Investigations on the Strength Characteristics of Geopolymer Concrete at Ambient and Oven curing

Abstract- Concrete is one of the most fundamental materials used in the field of civil engineering. In this project, an attempt has been made to replace the cement with locally available materials such as Low calcium fly ash and Ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) which acts as alternative binder. Fly ash is rich in silicate and alumina and it reacts with alkaline solution to produce alumina silicate gel that binds the aggregate to produce a good concrete. GGBS is a slag which is usually used for partial replacement of cement. Geopolymer concrete members are cured at ambient temperature and also at 80°C in oven for 24hours with varying proportions of fly ash and GGBS for 12M concentration.The alkaline solutions (sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate solutions) are prepared 24 hrs, prior of casting. The conventional method of mixing, compacting and moulding is done to produce Geopolymer concrete. Cubes, cylinders and beams are tested to find the compressive strength, tensile strength and flexural strength. The compressive, tensile and flexural strength for all members are tested for 7 days and 28days.After the experimental investigation, it was found that the strength of geopolymer concrete increased with increase in higher percentage of GGBS and also the strength increased with age of the concrete in case of ambient curing