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Mechanical Performance of Fly Ash Based Geopolymer (FAG) as Road Base Stabilizer
Liyana Ahmad Sofri1,2, Mohd Mustafa Al Bakri Abdullah2,3, Andrei Victor Sandu4,5,6
1Faculty of Civil Engineering & Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), Arau 02600, Malaysia.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|October 27, 2022
Summary
Fly ash-based geopolymer (FAG) shows promise as a road base stabilizer, enhancing mechanical properties like unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and reducing shrinkage cracking common in cement-treated bases for improved pavement performance.
Area of Science:
- Civil Engineering
- Materials Science
- Geotechnical Engineering
Background:
- Conventional cement-treated bases face challenges like shrinkage cracking, potentially leading to pavement surface defects.
- Rapid development in road base stabilization techniques necessitates exploring alternative materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate fly ash-based geopolymer (FAG) as a stabilizer for road base materials in pavement construction.
- To investigate the effects of FAG on key base layer properties and its practical application.
Main Methods:
- Mechanistic laboratory evaluation of FAG-stabilized base materials.
- Assessment of flexural strength (FS), unconfined compressive strength (UCS), shrinkage, resilient modulus (RM), and indirect tensile strength (ITS).
Main Results:
- Mechanical properties of the mixture improved with 80-85% crushed aggregate content and FAG addition.
- Unconfined compressive strength (UCS) emerged as a critical quality indicator for FAG-stabilized bases.
- FAG-stabilized bases demonstrated potential for enhancing flexible pavement performance due to improved base course stiffness.
Conclusions:
- Fly ash-based geopolymer (FAG) is a promising stabilizing agent for flexible pavement base applications.
- The study supports the practicability of FAG in pavement construction, offering an alternative to conventional stabilizers.
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