Title:
Assessing Durability Characteristics of Basalt Fiber and Slag-Based Cementitious Composite
Author(s):
Alein Jeyan Sudhakar and Bhuvaneshwari Muthusubramanian
Publication:
Materials Journal
Volume:
122
Issue:
2
Appears on pages(s):
29-42
Keywords:
basalt fiber (BF); cementitious composite (CC); durability; ground-granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS); microstructure; strength
DOI:
10.14359/51745597
Date:
3/1/2025
Abstract:
Past researchers have concentrated on the durability characteristics
of textile-reinforced cementitious composites with quartz
and silica sand. However, to make it easily available for construction,
this study explores the durability characteristics of cementitious
composites (CC) with the available manufactured sand
before applying it to textile reinforcement. It is more important
to study the durability characteristics as the main aim of application
is to construct thin structures without coarse aggregate.
Thus, the durability and microstructural characteristics of basalt
fiber (BF)-reinforced fine-grained CC incorporated with ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) as a partial substitution of
cement (BFRFGC) were studied. The CC were exposed to different
exposure conditions, such as acidic environment, alkaline environment, and elevated temperature. Then, their visual appearance and change in weight and strength were studied as per the codal provisions at several exposure ages. In addition, microstructural studies were also performed at different exposure conditions and were compared with the specimens before exposure. The BFRFGC showed 61.93% and 27.58% lower strength and weight change than controlled fine-grained CC (CFGC) under extreme conditions (that is, exposure to sulfuric acid). Also, the results from microstructural studies reveal that BF and BFRFGC are resistant to
all these conditions. Subsequently, BFRFGC has superior resistance
under various exposure conditions and excellent durability
characteristics.