• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.39-47
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• 2015

In this study, the properties of strength and drying shrinkage of alkali-activated slag cement (AASC) with magnesium oxide (MgO) contents between 0 and 16 wt% were investigated. The ground granulated furnace blast slag (GGBFS) was activated by potassium hydroxide (KOH) and dosage of activator was 2M and 4M. The MgO was replaced with 2% to 16% of GGBFS by weight. The water-binder ratio (w/b) was 0.5. In the result, the higher MgO content leads to a slightly higher degree of reaction and thus to a higher compressive strength at all ages. The compressive strength and ultra sonic velocity (UPV) increased with increases MgO contents. The drying shrinkage of AASC was decreased as the contents of MgO increases. The results from SEM confirmed that there were densified reaction product of higher MgO content specimens.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.121-127
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• 2012

Cement has been traditionally used as a main binding material of high ductile fiber reinforced cementitious composites. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the feasibility of using alkali-activated slag and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers for manufacturing high ductile fiber reinforced cementless composites. Two mixture proportions with proper flowability and mortar viscosity for easy fiber mixing and uniform fiber dispersion were selected based on alkali activators. Then, the slump flow, compression, uniaxial tension and bending tests were performed on the mixes to evaluate the basic properties of the composites. The cementless composites showed an average slump flow of 465 mm and tensile strain capacity of approximately 2% of due to formation of multiple micro-cracks. Test results demonstrated a feasibility of manufacturing high ductile fiber reinforced composites without using cement.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.299-308
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• 2016

This paper presents an investigation of the mechanical and microstructural properties on hardened samples that were synthesized using blended binder(fly ash(FA) and blast furnace slag cement(BFSC)), alkali activator and sea water or distilled water. Binders were prepared by mixing the FA and BFSC in different blend weight ratios of 6:4, 7:3 and 8:2. Sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate were used 5 wt% of binder, respectively, as an alkaline activator. The compressive strength and absorption were measured at the age of 3, 7 and 28 days, and the XRD, TGA and MIP tests were performed at the age of 28 days. An increase in the content of BFSC leads to an increase in the quantities of ettringite and C-S-H formed, regardless of the type of mixing water. And it also shows higher strength due to the reduction of pores larger than ~50 nm. All hardened samples in this study have common hydration products of C-S-H, $Ca(OH)_2$ and calcite. Hydrocalumite of all reaction products formed was only present in hardened sample mixed with sea water. For each FA/BFSC mixing ratio, the compressive strength of hardened sample mixed with sea water was similar to that mixed with distilled water. It is proposed that the slight increase of strength of samples mixed with sea water is mainly due to the presence of hydrocalumite phase containing chlorine ion, contributing to the change of total porosity and pore size distribution in samples.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.315-322
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• 2012

Alkali-activated slag (AAS) is the most obvious alternative materials that can replace OPC. But, AAS industrial usage as a structural material should be evaluated for its durability. Carbonation resistance is one of the most important factors in durability evaluation. Test results for 18 slag-based mortars activated by sodium silicate and 6 OPC mortars were obtained in this study to verify the carbonation property. Main variables considered in the study were flow, compressive strength before and after carbonation, and carbonation depth. Mineralogical and micro-structural analysis of OPC and AAS specimens prior to and after carbonation was conducted using XRD, TGA, FTIR FE-SEM. Test results showed that CHS was major hydration products of AAS and, unlike OPC, no other hydration products were found. After carbonation, CSH of hydration product in AAS turned into an amorphous silica gel, and alumina compounds was not detected. From the analysis of the results, it was estimated that the micro-structures of CSH in AAS easily collapsed during carbonation. Also, the results showed that this collapse of chemical chain of CSH lowered the compressive strength of concrete after carbonation. By increasing the dosage of activators, carbonation resistance and compressive strength were effectively improved.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.137-145
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• 2012

Strength model for blasted furnace slag mortar blended with sodium was investigated in this study. The main parameters of AAS (alkali activated slag) mortar were dosage of alkali activator, water to binder ratio (W/B), and aggregate to binder ratio (A/B). For evaluating the property related to the dosage of alkali activator, sodium carbonate ($Na_2CO_3$) of 4~8% was added to 4% dosage of sodium hydroxide (NaOH). W/B and A/B was varied 0.45~0.60 and 2.05~2.85, respectively. An alkali quality coefficient combining the amounts of main compositions of source materials and sodium oxide ($Na_2O$) in sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate is proposed to assess the compressive strength of alkali activated mortars. Test results clearly showed that the compressive strength development of alkali-activated mortars were significantly dependent on the proposed alkali quality coefficient. Compressive strength development of AAS mortars were also estimated using the formula specified in the previous study, which was calibrated using the collected database. Predictions from the simplified equations showed good agreements with the test results.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.321-329
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• 2016

The use of ternary blended cement consisting of Portland cement, granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) and fly ash has been on the rise to improve marine concrete structure's resistance to chloride attack. Therefore, this study attempted to investigate changes in chloride attack resistibility of concrete through NT Build 492-based chloride migration experiments and test of concrete's ability to resist chloride ion penetration under ASTM C 1202(KS F 2271) when 1.5-2.0% of alkali-sulfate activator (modified alkali sulfate type) was added to the ternary blended cement mixtures (40% ordinary Portland cement + 40% GGBFS + 20% fly ash). Then, the results found the followings: Even though the slump for the plain concrete slightly declined depending on the use of the alkali-sulfate activator, compressive strength from day 2 to day 7 improved by 17-42%. In addition, the coefficient from non-steady-state migration experiments for the plain concrete measured at day 28 decreased by 36-56% depending on the use of alkali-sulfate. Furthermore, total charge passed according to the test for electrical indication of concrete's ability to resist chloride ion penetration decreased by 33-62% at day 7 and by 31-48% at day 28. As confirmed in previous studies, reactivity in the GGBFS and fly ash improved because of alkali activation. As a result, concrete strength increased due to reduced total porosity.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.319-320
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• 2009

The alkali activation products of slag, fly ash C and fly ash F were investigated using compressive strength test and synchrotron x-ray diffraction. We propose that the predominantly amorphous geopolymer formed under ambient conditions is a disordered form of one of the ABC-6 group of zeolites, which includes poly-types such as hydroxycancrinite, hydroxysodalite, chabazite, levyne or fransinite.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.153-160
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• 2010

This study aims to obtain technical data for improvement of utilization of Blast Furnace Slag(BFS), recycled aggregate in the future by complementing fundamental problems of BFS such as manifestation of initial strength and excessive alkali quantity as well as weakness of recycled fine aggregate through manufacturing of recycled fine aggregate mortar using BFS. The recycled aggregate includes the cement paste hardened as the surface and the type of the aggregate, which contains plenty of calcium hydroxide($Ca(OH)_2$) as well as the unhydrated cement. Accordingly, the objectives of this study are to inspect the manufacturing the recycled fine aggregate mortar used with blast furnace slag, to consider the effects of the recycled aggregate on the strength development of ground granulated blast furnace slag, and then to acquire the technical data to take into consideration the further usages of the recycled aggregate and blast furnace slag. In eluted ions from recycled aggregate, it showed that there were natrium($Na^+$) and kalium($K^+$), expected to be flown out of unhydrated cement, as well as calcium hydroxide($Ca(OH)_2$). Application of this water to mix cement mortar with ground granulated blast furnace slag was observed to expedite hydration as calcium hydroxide($Ca(OH)_2$) and unhydrated cement component were expressed to give stimuli effects on ground granulated blast furnace slag. The results of the experiment show that the recycled aggregate mixed with blast furnace slag has comparatively higher hydration activity in 7 day than the mortar not mixed with one in 3 day mortar does, causing the calcium hydroxide in the recycled fine aggregate to work on as a stimulus to the hydration of ground granulated blast furnace slag.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2017

Cement industry is typical carbon-emission industry. If the industrial by-products(granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS), fly ash, etc.) are used a large amount, it might be able to reduce cement consumption and mitigate carbon emissions. In this case, however, decrease of early strength is relatively large. Therefore, there is a limitation in increase of the amount of substitute. Considering these circumstances, it would be a good solution to reduce carbon emissions in cement industry to improve the performances of mixed cement through proper alkali-activation in Portland blended cement using GGBFS or fly ash. Therefore, this study prepared concrete in ready-mixed concrete manufacturing facilities with an addition of a binder which used 2.0% modified alkali sulfate activator after mixing Portland cement, GGBFS and fly ash in the ratio of 4:4:2 and assessed its basic properties. The results found the followings: The use of modified alkali-sulfate activator slightly reduced slump and shortened setting time. As a result, bleeding capacity decreased while early strength improved. In addition, there is no big difference in carbonation resistance. It appears that there should be continued experiments and analyses on the related long-term aged specimens.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.58-66
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• 2013

This study investigated quality properties of alkali activated cement free mortar using industrial by-product such as cement kiln dust(CKD), silica fume(SF) and quartz sand powder(SP) to compare with previous research about blast furnace slag(BS) and fly ash(FA). The results were as following. All materials were effective to increase compressive strength, however they showed different tendency on flowability. CKD and SP increased flowability, but on the other hand SF did not because it's blain was great difference with other materials. Flowability and compressive strength were related with grading distributions of binders because CKD, SP and SF which had small particle size filled up BS and FA. Application of industrial by-products with various grading distributions could be effective for the high early strength and flowability of alkali activated cement free mortar using BS.