The development of compressive strength of ground granulated blast furnace slag-palm oil fuel ash-fly ash based geopolymer mortar

The paper presents the report on the use of optimum level of palm oil fuel ash (POFA), ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) and low calcium fly-ash (FA) with manufactured sand (M-sand) to produce geopolymer mortar. Eleven mixtures were prepared with varying binder contents with the POFA content varying between 25% and 100%; the other constituent materials such as fine aggregate and water were kept constant. All the specimens were cured in oven for 24 h at 65 degrees C and thereafter kept in room temperature (about 26-29 degrees C) before testing for the compressive strength. The highest compressive strength of about 66 MPa was achieved for the mortar containing 30% of POFA and 70% of GGBS with a total binder content of 460 kg/m(3). The increase in the POFA content beyond 30% reduces the compressive strength. The density reduction after 3 days was found negligible. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.