Determination of Fracture Mechanic Parameters of Concretes Based on Cement Matrix Enhanced by Fly Ash and Nano-Silica

This study presents test results and deep discussion regarding measurements of the fracture toughness of new concrete composites based on ternary blended cements (TCs). A composition of the most commonly used mineral additive (i.e., fly ash (FA)) in combination with nano-silica (NS) has been proposed as a partial replacement of the ordinary Portland cement (OPC) binder. The novelty of this article is related to the fact that ordinary concretes with FA + NS additives are most often used in construction practice, and there is a decided lack of fracture toughness test results concerning these materials. Therefore, in order to fill this gap in the literature, an extensive evaluation of the fracture mechanic parameters of TC was carried out. Four series of concretes were created, one of which was the reference concrete (REF), and the remaining three were TCs. The effect of a constant content of 5% NS and various FA contents, such as 0, 15%, and 25% wt., as a partial replacement of cement was studied. The parameters of the linear and nonlinear fracture mechanics were analyzed in this study (i.e., the critical stress intensity factor (KIcS), critical crack tip opening displacement (CTOD_c), and critical unit work of failure (J_Ic)). In addition, the main mechanical parameters (i.e., the compressive strength (f_cm) and splitting tensile strength (f_ctm)) were evaluated. Based on the studies, it was found that the addition of 5% NS without FA increased the strength and fracture parameters of the concrete by approximately 20%. On the other hand, supplementing the composition of the binder with 5% NS in combination with the 15% FA additive caused an increase in all mechanical parameters by approximately another 20%. However, an increase in the FA content in the concrete mix of another 10% caused a smaller increase in all analyzed factors (i.e., by approximately 10%) compared with a composite with the addition of the NS modifier only. In addition, from an ecological point of view, by utilizing fine waste FA particles combined with extremely fine particles of NS to produce ordinary concretes, the demand for OPC can be reduced, thereby lowering CO₂ emissions. Hence, the findings of this research hold practical importance for the future application of such materials in the development of green concretes.