Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 25, 2026

Assessing Disaster Resilience of Concrete with Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles
Published on: November 14, 2025
Mechanical and Microstructural Evaluations of Lightweight Aggregate Geopolymer Concrete before and after Exposed to
Omar A Abdulkareem1, Mohd Mustafa Al Bakri Abdullah2, Kamarudin Hussin3
1Center of Excellence Geopolymer & Green Technology (CEGeoTech), School of Material Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), P.O. Box 77, D/A Pejabat Pos Besar, Kangar, Perlis 01000, Malaysia. eng.omar83@yahoo.com.
Abstract:
This paper presents the mechanical and microstructural characteristics of a lightweight aggregate geopolymer concrete (LWAGC) synthesized by the alkali-activation of a fly ash source (FA) before and after being exposed to elevated temperatures, ranging from 100 to 800 °C. The results show that the LWAGC unexposed to the elevated temperatures possesses a good strength-to-weight ratio compared with other LWAGCs available in the published literature. The unexposed LWAGC also shows an excellent strength development versus aging times, up to 365 days. For the exposed LWAGC to the elevated temperatures of 100 to 800 °C, the results illustrate that the concretes gain compressive strength after being exposed to elevated temperatures of 100, 200 and 300 °C. Afterward, the strength of the LWAGC started to deteriorate and decrease after being exposed to elevated temperatures of 400 °C, and up to 800 °C. Based on the mechanical strength results of the exposed LWAGCs to elevated temperatures of 100 °C to 800 °C, the relationship between the exposure temperature and the obtained residual compressive strength is statistically analyzed and achieved. In addition, the microstructure investigation of the unexposed LWAGC shows a good bonding between aggregate and mortar at the interface transition zone (ITZ). However, this bonding is subjected to deterioration as the LWAGC is exposed to elevated temperatures of 400, 600 and 800 °C by increasing the microcrack content and swelling of the unreacted silicates.
More Related Videos
08:59Determination of Aggregate Surface Morphology at the Interfacial Transition Zone ITZ
Published on: December 16, 2019
07:15A Testing Platform for Durability Studies of Polymers and Fiber-reinforced Polymer Composites under Concurrent Hygrothermo-mechanical Stimuli
Published on: December 11, 2014
Related Concept Videos
Hot Weather Concreting
Mitigating the heat increase in concrete can be economically achieved by shading aggregate stockpiles to prevent heating from solar radiation,...
Alkali Aggregate Reaction in Concrete
Design Example: Managing Concrete Workability
Mass Concreting
To reduce the risk of such cracking, the concrete mix may incorporate low-heat cement and pozzolans to reduce the temperature rise. Pre-cooled angular aggregates and water-reducing admixtures...
Microcracking in Concrete
Bonding and Strength of Aggregate