Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2010. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 120-125). Also available on the World Wide Web.

abstract: Alkali-activated aluminosilicates, commonly known as "geopolymers", are being increasingly studied as a potential replacement for Portland cement. These binders use an alkaline activator, typically alkali silicates, alkali hydroxides or a combination of both along with a silica-and-alumina rich material, such as fly ash or slag, to form a final product with properties comparable to or better than those of ordinary Portland cement. The kinetics of alkali activation is highly dependent on the chemical composition of the binder material and the activator concentration. The influence of binder composition (slag, fly ash or both), different levels of alkalinity, expressed using the ratios of Na2O-to-binders (n) and activator SiO2-to-Na2O ratios (Ms), on the early age behavior in sodium silicate solution (waterglass) activated fly ash-slag blended systems is discussed in this thesis. Optimal binder composition and the n values are selected based on the setting times. Higher activator alkalinity (n value) is required when the amount of slag in the fly ash-slag blended mixtures is reduced. Isothermal calorimetry is performed to evaluate the early age hydration process and to understand the reaction kinetics of the alkali activated systems. The differences in the calorimetric signatures between waterglass activated slag and fly ash-slag blends facilitate an understanding of the impact of the binder composition on the reaction rates. Kinetic modeling is used to quantify the differences in reaction kinetics using the Exponential as well as the Knudsen method. The influence of temperature on the reaction kinetics of activated slag and fly ash-slag blends based on the hydration parameters are discussed. Very high compressive strengths can be obtained both at early ages as well as later ages (more than 70 MPa) with waterglass activated slag mortars. Compressive strength decreases with the increase in the fly ash content. A qualitative evidence of leaching is presented through the electrical conductivity changes in the saturating solution. The impact of leaching and the strength loss is found to be generally higher for the mixtures made using a higher activator Ms and a higher n value. Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) is used to obtain information about the reaction products. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Civil Engineering 2012

Ground granulated blast furnace slag is a by-product of the steel industry and is often used in combination with ordinary Portland cement as a binder in concrete. When concrete is exposed to high temperatures, physical and chemical transformations lead to significant loss of mechanical properties. This study aims to investigate the effect of high temperatures and rehydration on the mechanical properties, microstructure and phase composition of alkali activated slag. The results of the research could make an important contribution to decisions made concerning the reconstruction of structures affected by fire. In suitable cases it would be possible to regenerate parts of a structure instead of totally rebuilding it.

Properly proportioned, placed and cured concrete can be durable under most conditions. However, deterioration of concrete does occur under certain environments. One of the problems that affect the durability of hardened concrete is delayed ettringite formation (DEF) which is an important problem encountered in precast concrete industry where high temperature curing is applied. Although there had been many researches on DEF, there are still many uncertainties about its chemistry and mechanism. In this study, the effects of partial cement replacement by different mineral admixtures (trass, blast furnace slag and fly ash), SO3/Al2O3 molar ratio and specific surface area of cement on DEF were investigated. For this purpose, 9 groups of control cements were prepared with 3 different specific surface areas and 3 different SO3/Al2O3 molar ratios. Different amounts of mineral admixtures were blended with the control cements. High temperature curing was applied to the cement pastes and the expansions of these pastes were measured periodically for 240 days. v The experimental results obtained were interpreted for a comparative analysis of the effects of the afore-mentioned parameters.

The thesis is focused on the application of brick powder in production of binary alkali-activated binders with metakaolin, slag and fly ash. The theoretical part summarizes recent fields of use of the ceramic waste in construction and binder industry and prerequisite properties of the brick powder for alkaline activation. Brick powder based geopolymers made in the experimental work were tested for their mechanical properties, porosity and microstructure, flow properties of the fresh geopolymers were evaluated by rheometric measurements. In accordance with the results it can be concluded that brick powder could be a suitable precursor for blended binders with metakaolin and slag, these samples exhibited good mechanical properties and microstructure characteristics. The combination with fly ash was less applicable due to a rapid setting, hardening retarder used in these binders caused significant deterioration of the mechanical properties of the material.

The diploma thesis is focused on the use of the waste glass with different fineness on alkali - activated composites, mainly based on slag and fly ash. The theoretical part is focused on materials that are most used for alkaline activation - slag, fly ash and their composites with waste glass. The theoretical part also deals with the alkaline activation of composites from these materials and the factors that influences the microstructure and properties of these composites. In the experimental part were prepared composites from slag and fly ash with a waste glass as substitute. These composites then have been examined on mechanical properties and microstructure, also how different fineness of glass influences these properties. Then it will be decided whether it is economically advantageous grinding waste glass to finer fractions

This thesis deals with the possibility of using secondary raw materials from the energy industry especially the solid residues of high temperature combustion of coal. These materials should be now seen as a material with wide usage especially in the construction industry. One possibility of their usage is a replacement of binding parts in floor systems. The aim is to find the optimal composition of the mixture, which fits all the technical requirements and at the same time reduces the cost of its production. An advanced methods of powder X-ray diffraction analysis, particle size laser diffraction analysis and X-ray fluorescence analysis were used to determine the raw materials. Based on these analysis the experiments were designed focusing on the mechanical properties, the observation of the evolution of hydration’s heat in prepared mixtures and their time of setting and hardening.