Mechanical Properties of Fly Ash-based Geopolymer Mortar with Electric Oven Curing under Sodium Sulfate and Magnesium Sulfate Attacks

Abstract

This research aimed at studying the durability of fly ash-based geopolymer mortar with electric oven curing under sodium sulfate and magnesium sulfate attacks. The study of the influences of Na2SiO3-to-NaOH (NS/NH) ratio by weight and fly ash-to-alkali solution (FA/AS) ratio by weight on the compressive strength involved immersion of a sample for a period of 180 days into 5% by weight solutions of sodium sulfate and magnesium sulfate. Moreover, the study of geopolymer mortar characteristics in water and when
incubated at room temperature was performed. The results revealed that the compressive strength of mortar increased at increased Na2SiO3-to-NaOH (NS/NH) ratio by weight when the mortars were immersed in sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, water as well as when incubated at room temperature. In addition, the compressive strength of mortar increased with reduced fly ash-to-alkali solution (FA/AS) ratio by weight when the mortars were immersed in sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, water as well as when incubated at room temperature.