Durability and Mechanical Properties of Granulated Blast Furnace Slag Based Geopolymer Concrete Containing Polyolefin Fibers and Nano Silica

In the current study, the improvement of granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) based geopolymer concrete (GPC) applying 0 - 2% polyolefin fibers (POFs) and 0 - 8% nano-silica (NS) is investigated. After curing the specimens, they are subjected to compressive strength, tensile strength, elastic modulus, Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV), and impact resistance tests to evaluate their mechanical properties and durability. Moreover, the permeability of specimens is also assessed using water absorption. The compressive strength, tensile strength, and elastic modulus of the concrete increase by up to 22%, 14%, and 24%, respectively. The addition of the POFs to the GPC significantly increases the tensile strength (by up to 9%) and the absorbed energy due to the impact. By adding NS to the GPC composition, the results of the permeability and water capillary absorption test were improved. These results are evaluated through microstructure analysis, along with ultrasonic, X-Ray diffraction (XRD), X-Ray fluorescence (XRF), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) tests.