DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OF GEO-POLYMER CONCRETE IN STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS

Concrete usage around the world is second only to water. Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) is conventionally used as the primary binder to produce concrete. The environmental issues associated with the production of OPC are well known. The amount of the carbon dioxide released during the manufacture of OPC due to the calcinations of limestone and combustion of fossil fuel is in the order of one ton for every ton of OPC produced. In addition, the extent of energy required to produce OPC is only next to steel and aluminum. On the other hand, the abundant availability of flyash worldwide creates opportunity to utilize this by-product of burning coal, as a substitute for OPC to manufacture concrete. So, one of the ways to produce environmental friendly concrete is to reduce the use of Ordinary Portland Cement byusing other forms of binders to make concrete. In geo-polymer concrete, the silicon and the aluminum in the low-calcium (Class F) fly ash react with an alkaline liquid that isa combination of sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide solutions to form the Geopolymer paste that binds the aggregates and other unreacted materials. Based on the previous studies and laboratory experience, it is found that the cost of geo-polymer concrete per cubic meter is approximately the same as that of Portland cement concrete. But on considering the impact of the possible carbon dioxide emission and cost of production of cement and the environmental advantage of utilization of fly ash,the geo-polymer concrete may prove to be economically and environmentally advantageous