The interest in materials and techniques for the structural and energy retrofitting of existing buildings has steadily grown in recent years. Nowadays, geopolymer binders are considered a promising solution to substitute, partially or totally, cement and lime-based mortars. In particular, the suitability of geopolymers as an alternative to cement matrix for use in fabric-reinforced (FR) systems, is investigated. In this work, a geopolymer mortar incorporating fly ash and expanded glass aggregate was researched with respect to rheological behavior, as well as mechanical and thermal properties. Evaluation of listed properties is supported with a detailed analysis of the underlying microstructure and phase composition, which were assessed with Scanning Electron Microscopy, Thermal Gravimetry, and X-ray diffraction. Additionally, the effect of moisture content on the thermal performance of investigated mortars is quantified. Given sufficient reactivity of fly ash, the direct comparison with standard lime-based mortar used in masonry applications shows non-inferior mechanical performance. Moreover, approximately two-fold reduction in thermal conductivity is observed in geopolymer-based mortars, which makes it a promising solution for energetic retrofitting. Quantitative metrics evaluated in this work can aid engineers in the design of a geopolymer FR-system with adequate thermo-mechanical compatibility with the masonry substrate.
Lightweight geopolymer-based mortars for the structural and energy retrofit of buildings
Longo F.;Aiello M. A.;
2020-01-01
Abstract
The interest in materials and techniques for the structural and energy retrofitting of existing buildings has steadily grown in recent years. Nowadays, geopolymer binders are considered a promising solution to substitute, partially or totally, cement and lime-based mortars. In particular, the suitability of geopolymers as an alternative to cement matrix for use in fabric-reinforced (FR) systems, is investigated. In this work, a geopolymer mortar incorporating fly ash and expanded glass aggregate was researched with respect to rheological behavior, as well as mechanical and thermal properties. Evaluation of listed properties is supported with a detailed analysis of the underlying microstructure and phase composition, which were assessed with Scanning Electron Microscopy, Thermal Gravimetry, and X-ray diffraction. Additionally, the effect of moisture content on the thermal performance of investigated mortars is quantified. Given sufficient reactivity of fly ash, the direct comparison with standard lime-based mortar used in masonry applications shows non-inferior mechanical performance. Moreover, approximately two-fold reduction in thermal conductivity is observed in geopolymer-based mortars, which makes it a promising solution for energetic retrofitting. Quantitative metrics evaluated in this work can aid engineers in the design of a geopolymer FR-system with adequate thermo-mechanical compatibility with the masonry substrate.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
