Now showing 1 - 10 of 39
  • Publication
    Comparison of hook and straight steel fibers addition on malaysian fly ash-based geopolymer concrete on the slump, density, water absorption and mechanical properties
    ( 2021) ; ;
    Ratnasamy Muniandy
    ;
    ;
    Katarzyna Błoch
    ;
    Bartłomiej Jeż
    ;
    Sebastian Garus
    ;
    Paweł Palutkiewicz
    ;
    ;
    Geopolymer concrete has the potential to replace ordinary Portland cement which can reduce carbon dioxide emission to the environment. The addition of different amounts of steel fibers, as well as different types of end-shape fibers, could alter the performance of geopolymer concrete. The source of aluminosilicate (fly ash) used in the production of geopolymer concrete may lead to a different result. This study focuses on the comparison between Malaysian fly ash geopolymer concrete with the addition of hooked steel fibers and geopolymer concrete with the addition of straight-end steel fibers to the physical and mechanical properties. Malaysian fly ash was first characterized by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to identify the chemical composition. The sample of steel fiber reinforced geopolymer concrete was produced by mixing fly ash, alkali activators, aggregates, and specific amounts of hook or straight steel fibers. The steel fibers addition for both types of fibers are 0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0% by volume percentage. The samples were cured at room temperature. The physical properties (slump, density, and water absorption) of reinforced geopolymer concrete were studied. Meanwhile, a mechanical performance which is compressive, as well as the flexural strength was studied. The results show that the pattern in physical properties of geopolymer concrete for both types of fibers addition is almost similar where the slump is decreased with density and water absorption is increased with the increasing amount of fibers addition. However, the addition of hook steel fiber to the geopolymer concrete produced a lower slump than the addition of straight steel fibers. Meanwhile, the addition of hook steel fiber to the geopolymer concrete shows a higher density and water absorption compared to the sample with the addition of straight steel fibers. However, the difference is not significant. Besides, samples with the addition of hook steel fibers give better performance for compressive and flexural strength compared to the samples with the addition of straight steel fibers where the highest is at 1.0% of fibers addition.
  • Publication
    Image analysis of surface porosity mortar containing processed spent bleaching earth
    ( 2021)
    Beng Wei Chong
    ;
    Rokiah Othman
    ;
    Ramadhansyah Putra Jaya
    ;
    Doh Shu Ing
    ;
    Xiaofeng Li
    ;
    Mohd Haziman Wan Ibrahim
    ;
    ;
    Andrei Victor Sandu
    ;
    Bartosz Płoszaj
    ;
    Janusz Szmidla
    ;
    Tomasz Stachowiak
    Image analysis techniques are gaining popularity in the studies of civil engineering materials. However, the current established image analysis methods often require advanced machinery and strict image acquisition procedures which may be challenging in actual construction practices. In this study, we develop a simplified image analysis technique that uses images with only a digital camera and does not have a strict image acquisition regime. Mortar with 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% pozzolanic material as cement replacement are prepared for the study. The properties of mortar are evaluated with flow table test, compressive strength test, water absorption test, and surface porosity based on the proposed image analysis technique. The experimental results show that mortar specimens with 20% processed spent bleaching earth (PSBE) achieve the highest 28-day compressive strength and lowest water absorption. The quantified image analysis results show accurate representation of mortar quality with 20% PSBE mortar having the lowest porosity. The regression analysis found strong correlations between all experimental data and the compressive strength. Hence, the developed technique is verified to be feasible as supplementary mortar properties for the study of mortar with pozzolanic material.
  • Publication
    Design of experiment on concrete mechanical properties prediction: A critical review
    ( 2021)
    Beng Wei Chong
    ;
    Rokiah Othman
    ;
    Ramadhansyah Putra Jaya
    ;
    Mohd Rosli Mohd Hasan
    ;
    Andrei Victor Sandu
    ;
    Marcin Nabiałek
    ;
    Bartłomiej Jeż
    ;
    Paweł Pietrusiewicz
    ;
    Dariusz Kwiatkowski
    ;
    Przemysław Postawa
    ;
    Concrete mix design and the determination of concrete performance are not merely engineering studies, but also mathematical and statistical endeavors. The study of concrete mechanical properties involves a myriad of factors, including, but not limited to, the amount of each constituent material and its proportion, the type and dosage of chemical additives, and the inclusion of different waste materials. The number of factors and combinations make it difficult, or outright impossible, to formulate an expression of concrete performance through sheer experimentation. Hence, design of experiment has become a part of studies, involving concrete with material addition or replacement. This paper reviewed common design of experimental methods, implemented by past studies, which looked into the analysis of concrete performance. Several analysis methods were employed to optimize data collection and data analysis, such as analysis of variance (ANOVA), regression, Taguchi method, Response Surface Methodology, and Artificial Neural Network. It can be concluded that the use of statistical analysis is helpful for concrete material research, and all the reviewed designs of experimental methods are helpful in simplifying the work and saving time, while providing accurate prediction of concrete mechanical performance.
  • Publication
    The impact of microwave treatment on the chemical properties of sewerage sludge
    ( 2022)
    Doh Shu Ing
    ;
    Ramadhansyah Putra Jaya
    ;
    Chia Min Ho
    ;
    Siew Choo Chin
    ;
    Marcin Nabiałek
    ;
    ;
    Sebastian Garus
    ;
    Agata Śliwa
    Due to urbanization, the population in the major cities in Malaysia is approximately 72.8% of its total population. The increase of population density has directly increased the amount of sewerage sludge waste that poses threat to the environment. In line with the green initiatives, alternative method to develop good quality concrete material from sewerage sludge waste can be further explored. Traditionally, sewerage sludge waste is processed using incinerator that require high energy and it is time consuming. In this study, microwave heating which require less energy consumption and less time consuming is used for sewerage sludge preparation. Prior to heating process, sewerage sludge waste is over dried at 105◦C for 24 hours. Three types of microwave heating namely medium heating, medium high heating and high heating has been used. The chemical and physical properties microwaved sewerage sludge ash (MSSA) was tested using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Based on the result, the recommended temperature for the MSSA production for the concrete is High Mode Temperature. This is due to the result of MSSA for X-Ray Fluorescent test as its shows the highest in the content for pozzolanic element which are SiO2
  • Publication
    Assessment of the suitability of ceramic waste in geopolymer composites: an appraisal
    ( 2021)
    Ismail Luhar
    ;
    Salmabanu Luhar
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    ;
    Marcin Nabiałek
    ;
    Andrei Victor Sandu
    ;
    Janusz Szmidla
    ;
    Anna Jurczyńska
    ;
    Rafiza Abdul Razak
    ;
    Ikmal Hakem A Aziz
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    ;
    Laila Mardiah Deraman
    Currently, novel inorganic alumino-silicate materials, known as geopolymer composites, have emerged swiftly as an ecobenevolent alternative to contemporary ordinary Portland cement (OPC) building materials since they display superior physical and chemical attributes with a diverse range of possible potential applications. The said innovative geopolymer technology necessitates less energy and low carbon footprints as compared to OPC-based materials because of the incorporation of wastes and/or industrial byproducts as binders replacing OPC. The key constituents of ceramic are silica and alumina and, hence, have the potential to be employed as an aggregate to manufacture ceramic geopolymer concrete. The present manuscript presents a review of the performance of geopolymer composites incorporated with ceramic waste, concerning workability, strength, durability, and elevated resistance evaluation.
  • Publication
    Improvements of flexural properties and thermal performance in thin geopolymer based on fly ash and ladle furnace slag using borax decahydrates
    ( 2022)
    Ng Yong-Sing
    ;
    ; ; ;
    Phakkhananan Pakawanit
    ;
    Petrica Vizureanu
    ;
    Mohd Suhaimi Khalid
    ;
    Ng Hui-Teng
    ;
    Hang Yong-Jie
    ;
    Marcin Nabiałek
    ;
    Paweł Pietrusiewicz
    ;
    Sebastian Garus
    ;
    Wojciech Sochacki
    ;
    Agata Śliwa
    This paper elucidates the influence of borax decahydrate addition on the flexural and thermal properties of 10 mm thin fly ash/ladle furnace slag (FAS) geopolymers. The borax decahydrate (2, 4, 6, and 8 wt.%) was incorporated to produce FAB geopolymers. Heat treatment was applied with temperature ranges of 300 °C, 600 °C, 900 °C, 1000 °C and 1100 °C. Unexposed FAB geopolymers experienced a drop in strength due to a looser matrix with higher porosity. However, borax decahydrate inclusion significantly enhanced the flexural performance of thin geopolymers after heating. FAB2 and FAB8 geopolymers reported higher flexural strength of 26.5 MPa and 47.8 MPa, respectively, at 1000 °C as compared to FAS geopolymers (24.1 MPa at 1100 °C). The molten B2O3 provided an adhesive medium to assemble the aluminosilicates, improving the interparticle connectivity which led to a drastic strength increment. Moreover, the borax addition reduced the glass transition temperature, forming more refractory crystalline phases at lower temperatures. This induced a significant strength increment in FAB geopolymers with a factor of 3.6 for FAB8 at 900 °C, and 4.0 factor for FAB2 at 1000 °C, respectively. Comparatively, FAS geopolymers only achieved 3.1 factor in strength increment at 1100 °C. This proved that borax decahydrate could be utilized in the high strength development of thin geopolymers.
      3  21
  • Publication
    Study of zeolite phase made from rice husk ash and sidrap clay
    ( 2022)
    M. Armayani
    ;
    Musdalifa Mansur
    ;
    Reza Asra
    ;
    Muh Irwan
    ;
    Dhian Ramadhanty
    ;
    Subaer Subaer
    ;
    ;
    Ikmal Hakem A. Aziz
    ;
    B. Jeż
    ;
    M. Nabiałek
    Zeolite has been successfully synthesized from clay and rice husk ash in the form of powder by using the hydrothermal method with variations in chemical compositions of alkaline solution and the amount of rice husk ash. The clay raw material was obtained from the Sidrap area of South Sulawesi and rice husk ash is obtained from the burning pile of rice husks. Sidrap clay and rice husk ash were activated using an alkaline solution of NaOH and varied rice husk ash and the addition of AlCl3. The addition of AlCl3, an alkaline solution of NaOH and H2O was used in the amount of 25.5 grams and variations of rice husk ash were 2.5 grams and 6.5 grams. Meanwhile, without the addition of AlCl3, an alkaline solution of NaOH and H2O was used for 20.5 grams and variations of rice husk ash from 2.5 grams and 6.5 grams. Then the mixture was then put into an autoclave with a temperature of 100°C for 3 hours. The basic material used in the manufacture of zeolite is carried out by X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) characterization to determine the constituent elements of basic material, which showed the content of SiO2 was 45.80 wt% in the clay and 93.40% in the rice husk ash. The crystalline structure of the zeolite formed was characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). It was found the resulting zeolite were identified as Zeolite-Y, Hydrosodalite, and ZSM-5. The microstructure properties of the resulting zeolite were determined by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).
      5  15
  • Publication
    Elevated-Temperature performance, combustibility and fire propagation index of Fly Ash-Metakaolin blend geopolymers with addition of Monoaluminium Phosphate (MAP) and Aluminum Dihydrogen Triphosphate (ATP)
    ( 2021)
    Khairunnisa Zulkifly
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    ; ;
    Ridho Bayuaji
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    ;
    Shamsul Bin Ahmad
    ;
    Tomasz Stachowiak
    ;
    Janusz Szmidla
    ;
    Joanna Gondro
    ;
    Bartłomiej Jeż
    ;
    Mohd Suhaimi Bin Khalid
    ;
    Sebastian Garus
    ;
    Ong Shee-Ween
    ;
    Ooi Wan-En
    ;
    Ng Hui-Teng
    Thermal performance, combustibility, and fire propagation of fly ash-metakaolin (FA-MK) blended geopolymer with the addition of aluminum triphosphate, ATP (Al(H2PO4)3), and monoaluminium phosphate, MAP (AlPO4) were evaluated in this paper. To prepare the geopolymer mix, fly ash and metakaolin with a ratio of 1:1 were added with ATP and MAP in a range of 0–3% by weight. The fire/heat resistance was evaluated by comparing the residual compressive strengths after the elevated temperature exposure. Besides, combustibility and fire propagation tests were conducted to examine the thermal performance and the applicability of the geopolymers as passive fire protection. Experimental results revealed that the blended geopolymers with 1 wt.% of ATP and MAP exhibited higher compressive strength and denser geopolymer matrix than control geopolymers. The effect of ATP and MAP addition was more obvious in unheated geopolymer and little improvement was observed for geopolymer subjected to elevated temperature. ATP and MAP at 3 wt.% did not help in enhancing the elevated-temperature performance of blended geopolymers. Even so, all blended geopolymers, regardless of the addition of ATP and MAP, were regarded as the noncombustible materials with negligible (0–0.1) fire propagation index.
      1  23
  • Publication
    The influence of MMA esterification on interfacial adhesion and mechanical properties of hybrid kenaf bast/glass fiber reinforced unsaturated polyester composites
    ( 2021) ;
    Syed Zhafer Firdaus Syed Putra
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    ;
    Irwana Nainggolan
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    Bartłomiej Jeż
    ;
    Marcin Nabiałek
    ;
    ;
    Andrei Victor Sandu
    ;
    Petrica Vizureanu
    ;
    ;
    Dariusz Kwiatkowski
    ;
    Izabela Wnuk
    The demand for natural fiber hybrid composites for various applications has increased, which is leading to more research being conducted on natural fiber hybrid composites due to their promising mechanical properties. However, the incompatibility of natural fiber with polymer matrix limits the performance of the natural fiber hybrid composite. In this research work, the mechanical properties and fiber-to-matrix interfacial adhesion were investigated. The efficiency of methyl methacrylate (MMA)-esterification treatments on composites’ final product performance was determined. The composite was prepared using the hand lay-up method with varying kenaf bast fiber (KBF) contents of 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 (weight%) and hybridized with glass fiber (GF) at 5 and 10 (weight%). Unsaturated polyester (UPE) resin and methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP) were used as binders and catalysts, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to examine the effects of MMA-esterification treatment on tensile strength and morphology (tensile fracture and characterization of MMA-esterification treatment) of the composite fabricated. The tensile strength of MMA-treated reinforced UPE and hybrid composites are higher than that of untreated composites. As for MMA treatment, 90 min of treatment showed the highest weight percent gain (WPG) and tensile strength of KBF-reinforced UPE composites. It can be concluded that the esterification of MMA on the KBF can lead to better mechanical properties and adhesion between the KFB and the UPE matrix. This research provides a clear reference for developing hybrid natural fibers, thus contributing to the current field of knowledge related to GF composites, specifically in transportation diligences due to their properties of being lightweight, superior, and involving low production cost.
      11  15
  • Publication
    Evaluation on the mechanical properties of Ground Granulated Blast Slag (GGBS) and fly ash stabilized soil via geopolymer process
    ( 2021)
    Syafiadi Rizki Abdila
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    ; ; ;
    Małgorzata Rychta
    ;
    Izabela Wnuk
    ;
    Marcin Nabiałek
    ;
    Krzysztof Muskalski
    ;
    ;
    Muhammad Syafwandi
    ;
    Marek Isradi
    This study intended to address the problem of damaged (collapsed, cracked and decreased soil strength) road pavement structure built on clay soil due to clay soil properties such as low shear strength, high soil compressibility, low soil permeability, low soil strength, and high soil plasticity. Previous research reported that ground granulated blast slag (GGBS) and fly ash can be used for clay soil stabilizations, but the results of past research indicate that the road pavement construction standards remained unfulfilled, especially in terms of clay’s subgrade soil. Due to this reason, this study is carried out to further investigate soil stabilization using GGBS and fly ash-based geopolymer processes. This study investigates the effects of GGBS and ratios of fly ash (solid) to alkaline activator (liquid) of 1:1, 1.5:1, 2:1, 2.5:1, and 3:1, cured for 1 and 7 days. The molarity of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and the ratio of sodium silicate (Na2SiO3) to sodium hydroxide (NaOH) was fixed at 10 molar and 2.0 weight ratio. The mechanical properties of the soil stabilization based geopolymer process were tested using an unconfined compression test, while the characterization of soil stabilization was investigated using the plastic limit test, liquid limit test, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results showed that the highest strength obtained was 3.15 MPA with a GGBS to alkaline activator ratio of 1.5 and Na2SiO3 to NaOH ratio of 2.0 at 7 days curing time. These findings are useful in enhancing knowledge in the field of soil stabilization-based geopolymer, especially for applications in pavement construction. In addition, it can be used as a reference for academicians, civil engineers, and geotechnical engineers.
      8  24