Mechanical Properties and Durability of Geopolymer Recycled Aggregate Concrete: A Review

Geopolymer recycled aggregate concrete (GPRAC) is a new type of green material with broad application prospects by replacing ordinary Portland cement with geopolymer and natural aggregates with recycled aggregates. This paper summarizes the research about the mechanical properties, durability, and microscopic aspects of GPRAC. The reviewed contents include compressive strength, elastic modulus, flexural strength, splitting tensile strength, freeze-thaw resistance, abrasion resistance, sulfate corrosion resistance, and chloride penetration resistance. It is found that GPRAC can be made to work better by changing the curing temperature, using different precursor materials, adding fibers and nanoparticles, and setting optimal mix ratios. Among them, using multiple precursor materials in synergy tended to show better performance compared to a single precursor material. In addition, using modified recycled aggregates, the porosity and water absorption decreased by 18.97% and 25.33%, respectively, and the apparent density was similar to that of natural aggregates. The current results show that the performance of GPRAC can meet engineering requirements. In addition, compared with traditional concrete, the use of GPRAC can effectively reduce carbon emissions, energy loss, and environmental pollution, which is in line with the concept of green and low-carbon development in modern society. In general, GPRAC has good prospects and development space. This paper reviews the effects of factors such as recycled aggregate admixture and curing temperature on the performance of GPRAC, which helps to optimize the ratio design and curing conditions, as well as provide guidance for the application of recycled aggregate in geopolymer concrete, and also supply theoretical support for the subsequent application of GPRAC in practical engineering.