Effects of curing conditions on shrinkage of alkali-activated high-MgO Swedish slag concrete

This study aimed to determine the effects of curing regime on shrinkage of alkali-activated concretes produced from a Swedish high-MgO blast furnace slag. Sodium carbonate (SC), sodium silicate (SS), and their combination were used as alkali activators. The studied curing procedure included heat-treatment, no heat-treatment, sealed and non-sealed conditions. The heat curing increased the compressive strengths of the concretes activated with SS and with the combination of SS and SC. Sealed-curing applied for a period of 1 month reduced the measured drying shrinkage by up to 50% for all studied heat-treated samples. Conversely, the same curing procedure significantly increased the development of the drying shrinkage once the seal was removed after 28 days of curing in the case of the SC-activated concretes non-heat treated. Higher degree of reaction/hydration reached by the binders in these concretes was indicated as the main factor. All of the concretes studied had showed a significant microcracking of the binder matrix, with the most extensive cracking observed in the sealed lab-cured mixes. The heat-cured mixes activated with SS and combination of SC and SS showed the most homogenous microstructure and low extensive micro cracking comparing with lab-cured ones

Alkali activation of a high MgO GGBS – fresh and hardened properties

In this study, concretes and pastes were produced from a high magnesium oxide (MgO) ground granulated blast furnace slag (magnesium oxide content 16·1 wt%) by alkali activation with various amounts and combinations of sodium carbonate and sodium silicate. Sodium carbonate activators tended to reduce slump compared to sodium silicate at the same dose, and, in contrast to the literature for many blast furnace slags with more moderate magnesium oxide, to shorten the initial and final setting times in comparison with concretes activated by sodium silicate for dosages less than 10 wt%. Higher heat curing temperatures and the use of larger dosages of alkali activators resulted in higher early-age compressive cube strength values. The X-ray diffraction analysis of 7 and 28 d old pastes activated with sodium carbonates revealed formation of gaylussite, calcite, nahcolite and calcium-aluminium-silicate-hydrate (C–A–S–H) gel. Curing at 20°C appeared to promote dissolution of gaylussite and calcite, while heat curing promoted their replacement with C–A–S–H, which also resulted in higher ultimate cube compressive strength values. Conversely, mixes activated with sodium silicate contained less crystalline phases and more disordered gel, which strengthened the binder matrix

Creep and long-term properties of alkali-activated Swedish-slag concrete

The construction of the future is moving in the direction of environmentally friendly materials and the use of various types of industrial byproducts and wastes. The use of blast furnace slag (BFS) for the production of concrete is one of those alternatives. In this study, pastes and concretes based on high-MgO BFS were alkali activated with 10% by weight sodium carbonate, sodium silicate, and a combination of both. Heat treatment and laboratory curing were applied. The results showed that heat treatment was effective at reducing the drying shrinkage of alkali-activated slag concretes and promoting high early strength. However, the sodium carbonate–activated slag concrete specimens showed a reduction in compressive strength at later ages. All concrete specimens tested exhibited high drying shrinkage; the highest values were for sodium silicate–activated concretes and the lowest were for sodium carbonate–activated concretes. All concretes tested showed very large creep, which was partly related to the small maximum aggregate size (8 mm) and the effects of carbonation. The carbonation depth after 12–24  months was significantly smaller for the heat-treated specimens and for concrete activated with sodium silicate. The carbonation process resulted in a more porous binder matrix, leading to long-term strength loss and increased creep, especially for sodium silicate–activated mixes