Performance Studies on Steel Fiber–Reinforced GGBS-Dolomite Geopolymer Concrete

Abstract

Geopolymer concrete is a sustainable material which can reuse industrial by-products and thereby minimize the emission of greenhouse gases during its production, unlike cement. Blended geopolymer concrete has been made from two industrial waste products, ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) and dolomite, which are obtained from steel industries and rock crushing plants, respectively. This geopolymer concrete is found to develop high strength within a short period of ambient curing. It is observed that the addition of steel fibers enhances the strength and durability characteristics of this concrete. The paper highlights the engineering and durability properties of steel fiber–reinforced GGBS-dolomite geopolymer concrete and explains how the bond strength and impact resistance of GGBS-dolomite geopolymer concrete is improved by the inclusion of steel fibers. A comparison of improvement in durability characteristics between geopolymer concrete with and without steel fiber reinforcement and ordinary portland cement concrete is also presented. The development of GGBS-dolomite geopolymer concrete from industrial by-products minimizes the cost of construction and creates a solution to the waste disposal problems. The high durability of geopolymer concrete will help to reduce the maintenance cost of structures.