Mingkang Gao , Zhongtao Luo , Xiaohai Liu , Lei Liu , Jiayuan Ye , Ran Hai , Maoliang Zhang
{"title":"Comparative effects of nano-SiO2 and C-S-H seeds on mechanical property, sustainability, hydration, and microstructure of one-part sodium carbonate-activated slag","authors":"Mingkang Gao , Zhongtao Luo , Xiaohai Liu , Lei Liu , Jiayuan Ye , Ran Hai , Maoliang Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2025.106456","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2025.106456","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>One-part sodium carbonate-activated slag (SCAS) is a low-carbon cementitious material, but the early strength development is slow. To overcome the drawback, this study investigated the influence of nano-SiO<sub>2</sub> (NS) and C-S-H seeds on the early-stage compressive strength of SCAS system. A multi-technique approach, comprising pH monitoring, isothermal calorimetry, Krstulovic-Dabic model, XRD, TGA, <sup>27</sup>Al NMR, <sup>29</sup>Si NMR, MIP, and fractal analysis was employed to characterize the effects of nanomaterials on the hydration process, phase assemblage and pore structure of SCAS system, thereby elucidating the mechanisms governing early-age hydration behavior. The results revealed that compared to the control, the 0.2 wt% NS and C-S-H seeds increased the 1-day compressive strength of SCAS by 4 % and 329 %, corresponding to 5.4 MPa and 22.3 MPa respectively, whereas the 28-day strength remained virtually unaffected. The remarkable advantage was also reflected in sustainability. The SCAS sample with 0.2 wt% C-S-H seeds achieved a unit-strength cost of 19.4 CNY∗t<sup>−1</sup>∗MPa<sup>−1</sup> and a unit-strength carbon emission of only 2.2 kg CO<sub>2</sub>-e∗t<sup>−1</sup>∗MPa<sup>−1</sup>, both significantly lower than those of ordinary Portland cement and other modified alkali-activated slag systems. The C-S-H seeds markedly accelerated the rise in pH and advanced the onset of acceleration period to 23.2 h, shifting the hydration kinetics directly from crystal nucleation and growth to diffusion. Phase assemblage and pore structure further demonstrated that the seeding effect of C-S-H seeds significantly promoted slag dissolution and facilitated the formation of C-A-S-H gel, refining the pore structure. In contrast, although the early strength was marginally enhanced by NS, the competitive dissolution between NS and slag led to partial suppression of slag hydration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9865,"journal":{"name":"Cement & concrete composites","volume":"167 ","pages":"Article 106456"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145796220","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wenkai Shen , Chunxiang Jiang , Zuquan Jin , Qiang Yuan , Youhong Ji , Rong Zeng , Youwu Wu , Lilin Lao , Caijun Shi
{"title":"Can concrete pumping pressure be predicted from mixture composition? Insights from machine learning on full-scale pumping experiments","authors":"Wenkai Shen , Chunxiang Jiang , Zuquan Jin , Qiang Yuan , Youhong Ji , Rong Zeng , Youwu Wu , Lilin Lao , Caijun Shi","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2025.106458","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2025.106458","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pumping pressure loss is a key technical indicator in concrete pumping. In this study, a machine learning-based model was developed to predict pumping pressure from concrete mixture composition and operational parameters. A total of 410 full-scale coiled pipeline pumping tests were conducted, covering a wide range of flow rates (1.8–18.9 L/s), pumping distances (325–1044 m), and concrete strength grades (C30–C100). A hybrid modeling strategy combining unsupervised clustering and supervised learning was adopted. Specifically, density-based clustering was first employed to group the data by feature similarity, and the resulting cluster labels were incorporated into the supervised learning model as additional input features. Subsequently, Euclidean distance analysis, grid search, and five-fold cross-validation were used to optimize the hyperparameters of both the clustering and the Extremely Randomized Trees regression model. The developed model exhibited good prediction accuracy (R<sup>2</sup> > 0.9). SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) analysis was further applied to reveal the influence of individual mixture parameters on the predicted pumping pressure. Publicly available full-scale pumping data from the literature were used to evaluate the applicability of the model, and key factors influencing cross-project prediction accuracy were analyzed. Finally, a strategy for cross-project application of the pressure prediction model was proposed. This study highlights the potential of using mixture composition to predict concrete pumping pressure and provides insights for the optimized design of pumpable concrete and pumping operations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9865,"journal":{"name":"Cement & concrete composites","volume":"167 ","pages":"Article 106458"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145823222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Moboluwaduro Akande , Jiří Němeček , Panagiotis Danoglidis , Maria Konsta-Gdoutos
{"title":"Graphene enriched concrete using ultrasonication assisted exfoliation","authors":"Moboluwaduro Akande , Jiří Němeček , Panagiotis Danoglidis , Maria Konsta-Gdoutos","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2025.106457","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2025.106457","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study unveils a definitive energy threshold governing graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) exfoliation, revealing a direct relationship between ultrasonication energy, graphene nanoplatelet morphology, and the enhanced microstructural and electromechanical performance of cementitious nanocomposites. Comprehensive material analyses using Ultraviolet–Visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Zeta Potential, Raman spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) verified the high-quality dispersion and robust colloidal stability of the exfoliated graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs). Sub-optimal sonication results in insufficient exfoliation and poor dispersion, while excessive energy induces structural damage and colloidal destabilization. At the optimum energy level, GNP suspensions exhibit maximized exfoliation, colloidal stability, and a continuous conductive network, as confirmed by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) through reduced charge transfer resistance. By comparing the functional and structural performance of mortars reinforced with multi- and few-layer GNPs, this work delivers a methodical approach from exfoliation state to application performance, and establishes a protocol that maximizes reinforcement efficiency, as demonstrated by the substantial enhancement in load bearing capacity, up to 69 % increase in modulus of elasticity, 43 % in flexural strength, 20 % in compressive strength, and 130 % in fracture energy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9865,"journal":{"name":"Cement & concrete composites","volume":"167 ","pages":"Article 106457"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145844681","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jiaxi Mao , Suxi Wang , Wentao Jia , Yi Liu , Shikun Chen , Yajun Zhang , Dongming Yan
{"title":"Alkali-activated metakaolin geopolymers as structural electrolytes: Insights into structure–function relationships and energy storage potential","authors":"Jiaxi Mao , Suxi Wang , Wentao Jia , Yi Liu , Shikun Chen , Yajun Zhang , Dongming Yan","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2025.106407","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2025.106407","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rapid growth of distributed and renewable energy systems has created an urgent demand for structural materials capable of simultaneously providing mechanical support and energy‐storage functionality. Conventional cementitious materials, however, exhibit low ionic conductivity and poor electrochemical activity, limiting their use in multifunctional energy‐storage structures. To address this challenge, this study explores the development of alkali‐activated metakaolin (MK) geopolymers modified with different sodium salts (Na<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>, NaCl, and NaOH) as structural solid electrolytes. The incorporation of sodium salts enhanced the ionic conductivity and capacitive behavior of the MK‐based electrolytes. Results showed that the incorporation of sodium salts significantly enhanced the ionic conductivity and capacitive performance of the geopolymer electrolytes. The Na<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>‐modified sample (MK‐S) exhibited the highest ionic conductivity of 33.22 mS cm<sup>−1</sup> and an areal capacitance of 603.93 mF cm<sup>−2</sup>, corresponding to a 4.5‐fold increase over unmodified MK. This improvement is primarily associated with enhanced Na <sup>+</sup> availability and refined pore connectivity attributed to the presence of SO<sub>4</sub><sup>2−</sup> anions. These findings demonstrate a viable route toward structural electrolytes for next‐generation energy‐storage‐integrated building materials, although further investigation under application scenarios is still required.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9865,"journal":{"name":"Cement & concrete composites","volume":"167 ","pages":"Article 106407"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145609039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Seongho Han , Eunjong Ahn , Myoungsu Shin , John S. Popovics , Kamal H. Khayat
{"title":"Methodology for surface defect assessment in 3D concrete printing using computer-vision and ultrasonic testing considering structural build-up","authors":"Seongho Han , Eunjong Ahn , Myoungsu Shin , John S. Popovics , Kamal H. Khayat","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2025.106439","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2025.106439","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study quantifies how interlayer time gaps and mixture rheology jointly influence interfacial integrity and mechanical performance in 3D concrete printing (3DCP). Two mixtures incorporating identical binders, but differing limestone fineness (4 and 50 μm) were printed with interlayer delays of 0, 2, and 5 min, corresponding to stacking rates of approximately 9, 0.5, and 0.2 m/h. The finer limestone mixture exhibited higher plastic viscosity (13.2 vs. 11.5 Pa s) and faster structural buildup (58 vs. 38 Pa/min), resulting in accelerated early stiffening. Deposition yield stress derived from buildup measurements remained low for 0–2 min (1400–1500 Pa for the higher-thixotropy mixture; 1100–1500 Pa for the lower one) but increased markedly at 5 min to 4100 and 2900 Pa, respectively. Six single-wall prints were evaluated via surface defect imaging, layer-resolved ultrasonic S-wave velocity mapping, and 28-d compressive testing of specimens extracted from lower (layers 1–5) and upper (6–10) regions. Defect density rose with both delay and height, reaching 14.5% in the upper layers of the higher-thixotropy mixture at 5 min, while the 0-min condition remained ≤ 2%. S-wave velocity declined from 2100 to 2150 (0 min) to 1,800–1,870 m/s (5 min), accompanied by a strength reduction from 50 to 25–30 MPa. The findings define a practical deposition window, yield stress of 1100–1500 Pa, that minimizes interlayer defects under realistic delays, and demonstrate that layer-wise S-wave monitoring sensitively captures vertical stiffness gradients, providing a viable process-control metric for large-scale additive construction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9865,"journal":{"name":"Cement & concrete composites","volume":"167 ","pages":"Article 106439"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145704049","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yoon Kyung Na , Hong-Joon Choi , Ilhwan You , Doo-Yeol Yoo
{"title":"Performance evaluation of ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete incorporating waste OLED glass powder as a cement replacement","authors":"Yoon Kyung Na , Hong-Joon Choi , Ilhwan You , Doo-Yeol Yoo","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2025.106459","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2025.106459","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, the potential of waste organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display glass powder as a sustainable pozzolanic material for partial cement replacement in ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) was investigated. While conventional UHPFRC has excellent strength and durability, its high cement content raises environmental concerns. OLED glass, which is rich in amorphous silica and free from backlight or plastic layers, offers a recyclable alternative to conventional binders. By replacing ordinary Portland cement with OLED powder at varying dosages (0–75 %), the effects on hydration behavior, microstructure, and mechanical performance were investigated. At a 25 % replacement level, the formation of additional C-(A-)S-H gels and lower porosity enhanced both compressive strength and fiber–matrix interfacial bonding. Single-fiber pull-out tests and microstructural imaging (atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray) confirmed stronger bond strength and denser matrix morphology. Under tensile loading, digital image correlation showed effective crack dispersion and finer crack widths, indicating improved ductility and crack control. Life-cycle analysis showed that the 25 % OLED mix reduced CO<sub>2</sub> emissions and embodied energy by 15.7 % and 11.3 %, respectively, with minimal cost increase. These results highlight the suitability of OLED waste as a high-performance, eco-efficient binder that promotes both mechanical improvement and environmental sustainability of the next generation of UHPFRC.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9865,"journal":{"name":"Cement & concrete composites","volume":"167 ","pages":"Article 106459"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145845046","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jie Yao , Wenjing Sun , Yile Ma , Xiating Feng , Xiaowei Gu , Qiantong Tang , P.G. Ranjith
{"title":"Structural supercapacitor performance of alkali-activated steel slag/ground granulated furnace slag electrolyte-graphene electrode","authors":"Jie Yao , Wenjing Sun , Yile Ma , Xiating Feng , Xiaowei Gu , Qiantong Tang , P.G. Ranjith","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2025.106437","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2025.106437","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Under the global sustainable development strategy, the low-carbon transition and multifunctional integration of building structures have emerged as critical directions in civil engineering. This study employed a simple electrode coating process to fabricate high-performance graphene electrodes and innovatively introduced superabsorbent polymer (SAP) into a steel slag–ground granulated furnace slag electrolyte system. The influence of SAP on the properties of solid-waste-based structural supercapacitors (SSCs) was systematically investigated. Experimental results demonstrated that the graphene-loaded electrode achieved a high areal capacitance of 913 mF/cm<sup>2</sup> at an optimal loading rate of 0.5%, facilitated by a simplified active material deposition process. The alkali-activated SSCs exhibited ideal capacitive characteristics, where superabsorbent polymer (SAP) incorporation enhanced porosity and increased ionic conductivity by 2.33-fold (9.08 mS/cm). Meanwhile, the strong electrolyte absorption capability of SAP ensured the stability of the SSCs. With 1% SAP addition, the device delivered an areal capacitance of 131.16 mF/cm<sup>2</sup> and an areal energy density of 38.2 μWh/cm<sup>2</sup>. A series-connected module of six supercapacitors charged to 6 V successfully illuminated a blue LED for 45 s, demonstrating a feasible solid waste-based energy storage strategy for building energy efficiency. However, the current SSCs still exhibit relatively low energy and power densities. Future work will focus on investigating the synergy between the electrode and solid waste electrolyte to improve overall energy storage performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9865,"journal":{"name":"Cement & concrete composites","volume":"167 ","pages":"Article 106437"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145689184","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yingliang Zhao , Zhenjiang Gu , Yong Zheng , Kai Cui , Jionghuang He , Peiliang Shen , Chi Sun Poon
{"title":"Enhancing the reactivity of calcium carbonate in CO2 mineralized steel slag by ultrasonic-assisted carbonation","authors":"Yingliang Zhao , Zhenjiang Gu , Yong Zheng , Kai Cui , Jionghuang He , Peiliang Shen , Chi Sun Poon","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2025.106435","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2025.106435","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The reactivity of calcium carbonate (Cc), as the dominant product in carbonated steel slag, plays a pivotal role in determining its performance as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM). This study investigates an ultrasonic-assisted carbonation strategy to enhance the reactivity of Cc formed during CO<sub>2</sub> mineralization of steel slag. Compared to conventional wet carbonation, ultrasonic treatment significantly enhanced the reactivity of Cc, making it more readily reactive with C<sub>3</sub>A when used as an SCM, due to pronounced physicochemical modifications. These modifications include a reduced crystallite size, an increased specific surface area, and a higher proportion of metastable or poorly crystalline phases. Such changes result in a higher density of chemically active sites on the Cc surface. These enhanced properties stem from the combined effects of ultrasonic cavitation and acoustic streaming. Cavitation created localized high-temperature and high-pressure microenvironments that accelerated nucleation and inhibited excessive crystal growth, while acoustic streaming improved mass transport by thinning the diffusion boundary layer, thus facilitating rapid CO<sub>2</sub> dissolution and ion exchange. Together, these mechanisms yield defect-rich, nano-structured Cc with superior reactivity suitable for cementitious applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9865,"journal":{"name":"Cement & concrete composites","volume":"167 ","pages":"Article 106435"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145689771","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tao Yang , Yuwei Ma , Zongjin Li , Haoliang Huang , Bokai Liao , Hao Wang
{"title":"Self-sensing concrete with enhanced linearity and conductivity prepared by alkali-activated materials and polyacrylamide-modified carbon fibers","authors":"Tao Yang , Yuwei Ma , Zongjin Li , Haoliang Huang , Bokai Liao , Hao Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2025.106453","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2025.106453","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Self-sensing concrete is crucial for the development of smart infrastructure due to its ability to monitor structural health by measuring changes in electrical resistivity. This study developed a novel alkali-activated material (AAM)-based self-sensing concrete by incorporating polyacrylamide (PAM)-modified carbon fibers (CFs), achieving enhanced conductivity and highly linear piezoresistive performance. The mechanisms underlying the PAM modification were systematically investigated. The results showed that PAM treatment significantly improved CF dispersion within the AAM matrix and promoted the formation of a stable CF–polymer interfacial structure through carboxylate–calcium/aluminum coordination. Single fiber pull-out tests confirmed that these interfacial crosslinking products increased the fiber–matrix bonding strength, which in turn stabilized the conductive pathways and facilitated more efficient electron transfer. With only 0.1 vol% PAM-modified CFs, the composite exhibited an ultralow bulk resistivity of 51.4 Ω cm and a highly linear strain–resistance response up to 1800 με, outperforming traditional cement-based self-sensing concretes at comparable or higher CF contents. These findings demonstrate that optimizing fiber–matrix interactions is critical for improving the electromechanical performance of self-sensing concretes. The PAM surface modification approach provides a cost-effective and operationally simple strategy for developing high-performance self-sensing concrete.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9865,"journal":{"name":"Cement & concrete composites","volume":"167 ","pages":"Article 106453"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145823253","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Synergistic effect of multi-supplementary materials on rheology and ultra-early stage properties of 3D printable FA-GBFS geopolymer","authors":"Yufei Yan , Mo Zhang , Guowei Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2025.106449","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2025.106449","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rheological performance plays an important role in tailoring 3D printability of geopolymer. However, since geopolymer commonly incorporates industrial solid wastes, how these materials jointly affect the ultra-early rheology remains unclear and limits further optimization. To better modify the ultra-early stage properties of geopolymer, the supplementary materials of steel slag (SS), silica fume (SF), and flue gas desulfurization gypsum (FGD) were incorporated in fly ash (FA)-ground granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) based geopolymer individually or in combination at 0–50 % to investigate their effects on the rheological properties and the underlying mechanisms via rheology tests, mini-slump measurement and microstructure characterization with freeze-dried paste samples after 3 min of mixing. The results indicated that the combined incorporation of SF-SS and SS-FGD mix had more significant influence on the rheology and ultra-early stage properties of FA-GBFS geopolymer. Due to the increased absorption of SF on SS, the dissolution of SF was enhanced by the higher alkalinity from SS and the internal resistance between particles was raised by the coated SS. This synergistic effect facilitated the development of dense and cohesive C(N)-A-S-H and C-S-H gel networks and remarkably improved the internal structural integrity and thixotropic recovery of geopolymer.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9865,"journal":{"name":"Cement & concrete composites","volume":"167 ","pages":"Article 106449"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145785101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}