Investigation on the Potential Use of Recycled Fine Aggregate to Produce Geopolymer Mortar Mix

The utilization of construction and demolition waste (C&DW) partially or fully for various purposes in construction industries is one of the most significant solutions to overcome the scarcity of raw materials and disturbances of the environmental system. On the other hand, geopolymer is being tried to be established as an alternative sustainable binder material for ordinary portland cement. In the present study, with the thought of promoting of sustainability, an attempt has been made to use concrete wastes as recycled fine aggregate (RFA) partially to produce fly ash (FA)-based geopolymer mortar. The workability, water absorption, compressive strength at 3, 7, 28, and 56 days, volume change behavior, and chloride permeability of the produced FA-based geopolymer mortar were determined. The effects of RFA, the ratio of alkali liquid (AL) to FA, and different curing regimes on these properties of mortar mix also discussed. The morphology and microstructures of the samples taken from the mortar mix, which were observed having the highest strength under different curing regimes, were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The experimental results indicate lower workability, higher water absorption capacity, and higher drying shrinkage of geopolymer mortar mix that has more RFA content in the mix, but the compressive strength of the geopolymer mortar mix started decreasing after a certain percentage of RFA content in the mix. Utilization of that certain percentage of RFA will help us to minimize the consumption of natural fine aggregates and reduce the disturbances generated by unorganized dumping of C&DW.