrease of porosity generated strength gain to all the combinations; the increase in curing temperature was important on the strength gain between 23oC and 40oC; the grinding of fly ash for 2h promoted significant strength gains when compared to the not ground samples, however, for 6h of grinding the strength gain wasn’t significant for the 23oC and 60oC curing temperatures. The η/LV ratio, adjusted by an exponent [η/(LV)0,07], presented itself adequate for the formulation of the equations for the forecast of the strength gain of the cemented material to all the studied temperatures and grinding times. Besides that, the existence of unique and distinct relationships on the control of the simple compression strength depending on the porosity, volumetric lime content, curing temperature and grinding time, have been shown useful for the dosage formulation. The results were submitted to variance analysis, which demonstrated that all the factors chosen on the experiment were significant, as all their interactions.

O emprego de resíduos da indústria como materiais alternativos na Engenharia vem sendo tópico recorrente em pesquisas de desenvolvimento de novos materiais, devido a uma maior consciência da opinião pública quanto ao impacto ambiental oriundo da produção industrial. Buscando colaborar com esta discussão, esta pesquisa procurou inserir dois resíduos (cinza volante e cal de carbureto), gerados na região metropolitana de Porto Alegre, como alternativa de solução em Engenharia. Analisando-se a microestrutura da cinza volante, observa-se que ela é formada por esferas ocas e plerosferas (esferas ocas preenchidas por esferas menores). Foi estudado o ganho de resistência da mistura promovido pela moagem da cinza volante em um moinho de bolas cerâmicas, visando uma potencialização da reatividade do material. A fim de possibilitar a utilização destes resíduos, é necessário um estudo do seu comportamento mecânico decorrente da cimentação proporcionada pela mistura e compactação destes materiais. A presente pesquisa busca fornecer subsídios para que seja possível determinar o seu comportamento, através do uso da relação porosidade (η)/teor volumétrico de cal (LV) obtidas a partir da identificação e quantificação das variáveis mais importantes no controle da resistência da mistura dos dois resíduos, com e sem o processo de moagem da cinza, levando a formulação de equações para previsão da resistência à compressão simples do material cimentado para cinza volante com diferentes tempos de moagem e cura acelerada. Para isso, foram realizados ensaios de compressão simples em corpos de prova com 5, 10 e 15% de cal, com peso específico aparente seco de 11, 12 e 13 kN/m3, curados por 7 dias, com umidade de 18% para os tempos de moagem 0, 2 e 6h nas temperaturas 23 e 40°C, e 0 e 6h a 60°C. Os resultados apontam que o aumento do teor de cal gerou ganhos de resistência para as maiores temperaturas de cura; a diminuição da porosidade proporcionou um ganho de resistência para todas as combinações; o aumento da temperatura foi importante no ganho de resistência entre 23oC e 40oC; a moagem da cinza por 2h promoveu ganhos significativos de resistência em relação à não moída, porém, para 6h de moagem os ganhos não foram significativos para as temperaturas de cura de 23oC e 60oC. A relação η/LV, ajustada por um expoente [η/(Lv)0,07], mostrou-se adequada na formulação de equações na previsão da resistência do material cimentado para todas as temperaturas e tempos de moagem estudados. Além disso, a existência de relações únicas e distintas no controle da resistência à compressão simples em função da porosidade, teor volumétrico de cal, temperatura de cura e tempo de moagem, mostraram-se úteis para formulações de dosagem. Os resultados foram submetidos à análise de variância que comprovou que todos os fatores controláveis escolhidos para o experimento são significativos, assim como todas suas interações. / The use of industry by-products as alternative materials in Engineering has been a recurring topic of research in development of new materials, mainly, due to a larger public conscience regarding the environmental impact of industrial production of waste. Aiming to contribute on this discussion, this research sought to introduce two by-products (fly ash and carbide lime), produced on the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, as an alternative Engineering solution. Analyzing the microstructure of the fly ash, it is observed that it is composed by void spheres and plerospheres (void spheres filed with smaller ones). Having that in mind, it was studied the admix strength gain promoted by the grinding of de fly ash on a ceramic ball mill, aiming an enhancement of the reactivity of the material. In order to enable the use of these byproducts, it is necessary the study of its mechanical behavior due to the cementation provided by the mixture and compaction of these materials. The current research seeks to provide subsides in order to determine its behavior, through the use of the ratio porosity (η)/ volumetric lime content (LV), obtained from the identification and quantification of the most important variables on the control of the strength of the admixes of both by-products, with or without the process of fly ash grinding. This means, the formulation of equations for the simple compressive strength forecast of the cemented material for the fly ash with different grinding times and accelerated curing temperature. In order to do so, it were realized simple compression tests with 5, 10 and 15% of lime, with a specific dry unit weight of 11, 12 and 13 kN/m3, cured for 7 days, with water content of 18% for the grinding times of 0, 2 and 6h to the curing temperatures of 23 and 40oC, and 0 and 6h to 60oC. The results show that, the increase of lime content provided strength gains for the higher temperatures; the decrease of porosity generated strength gain to all the combinations; the increase in curing temperature was important on the strength gain between 23oC and 40oC; the grinding of fly ash for 2h promoted significant strength gains when compared to the not ground samples, however, for 6h of grinding the strength gain wasn’t significant for the 23oC and 60oC curing temperatures. The η/LV ratio, adjusted by an exponent [η/(LV)0,07], presented itself adequate for the formulation of the equations for the forecast of the strength gain of the cemented material to all the studied temperatures and grinding times. Besides that, the existence of unique and distinct relationships on the control of the simple compression strength depending on the porosity, volumetric lime content, curing temperature and grinding time, have been shown useful for the dosage formulation. The results were submitted to variance analysis, which demonstrated that all the factors chosen on the experiment were significant, as all their interactions.

<p>With over 30 billion tons of global annual production, concrete is the most used construction material in the world. Its manufacturing is associated with a strong environmental impact due to the high natural resources’ consumption, energy consumption, and a large generation of wastes and pollutants with significant global consequences. There are many different approaches to reduce the environmental impact of cementitious materials. Two examples are: (i) the use of recycled aggregate (RA) such as recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) and recycled plastics, or supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) such as biomass ashes to reduce the use of natural aggregates and cement, respectively, and (ii) using nano-additives (for instance, nano-TiO2) to enhance material’s performance and to provide the material new properties that may have a positive proactive effect during its service life (i.e., photocatalytic properties that may reduce different pollutants concentrations from the environment). These approaches have been widely studied in standard conditions. However, boundary conditions such as temperature or moisture can be critical factors that directly or indirectly affect the effect of these approaches on the sustainability of cementitious composites in all stages of their life, from curing to service conditions.</p> <p>It is known that curing temperature influences the effect of using recycled materials (such as RCA or SCMs) on the mechanical properties of cementitious materials. However, there were no studies concerning the influence of curing temperature on the nano-TiO2 addition effect on mechanical properties of cementitious composites. A potential change will affect composites’ sustainability; if curing temperature influences the effect of nano-TiO2 on strength, the cement content needed to achieve a given performance will variate. This study concluded that curing temperature is a key factor that changes the effect of TiO2 nanoparticles on mechanical properties and pore structure of Portland cement mortars; the lower the curing temperature, the higher the positive effect of TiO2 on compressive strength.</p> <p>Besides the use of nano-TiO2, the substitution of NA with RCA might significantly benefit the sustainability of cementitious composites. However, the use of RCA may lead to a reduction in strength. On the other hand, the addition of nano-TiO2 mixtures containing RCA might offset this reduction in strength. Nevertheless, studying their effects on the composites’ performance under extreme conditions is critical to assess the actual environmental impact since durability is one of the main pillars of cementitious materials sustainability. This study concluded that even though RCA may be beneficial to increase sustainability aspects in terms of net waste generation and natural abiotic depletion, its potential negative effects on high-temperature resistance should be considered to not lead to structural problems during its lifetime, especially if used in combination with nano-TiO2. The addition of low percentages of nano-TiO2 has a negative effect on the high-temperature resistance of mortar containing 100% RCA. Differences in thermal properties between old aggregate, old cement paste, and new cement paste with nano-TiO2 may induce internal stresses at high temperatures that can produce a failure at lower strength due to the weaker interfacial transition zone (ITZ) between the stronger new cement paste (with nano-TiO2) and the old cement paste. To the same extent, it is important to understand how extreme temperatures impact the effect of other recycled materials in cementitious composite performance. This study found that recycled polypropylene (re-PP) fibers may mitigate the strength loss caused by high-temperature exposure, enhance the residual flexural strength, and increase the energy absorption capability. The changes in the fiber-matrix ITZ after cooling observed through an optical microscope suggested that the mechanical improvements are related to an enhancement of the fiber-matrix ITZ after high-temperature exposure and cooling.</p> <p>The next part of the dissertation focused on studying the thermal conductivity susceptibility to ambient conditions variation and how RCA substitution can affect this susceptibility. Understanding the effect of RCA on the thermal conductivity of cementitious composites would be crucial to assess their effects on the environmental impact during service life as part of a building component. Results showed that the higher percentage of porosity (due to RCA utilization) increases the susceptibility of thermal conductivity to moisture. Thus, actual moisture content and temperature should be considered when assessing the effect of RCA on thermal conductivity and its influence on sustainability in terms of energy savings when used as part of building envelops.</p> <p>Finally, the last part of this dissertation focused on assessing the impact of curing temperature on the sustainability of sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) as a partial replacement of cement in mortars. An experimental campaign was performed to evaluate the effect of partial replacement of cement with SCBA on compressive strength as a function of curing temperature. Hence, a life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed from the extraction of the raw materials to the material production part of the life cycle, using as a functional unit 1 m3 of mortar with the same compressive strength as the reference mixture (plain Portland cement mortar without SCBA) cured at the same temperature. Results showed that a replacement of 97 kg of cement by SCBA (per m3 of mortar) may produce a reduction of the environmental impacts two times higher when the curing temperature was 45°C than when the temperature was 21°C. Results clearly indicate that the sustainability of SCBA utilization as a partial replacement for cement will be higher when mortar is poured in hot regions or during days with higher temperatures. Therefore, external curing temperature is an important factor that should be considered when assessing the sustainability of cementitious composites containing sugarcane biomass ashes.</p>

The Deep Mixing Method (DMM) is a widely used, in-situ ground improvement technique that modifies and improves the engineering properties of soil by blending the soil with a cementitious binder. Laboratory specimens were prepared to represent soil improved by the wet method of deep mixing, in which the binder is delivered in the form of a cement-water slurry. To study the influence of curing temperature on the strength of the treated soil, specimens were cured in temperature-controlled water baths for the desired curing time. After curing, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests were conducted on the specimens. To investigate the optimum mix design for the wet method of deep mixing, UCS tests were performed to measure the strength of cured specimens, and laboratory miniature vane shear tests were conducted on uncured specimens to measure the undrained shear strength (su), which is used to represent the consistency of the mixture right after mixing. The consistency is important for field mixing because a softer mixture is easier to mix thoroughly. Based on the UCS test results, an equation that can provide a good fit to the strength data of the cured binder-treated soil is proposed. When the curing temperature was changed during curing, the UCS of the specimen cured at a low temperature and then cured at a high temperature was greater than the UCS of the specimen cured at a high temperature first. This seems to be due to different effects of elevated curing temperatures at early and late curing times on the cement reaction rates, such that elevating the curing temperature later produces a more constant reaction rate, which contributes to the reaction efficiency. An optimum mix design that minimizes the amount of binder while satisfying both a target strength of the cured mixture and a target consistency of the uncured mixture can be established by using the fitted equations for UCS and su. The amount of binder required for the optimum mix design increases as the plasticity of the base soil increases and the water content of the base soil (wbase soil) decreases. / Master of Science / The Deep Mixing Method (DMM) is a ground improvement technique widely used to improve the strength and stiffness of loose sands, soft clays, and organic soils. The DMM is useful for both inland and coastal construction. There are two types of deep mixing. The dry method of deep mixing involves adding the binder in the form of dry powder, and the wet method of deep mixing involves mixing binder-water slurry with the soil. The strength of the cured mixture is significantly influenced by the amount of added cement and water, the curing time, and the curing temperature. This research evaluates the influence of curing temperature on the strength of cured cement-treated soil mixture. Mixture proportions and curing conditions also influence the consistency of the mixture right after mixing, which is important because it affects the amount of mixing energy necessary to thoroughly mix the binder slurry with the soil. This research developed and evaluated fitting equations that correlate the cured mixture strength and the uncured mixture consistency with mixture proportions and curing conditions. These fitting equations can then be used to select an economical and practical mix design method that minimizes the amount of binder needed to achieve both the desired cured strength and uncured consistency. The amount of binder required for the optimum mix design increases as the plasticity of the base soil increases and the water content of the base soil (wbase soil) decreases.