Effects of Glass Powder as a Supplementary Cementitious Material on the Performance of High Strength Mortars

Abstract

Around 11 billion tons of concrete used each year all over the world require considerable amounts of cement, which leads to extensive emissions of carbon dioxide. In the search for more environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional cement in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, glass powder (GP) is significant because of its high content of silica, availability, and cost and is increasingly becoming a part of cement replacement. This study examined the effects of replacing cement with three different colors of GP at different ratios on the workability and mechanical properties of high-strength mortars cured under three different curing temperatures. It was found that quantities of GP varying from 10 % to 20 % increased workability; strength changes occurred according to the hydration rate and strength activity index order of cement silica fume and GP specimens produced; and increasing the amount of GP from 10 % to 20 % decreased the resistance of mortar against penetration by chloride ions. Among the three water/binder (w/b) ratios (0.35, 0.40, and 0.45) and curing temperatures (22 degrees C, 55 degrees C, and 80 degrees C), the maximum compressive and flexural strength were achieved with a 0.35 w/b ratio and 80 degrees C curing temperature, the lowest with a 0.40 w/b ratio and 55 degrees C curing temperature. At high w/b mixes, the strengths were mainly steered by the w/b ratio.