Mechanical properties and durability of fiber reinforced geopolymer
composites: A review on recent progressd
Abstract
Geopolymer concrete shares similar mechanical properties with ordinary
Portland cement (OPC) concrete, and is even provided with better
performances in high temperature and high corrosion circumstances.
However, geopolymer binder is still subject to the disadvantages of
large shrinkage and high brittleness, which greatly limit its
application. Fiber reinforcement is widely used in various geopolymer
systems to overcome the brittleness issue, but retains the high
strength. Over the past 10 years, a significant advance has been made in
the research of fiber reinforced geopolymers in terms of toughening
efficiency and durability improvement. This paper, as a mini review,
focuses on three types of fibers, i.e., inorganic fiber, natural fiber
and synthetic fiber, in geopolymers, and their specific effects on
compressive, flexural and tensile strengths, fractural toughness, shear
strength and durability including shrinkage, chemical and freezing-thaw
resistances. The recement understanding of bonding mechanism and
fiber-geopolymer interface are also discussed, and knowledge gaps and
future work challenges are correspondingly pointed out.