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Procedia Engineering 00 (2017) 000–000
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Procedia Engineering 210 (2017) 126–131

6th International Workshop on Performance, Protection & Strengthening of Structures under

Extreme Loading, PROTECT2017, 11-12 December 2017, Guangzhou (Canton), China

Resistance of geopolymer mortar to acid and chloride attacks

Huang Ji Zhuanga, Hai Yan Zhanga,一, Hao Xua
State
State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Architecture Science, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, P.R. China
a

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental study on the chemical erosion resistance of geopolymer mortar (GM) to
sulphuric acid and sodium chloride attacks. The variations of mechanical properties and mass of geopolymer mortar
after soaked in water, sodium chloride and sulphuric acid solutions for different durations (30, 60, 90, 180, 270 and
360 days) were investigated. The test results showed that geopolymer mortar had good resistance to sodium chloride
and sulfuric acid erosion solutions. The maximum degradation in flexural, compressive and tensile strength of
geopolymer mortar soaked in sodium chloride and sulphuric acid solutions, during the whole soaking duration (360
days) was 6%, 11% and 15% respectively, compared to that in tap water. The strength fluctuation of geopolymer
mortar in sulphuric acid solutions was higher than that in sodium chloride solutions. At the first 60 days of
immersion, the compressive and tensile strength of geopolymer mortar in tap water, sodium chloride solutions and
sulphuric acid solutions decreased, but its strength restored again after 60 days.
© 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
© 2017 The under
Peer-review Authors. Published by
responsibility of Elsevier Ltd. committee of the 6th International Workshop on Performance, Protection &
the scientific
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 6th International Workshop on Performance, Protection &
Strengthening of Structures under Extreme Loading.
Strengthening of Structures under Extreme Loading
Keywords: durability; geopolymer mortar; chemical erosion resistance

1. Introduction

In the past decades, rapid development of urban construction in China generates a great demand for cement.
However, the production of cement is regarded as an important factor contributing to the greenhouse effect, due to a
great amount of CO2 emission during its production. Geopolymer is a kind of inorganic material derived by alkali

一
Corresponding author Tel.: +86-20-8711 1030
E-mail address: zhy116107@163.com

1877-7058 © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 6th International Workshop on Performance, Protection & Strengthening of
Structures under Extreme Loading.

1877-7058 © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 6th International Workshop on Performance, Protection &
Strengthening of Structures under Extreme Loading.
10.1016/j.proeng.2017.11.057
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2 Haiyan Zhang/ Procedia Engineering 00 (2017) 000–000

activating silicon-aluminum material, which has comparable mechanical properties, high temperature resistance and
durability as ordinary Portland cement [1-2], but less energy consumption and CO2 emission for production [3-4].
Therefore, geopolymer can be used as a potential substitute of ordinary Portland cement in some fields. For instance,
geopolymer mortar (GM) was utilized to strength concrete members by bonding textile or steel mesh [5-6].
Durability is an important concern for construction materials, but there are few researches on the durability of GM.
This paper focuses on the durability of GM in the environment of tap water, sodium chloride and sulphuric acid
solutions.

2. Experimental program

The durability of GM was investigated by accelerated erosion tests on GM specimens. Three solutions, including
tap water, sodium chloride and sulphuric acid, were used to provide the chemical environment for geopolymer
mortar. The variation of PH values of tap water and erosion solutions with time was monitored. Based on the tested
PH values, the frequency of updating the solutions was determined. The flexural, compressive and tensile strength
and mass of geopolymer mortar after soaked in the three types of solutions for different durations (0 、30、60、
90、180、270、360 days) were tested. Also the compressive strength of geopolymer mortar in air was tested for
comparison.

2.1. Materials

The raw materials for preparing geopolymer mortar included fly ash, metakaolin, alkali activator, short
polypropylene fibers, fine aggregate and tap water. The chemical composition of fly ash and metakaolin can be
referred to [5]; Potassium silicate solutions, with concentration of 40% and modulus of 1.0, were used as alkali
activator. The sodium chloride solution was prepared through adding sodium chloride crystals into tap water, with
concentration of 5%. And the sulphuric acid was prepared from pouring concentrated sulfuric acid solutions into tap
water, with PH values of 4.0.

2.2. Preparation of specimens

Prism specimens, with dimensions of 40mm × 40mm × 160mm, were used for testing flexural strength and
compressive strength of GM. Tensile strength was tested on "8"-shaped specimens. The detailed dimensions of "8"-
shaped specimens can be referred to [7].
To prepare GM specimens, potassium silicate solutions was firstly poured with the blend of fly ash and
metakaolin powers (with the mass ratio of 1:1), and then fine aggregates together with dispersed short
polypropylene fibers were added. After stirring for 5 mins in a mixer, the mixture was placed into the prismatic
moulds and “8”-shaped moulds, and then vibrated.
After one day curing at a constant temperature of 20oC and a constant humidity of 95%, these specimens were
demoulded. And then, a 6-day curing at the same conditions was performed. Prior to soaking in the solutions, these
specimens experienced another 35 days of natural room curing, to attain stable strength in air.
A total of 84 prism specimens, classified into 4 groups, were prepared to undertake the tests on compressive and
flexural strength of GM in air and after soaked in tap water, sodium chloride and sulphuric acid for 7 different
durations (0, 30, 60, 90, 180, 270 and 360 days). For each type of environment (air, water, sodium chloride and
sulphuric acid) and each duration, 3 specimens were tested. The tests on compressive strength of GM in air at
different ages was aimed to confirm the stability of strength development of GM. As for the tensile strength tests, a
total of 63 specimens with “8”-shaped, classified into 3 groups, was cast. These “8”-shaped specimens were soaked
in the same solutions (water, sodium chloride and sulphuric acid) for same durations as prism specimens.

2.3. Updating regime of erosion solutions

Three plastic containers, with sizes of 60 mm35 mm40 mm, were used to contain specimens and three types
of solutions (tap water, sodium chloride and sulphuric acid) respectively. As the alkaline of GM was slightly
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Haiyan Zhang/ Procedia Engineering 00 (2017) 000–000 3

stronger than that of ordinary Portland cement mortar, the pH values of solutions changed with the soaking duration
and specimen quantities, especially for acid solutions. Since this study was conducted to simulate the case of
continuous erosion on GM, the solutions have to be updated frequently to maintain the relative stability of pH values.
Based on the monitoring of pH values through pH meters, the updating frequency of each solution was confirmed.
Due to the fact that the pH variation of acid solutions with GM specimens soaked is greater than that of tap water
and sodium chloride solutions, the updating frequency of acid solutions was higher. Table 1 listed the updating cycle
of each solution. As shown in Table 1, in the first 90 days of immersion, the sulphuric acid solution was updated
every day, but after 90 days, the updating frequency was slowed down, as the amount of specimens was halved and
the alkaline of GM decreased with soaking time.
Table 1. Updating cycle of erosion solutions
Solution type Tap water Sodium chloride Sulphuric acid
Soaked time（days） 0~360 0~360 0~90 91~360
Updating cycle（days） 15 15 1 7~8

2.4. Strength tests and mass measurement

All specimens were soaked in the solutions at the same day. When the predetermined test date arrived, partial
specimens were taken out from the insulation. The solutions on the surface of these specimens were wiped out, and
then weighted by an electronic scale (with precision of 0.01g, and maximum capacity of 1000g). After weighted,
specimens were naturally dried for 24h, and then the flexural, compressive and tensile strength tests were carried out.
At the same day, the compressive strength tests were conducted on three GM specimens placed in air for
comparison.
The flexural and compressive strength of GM was tested as per the specification in China code of GB/T 17671-
1999 [8], and the loading rates at flexural strength test and compressive strength test were 50 N/S and 2500 N/S.
Tensile strength test was as per the specification in China code of DL/T5126-2001 [9], and the loading rates was 0.2
mm/min. All the tests were conducted through a UTM5205 electronic universal testing machine with a maximum
capacity of 200 kN.

3 Test results and analysis

3.1. Flexural strength

Fig. 1 depicts the flexural strength of GM specimens after soaked in three types of solutions, as a function of
soaking days. It can be seen from Fig. 1 that the flexural strength of specimens after immersed in tap water, sodium
chloride solutions and sulphuric acid solutions increased by about 15%, compared to that prior to immersion.
Fig. 2 shows the variation of relative flexural strength (the flexural strength ratio of specimens soaked in erosion
solutions to that in tap water) of specimens in the sodium chloride and sulphuric acid solutions with soaking time. It
can be seen that the variation of flexural strength of GM, after immersed in sodium chloride and sulphuric acid
solutions, was not significant. During the whole soaking duration, the variation of flexural strength of GM in sodium
chloride and sulphuric acid solutions, compared to that in tap water, was 0.94 ~ 1.05 and 0.96 ~ 1.05 respectively.

3.2. Compressive strength

Fig. 3 shows the variation of compressive strength of specimens in air, tap water, sodium chloride and sulphuric
acid solutions with time. It can be seen that the compressive strength of GM in the air increased by 2.1% ~ 11%
compared with that before immersion. The insignificant increase of compressive strength inferred that the
compressive strength of GM was almost stable before immersed in solutions. Compared with the compressive
strength of GM specimens in air, the compressive strength of specimens in solutions was lower, especially at the
first 60 days. The maximum degradation in compressive strength of specimens in tap water, sodium chloride and
sulphuric acid solutions was 15.5%, 13.7% and 10.9% respectively. During the whole soaking duration, the
fluctuation of compressive strength of specimens soaked in tap water, sodium chloride solutions and sulphuric acid
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solutions fluctuated was not high (within ± 11%). At the first 60 days, the compressive strength of specimens in
solutions decreased; while after 60 days, the strength restored again, and even exceeded the strength before
immersion.
Fig. 4 presents the relative compressive strength (the compressive strength ratio of specimens soaked in erosion
solutions to that in tap water) of specimens in the sodium chloride and sulphuric acid solutions with soaking time.
The variation range of compressive strength of specimens in sodium chloride and sulphuric acid solutions was 0.95
~ 1.02 and 0.89 ~ 1.08 respectively, during the whole soaking period. The strength fluctuation of specimens in
sulphuric acid solutions was higher than that in sodium chloride solutions.

Fig. 1 Flexural strength Fig. 2 Relative flexural strength

Fig. 3 Compressive strength of GM Fig. 4 Relative compressive strength

3.3. Tensile strength

Fig. 5 shows the variation of tensile strength of GM specimens in tap water, sodium chloride solutions and
sulphuric acid solutions with soaking time. From the figure, it can be seen that the tensile strength of specimens in
the three types of solutions decreased at the first 60 days, and then increased and restored. After 360 days of
immersion, the tensile strength of GM has been restored to the strength level as that before immersion.
Fig. 6 shows the variation of relative tensile strength (the tensile strength ratio of specimens soaked in erosion
solutions to that in tap water) of specimens in sodium chloride solutions and sulphuric acid solutions with soaking
time. It can be seen that during the whole soaking duration, the fluctuation of relative tensile strength of specimens
in sodium chloride and sulphuric acid solutions was ranged within ±15%, which was slightly higher than that of
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relative flexural strength and relative compressive strength. This is maybe because that the minimum cross-section
area of the "8"-shaped specimens for tensile strength tests (25.4 mm  25.4 mm) is smaller than that of the prism
specimens for flexural and compressive strength tests (40 mm  40 mm). The two types of specimens were
immersed in the same solutions, thus the erosion depth was close at the same duration, which led to that the ratio of
erosion area to cross-section area of the "8"-shaped specimens is greater than that of the prism specimens. Therefore,
the tensile strength of the "8"-shaped specimens is more susceptible to erosion solutions.

Fig. 5 Tensile strength of specimens Fig. 6 Relative tensile strength

3.4. Mass variation

Fig. 7(a), (b) plots the mass variation rates of the prism and "8"-shaped specimens after soaked in solutions,
compared with the mass before immersion, as a function of soaking duration.
It can be seen that the mass of the prism and "8"-shaped specimens in tap water and sulphuric acid solutions
increased firstly, and then decreased. The maximum mass variation is 1.0%. However, the mass fluctuation of
specimens in sodium chloride solutions is lower. The maximum mass fluctuation of specimens in sodium chloride
solutions is -0.3%.

(a) prism specimens (b) "8"-shaped specimens

Fig. 7 Mass variation of prism and "8"-shaped specimens

4. Conclusion

In this paper, the variation of flexural, compressive and tensile strength, and mass of geopolymer mortar after
soaked in tap water, sodium chloride solutions and sulphuric acid solutions were tested. Also the compressive
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strength of geopolymer mortar in air was recorded. The data from these tests were utilized to evaluate the durability
of geopolymer mortar. Based on the test results, the following conclusions were drawn:
(1) Geopolymer mortar exhibits good resistance to the attack of sodium chloride solutions and sulphuric acid
solutions. The maximum degradation in flexural, compressive and tensile strength of geopolymer mortar soaked in
sodium chloride and sulphuric acid solutions, during the whole soaking duration (360 days) was 6%, 11% and 15%
respectively, compared to that in tap water. The tensile strength of geopolymer mortar is more susceptible to the
attack of sodium chloride solutions and sulphuric acid solutions.
(2) At the first 60 days of immersion, the compressive and tensile strength of geopolymer mortar in tap water,
sodium chloride solutions and sulphuric acid solutions decreased; while after 60 days, its strength restored again.
(3) The strength fluctuation of geopolymer mortar in sulphuric acid solutions is higher than that in sodium
chloride solutions.

Acknowledgements

The research presented in this paper is supported by Guangdong Provincial Department of communications and
transportation (Grant No. Technology-2016-02-008), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
(Grant No. 2015ZZ071), and State Key laboratory of Subtropical Architecture Science, South China University of
Technology (Grant No. 2016KB15).

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