The properties of high-ductility engineered geopolymer composites developed with different design parameters.

AbstractThis study aimed to develop engineered geopolymer composites (EGCs) having considerably greater ductility than that of the engineered cementitious composite (ECC) for similar compressive strength. For this, three groups of fly ash (FA)-based EGC mixtures with different total binder (AL+FA) and alkali liquids/fly ash (AL/FA) were produced. After observing similar workability characteristics for EGCs and ECC, EGCs were subjected to three different initial curing conditions: 48 h at 100 °C, 24 h at 100 °C, and 24 h at 70 °C. The test results showed that almost all of EGCs exhibited the strain-hardening behaviour. While the curing temperature and time increased, the compressive strength and flexural strength of EGCs improved as well as the decreasing ductility. Moreover, mechanical properties including ductility were enhanced by the increment of AL+FA. EGCs cured at 70 °C for 24 h showed ultra-ductile behaviour. The results were also supported by XRD, TGA/DTA and FTIR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]