Drying Shrinkage, Sulphuric Acid and Sulphate Resistance of High-Volume Palm Oil Fuel Ash-Included Alkali-Activated Mortars

Nowadays, an alkali-activated binder has become an emergent sustainable construction material as an alternative to traditional cement and geopolymer binders. However, high drying shrinkage and low durability performance in aggressive environments such as sulphuric acid and sulphate are the main problems of alkali-activated paste, mortar and concrete. Based on these factors, alkali-activated mortar (AAM) binders incorporating high-volume palm oil fuel ash (POFA), ground blast furnace slag (GBFS) and fly ash (FA) were designed to enhance their durability performance against aggressive environments. The compressive strength, drying shrinkage, loss in strength and weight, as well as the microstructures of these AAMs were evaluated after exposure to acid and sulphate solutions. Mortars made with a high volume of POFA showed an improved durability performance with reduced drying shrinkage compared to the control sample. Regarding the resistance against aggressive environments, AAMs with POFA content increasing from 0 to 70% showed a reduced loss in strength from 35 to 9% when subjected to an acid attack, respectively. Additionally, the results indicated that high-volume POFA binders with an increasing FA content as a GBFS replacement could improve the performance of the proposed mortars in terms of durability. It is asserted that POFA can significantly contribute to the cement-free industry, thus mitigating environmental problems such as carbon dioxide emission and landfill risks. Furthermore, the use of POFA can increase the lifespan of construction materials through a reduction in the deterioration resulting from shrinkage problems and aggressive environment attacks.