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Related Concept Videos

Fiber Reinforced Concrete01:22

Fiber Reinforced Concrete

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Fiber-reinforced concrete significantly enhances the structural and nonstructural properties of traditional concrete by incorporating fibers like steel, glass, and polymers. These fibers, varying from natural ones such as sisal and cellulose to manufactured ones like polypropylene and Kevlar, are mixed into hydraulic cement with aggregates. Steel fibers, often preferred for their robustness, contribute to improved ductility, toughness, and post-cracking performance. The concrete is classified...
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Mortar Properties01:17

Mortar Properties

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Mortar properties encompass a range of characteristics crucial for construction and masonry work, including workability, water retention, bond strength, durability, compressive strength, volume change, and appearance. Workability refers to mortar's ability to be easily applied and manipulated without sagging or falling off surfaces, which is important for efficient masonry unit placement and alignment. Water retention is essential to prevent the mortar from losing moisture too quickly to...
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Mortar01:29

Mortar

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Mortar, a mixture of Portland cement, hydrated lime, sand, and water, is a crucial binding material in construction. Its primary function is to join masonry units together, filling gaps and ensuring a uniform distribution of weight across the structure. This helps in preventing potential weaknesses. Mortar also serves as a protective barrier against environmental elements such as water and wind, thereby safeguarding the interior of the structure. It also compensates for surface irregularities...
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Alkali Aggregate Reaction in Concrete01:26

Alkali Aggregate Reaction in Concrete

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The alkali-aggregate reaction in concrete involves natural siliceous minerals in aggregates reacting with alkaline hydroxides derived from cement alkalis. This reaction forms an alkali-silica gel that absorbs water, swells, and increases in volume, which is confined by the surrounding cement paste, creating internal pressures that crack and disrupt the concrete. The extent of expansion and damage can be partly attributed to the alkali-silica reaction's osmotic hydraulic pressure and the...
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Pozzolans01:21

Pozzolans

154
Pozzolans are siliceous or aluminous materials blended with Portland cement. They interact with the calcium hydroxide produced during the hydration of Portland cement and contribute to improved strength and durability of concrete. The pozzolanic activity, a measure of a pozzolan's effectiveness, is typically assessed using the strength activity index, as defined in ASTM C 618-93, which calculates the ratio of the compressive strength of cement mixtures with and without pozzolan.
Fly ash is...
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Strength of Cement01:20

Strength of Cement

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Strength tests for cement are not performed directly on neat cement paste due to difficulty in obtaining consistent, reliable specimens. Instead, cement is typically tested in the form of cement-sand mortar.
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Preparation of Aligned Steel Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Composite and Its Flexural Behavior
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Alkali-Activated Mortars Reinforced with

Stefania Manzi1, Luisa Molari1, Grazia Totaro1

  • 1Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering, University of Bologna, Via Terracini 28, 40131 Bologna, Italy.

Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 10, 2023
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Summary

Natural fibers from Arundo donax plant enhance alkali-activated fly-ash mortars. These modified mortars show improved flexural strength and durability, particularly against freeze-thaw cycles.

Keywords:
alkali-activated binderscompositesdurabilitynatural fibers

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Civil Engineering
  • Sustainable Construction Materials

Background:

  • Alkali-activated fly-ash (AAF) binders offer a sustainable alternative to traditional Portland cement.
  • Natural fibers present a potential reinforcement for cementitious materials, but their effect on AAF systems requires further investigation.
  • Arundo donax fibers are abundant, fast-growing, and possess favorable mechanical characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of Arundo donax fiber length on the fresh and hardened properties of alkali-activated fly-ash mortars.
  • To evaluate the influence of fiber reinforcement on mechanical strength, dimensional stability, porosity, and water permeability.
  • To assess the durability of the modified mortars under freeze-thaw and thermo-hygrometric cycling.

Main Methods:

  • Short Arundo donax fibers (5-15 mm length) were incorporated at 3 wt% into an alkali-activated fly-ash matrix.
  • Fresh properties, including workability, were assessed.
  • Mechanical properties (flexural and compressive strength), dimensional stability, porosity, and water permeability were tested on cured samples.
  • Durability was evaluated through standardized freeze-thaw and thermo-hygrometric cycling tests.

Main Results:

  • Flexural strength increased by up to 30% with the longest fibers, while compressive strength remained largely unaffected.
  • Slight improvements in dimensional stability were observed, correlating with fiber length.
  • Mortar porosity was reduced, and water permeability did not increase, contrary to expectations.
  • Reinforced mortars exhibited fair resistance to temperature and moisture fluctuations and enhanced resistance to freeze-thaw stresses.

Conclusions:

  • Arundo donax fibers effectively enhance the flexural performance and durability of alkali-activated fly-ash mortars.
  • The fiber length plays a role in optimizing mechanical properties and dimensional stability.
  • The study demonstrates the potential of natural fibers as a sustainable reinforcement for advanced geopolymer binders, improving their resistance to environmental stressors.