Advanced Composites with Alkali-Activated Matrices for Strengthening of Concrete Structures: Review Study

Abstract:

Old and seismically prone buildings are in need of strengthening in order to comply with the latest building codes and to prolong their service life. For over two decades fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) have been successfully used for this purpose. However, the poor performance in high temperatures of organic matrices has led researchers to investigate the use of inorganic matrices. Consequently, textile-reinforced mortars (TRM) have been opted for strengthening, since they incorporate textiles impregnated in inorganic cementitious matrices. Lately, in order to promote sustainability and lower the high carbon emissions of cement, alkali-activated mortars, also called geopolymers, have been investigated as an alternative. Their high performance and fireproof properties have made them excellent candidates as matrices in advanced composites for strengthening. This study aims to provide an overview of research in the field of advanced composites with alkali-activated matrices used for strengthening of concrete members. Systems implementing either fiber sheets or meshes have been used so far to strengthen reinforced concrete members, indicating promising results of the new advanced composite.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 919)
• Pages: 65-71
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-sm2iot
• Online since: May 2022
• Authors: Ioanna Skyrianou, Christos G. Papakonstantinou, Lampros N. Koutas*
• Keywords: Alkali-Activated Materials, Concrete, Geopolymers, Strengthening

References

[1] Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE), 2011, Europe's buildings under the microscope. A country-by-country review of the energy performance of buildings.

[2] Koutas, L. N., Tetta, Z., Bournas, D. A., Triantafillou, T. C., Strengthening of concrete structures with textile reinforced mortars: state-of-the-art review, J. Compos. Constr. 23(1) (2019).

DOI: 10.1061/(asce)cc.1943-5614.0000882

[3] Serdar, M., Runci, A., Ye, G., Provis, J., Triantafillou, T., Habert, G., Matthys, S., Alkali activated materials–a new generation of cementless binders for concrete, Concr. Plant Int. 2 (2021) 12-15.

[4] Pacheco-Torgal, F., Abdollahnejad, Z., Miraldo, S., Baklouti, S., Ding, Y., An overview on the potential of geopolymers for concrete infrastructure rehabilitation, Constr. Build. Mater. 36 (2012) 1053-1058.

DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2012.07.003

[5] Weil, M., Dombrowski, K., Buchwald, A., Life-cycle analysis of geopolymers, in: Provis, J. L., van Deventer, J. S. J. (Eds.), Geopolymers. Structures, Processing, Properties and Industrial Applications, Woodhead Publishing, 2009, pp.194-210.

DOI: 10.1533/9781845696382.2.194

[6] Provis, J., van Deventer, J. S. J., Alkali Activated Materials, State-of-the-Art Report, RILEM TC 224-AAM, first ed., Springer Netherlands, (2014).

DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-7672-2

[7] Davidovits, J., Geopolymers: inorganic polymeric new materials, J. Therm. Anal. Cal. 37(8) (1991) 1633-1656.

[8] Purdon, A. O., The action of alkalis on blast-furnace slag, J. Soc. Chem. Indust. 59(9) (1940) 191-202.

[9] Roy, D. M., Alkali-activated cements opportunities and challenges, Cem. Concr. Res. 29(2) (1999) 249-254.

[10] Kurtz, S., Balaguru, P., Comparison of inorganic and organic matrices for strengthening of RC beams with carbon sheets, J. Struct. Eng. 127(1) (2001) 35-42.

DOI: 10.1061/(asce)0733-9445(2001)127:1(35)

[11] Toutanji, H., Zhao, L., Deng, Y., Zhang, Y., Balaguru, P., Cyclic behavior of RC beams strengthened with carbon fiber sheets bonded by inorganic matrix, J. Mater. Civil Eng. 18(1) (2006) 28-35.

DOI: 10.1061/(asce)0899-1561(2006)18:1(28)

[12] Toutanji, H., Zhao, L., Zhang, Y., Flexural behavior of reinforced concrete beams externally strengthened with CFRP sheets bonded with an inorganic matrix. Eng. Struct, 28(4) (2006) 557-566.

DOI: 10.1016/j.engstruct.2005.09.011

[13] Toutanji, H., Deng, Y., Comparison between organic and inorganic matrices for RC beams strengthened with carbon fiber sheets, J. Compos. Constr. 11(5) (2007) 507-513.

DOI: 10.1061/(asce)1090-0268(2007)11:5(507)

[14] Papakonstantinou, C. G., Katakalos, K., 2008, Fireproof strengthening system for rehabilitation of reinforced concrete, 4th International Conference on Structural Defects and Repair, Aveiro, Portugal.

[15] Papakonstantinou, C. G., Katakalos, K., Flexural behavior of reinforced concrete beams strengthened with a hybrid inorganic matrix-steel fiber retrofit system, Struct. Eng. Mech. 31(5) (2009) 567-585.

DOI: 10.12989/sem.2009.31.5.567

[16] Katakalos, K., Papakonstantinou, C. G., Fatigue of reinforced concrete beams strengthened with steel-reinforced inorganic polymers, J. Compos. Constr. 13(2) (2009) 103-112.

DOI: 10.1061/(asce)1090-0268(2009)13:2(103)

[17] Menna, C., Asprone, D., Ferone, C., Colangelo, F., Balsamo, A., Prota, A., Cioffi, R., Manfredi, G., Use of geopolymers for composite external reinforcement of RC members, Compos. B Eng. 45(1) (2013) 1667-1676.

DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesb.2012.09.019

[18] Bencardino, F., Condello, A., Eco-friendly external strengthening system for existing reinforced concrete beams, Compos B Eng 93 (2016) 163-173.

DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesb.2016.03.022

[19] Zhang, H. Y., Lv, H. R., Kodur, V., Qi, S. L., Performance comparison of fiber sheet strengthened RC beams bonded with geopolymer and epoxy resin under ambient and fire conditions. J. Struct. Fire Eng. 9(3) (2018) 174-188.

DOI: 10.1108/jsfe-01-2017-0023

[20] Shen, X., Chen, W., Li., B., Hancock, C. M., 2019, Strengthening of Reinforced Concrete Beams with Fabric Reinforced Geopolymer Composite, 5th International Conference on Smart Monitoring, Assessment and Rehabilitation of Civil Structures (SMAR 2019), Potsdam, Germany.

[21] Shen, X., Chen, W., Li, B., Hancock, C. M., Xu, Y., Flexural strengthening of reinforced concrete beams using fabric reinforced Alkali-Activated Slag matrix, J. Build. Eng. 33 (2021).

DOI: 10.1016/j.jobe.2020.101865

[22] Zhang, H. Y., Hao, X., Fan, W., Experimental study on high temperature properties of carbon fiber sheets strengthened concrete cylinders using geopolymer as adhesive, Procedia Eng. 135 (2016) 47-55.

DOI: 10.1016/j.proeng.2016.01.078

[23] Heng, K., Areemit, N., Chindaprasirt, P., Behavior of concrete cylinders confined by a ferro-geopolymer jacket in axial compression. Eng. Appl. Sci. Res. 44(2) (2017) 90-96.

[24] Fang, S., Lam, E. S. S., Wong, W. Y., Using alkali-activated slag ferrocement to strengthen corroded reinforced concrete columns, Mater. Struct. 50(1) (2017) 1-13.

DOI: 10.1617/s11527-016-0915-4

[25] Zhang, H. Y., Yan, J., Kodur, V., Cao, L., Mechanical behavior of concrete beams shear strengthened with textile reinforced geopolymer mortar, Eng. Struct. 196 (2019).

DOI: 10.1016/j.engstruct.2019.109348