Geopolymer Concrete

for Green Construction

Materials
Dr. Erez Allouche
Trenchless Technology Center
Louisiana Tech University
November 5, 2009

Summary Statement
Inorganic polymer concrete (geopolymer)
is an emerging class of cementitious
materials that aimed at utilizing one of
the most abundant industrial byproducts on earth, fly ash (800,000,000
tons per year), as a substitute for the
most widely produced man-made
material on earth, Portland cement
(2,600,000,000 tons/yr).

Research Context and

Priorenergy
Work
49.6% of the US electrical
production is fueled by

coal (western USA has 250-year supply of recoverable coal)

72 M tones of fly ash are produced; only 38.1% is recycled
The US produce 110 million metric tones of cement,
resulting in 90 million metric tones of carbon dioxide.
Cement production contributes 7% of human CO 2 emissions
Cement production - energy intensive process (heat raw
materials to 2550 F)

Re-Arranging the
Equation

Power Generation

Cement Production

Refinery/Chemical indust

Re-Arranging the
Equation
+

Accomplishments to Date
Evaluate the geopolymerization potential
of 28 samples of fly ash collected from 18
power plants
Develop chemical additives that enable
the pouring of large volumes of
geopolymer concrete
Development of additives that enable
pumping and spraying of geopolymer
grout

[Matco_B040405.dif] 90081-9 GP 3/16/09 w/ 4.94% Si

(1 ) 97-008-9278> Quartz - SiO2

(2 ) 97-002-3726> M ul li te - Al 2.35Si.64O4.82
(3 ) 97-005-2266> Sil icon - Si
(5 ) 97-003-0860> M agneti te - Fe3O4

100
90

80

Intensity(%)

70
60

50
40

30

1
1

20

2
5

2
2

52

10
0

20

30

5 1
2
25

1
2 12

1
25

1
2 25 2 2 2 12

40
50
Two-Theta (deg)

52

1
1

52
1 2 32

3
1
1 3
2
1
5 2
1
1
2 2 2 2 2 1 2152 5
2 2 522 2 1 25 25 2 1 2 25
2

60

70

Accomplishments to Date

We are on the verge of lunching our first

commercially viable product sprayable
geopolymer grout for the rehabilitation of
manhole structures & sewer pipes
Develop formulation for stabilizing fly ash
generated by waste-to-energy programs
(incineration of municipal waste; Vancouver,
Canada)

Plans for 2009-10 New

Applications

High-energy efficient, low-carbon footprint

homes using geopolymer filled insulated
concrete forms (ICF).
High temp grout material for oil/gas wells casing
(2,500 F; 16,000 psi in 24 hrs)
Development of Eco-Reef, ultra low cost
artificial rock for aiding costal restoration;
production potential up to 30 million ton per
year along AL-MS-LA-TX coastline)

Value Proposition