Material and glass-fibre-reinforced polymer bond properties of geopolymer concrete

Geopolymers are recognised for their environmental benefits and excellent chloride and sulfate resistance. However, information on the material characteristics and bond behaviour of geopolymers based on fly ash (FA) and slag is still relatively scarce. This paper presents a comprehensive study on the integration of two modern construction materials – geopolymer concrete (GPC) based on FA and ground granulated blast-furnace slag and glass-fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars. The aim of the study was to assist concrete structural design by identifying the key preparation parameters such as hardening and bond behaviour. It was found that the hardening of the GPC was much faster than that of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete at an early age and the stress–strain curves, elastic moduli and splitting tensile strengths of the GPC were accurately predicted by existing models developed for OPC concrete. The GFRP bars in the GPC outperformed those in the OPC concrete in terms of normalised bond strength. The...