High volume fly ash concrete as a structural material: development, applications and research needs

A major challenge currently faced by the concrete industry in the world is the high levels of carbon emissions associated with production of Portland cement. Some recent solutions developed to address the issue are the concrete materials with high volumes of cement substitutes. Geopolymer concrete is one such solution where alkali activated polymerization of fly ash or slag is used to develop a cement free concrete. One disadvantage of the material is the heat curing required to develop early strengths needed for structural applications. High volume fly ash (HVFA) concrete is an alternative where 50-70% replacement of Portland cement is being explored in making concrete suitable for structural applications. The paper presents a comprehensive review of attempts made at developing sustainable concrete with normal production processes. Gaps in current research have been identified and early results of an experimental study conducted at RMIT University in Melbourne to develop a high volume fly ash concrete material are presented. Potential applications of the new material and further research needs are identified