Experimental Investigation on Properties of Basalt Fiber Reinforced Geopolymer Concrete

Abstract

Concrete is the most used construction material in the world. Construction industry uses most of the natural resources as it includes production of cement. It is the major contributing factor to the CO2 emissions, causing global warming. An alternate to the OPC has been found out known as Geopolymer concrete. It uses industrial waste material such as fly ash, GGBS, instead of cement thereby decreasing impacts due to cement production. In this study both fly ash and GGBS are utilized in making Geopolymer concrete. Alkaline solution is used that comprises of sodium silicate (114.206 kg/m 3 ) and Sodium hydroxide (57.10 kg/m 3 ) in the ratio of 2.0. Sodium hydroxide of 8 Molarity is used. In present study various percentages of basalt fibers are added to the geopolymer concrete and the compressive, flexural and split tensile strength of the different mixes were compared with the geopolymer concrete without basalt fibers. Fibers are added to the geopolymer concrete in the range of 0.5% to 2.5% at 0.5% increments.