In this research, iron ore tailing (IOT) is utilized as the cementitious material to develop an eco-friendly ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC). The UHPC mix is obtained according to the modified Andreasen and Andersen (MAA) packing model, and the applied dosage of IOT is 10%, 20%, and 30% (by weight), respectively. The calculated packing density of different mixtures is consistent with each other. Afterwards, the fresh and hardened performance of UHPC mixtures with IOT are evaluated. The results demonstrate that the workability of designed UHPC mixtures is increased with the incorporation of IOT. The heat flow at an early age of designed UHPC with IOT is attenuated, the compressive strength and auto shrinkage at an early age are consequently reduced. The addition of IOT promotes the development of long-term compressive strength and optimization of the pore structure, thus the durability of designed UHPC is still guaranteed. In addition, the ecological estimate results show that the utilization of IOT for the UHPC design can reduce the carbon emission significantly.

This study explores the effects of metakaolin (MK) and silica fume (SF) on rheological behaviors and microstructure of self-compacting concrete (SCC). The rheology, slump flow, V-funnel, segregation degree (SA), and compressive strength of SCC are investigated. Microstructure characteristics, including hydration product and pore structure, are also studied. The results show that adding MK and SF instead of 4%, 6% and 8% fly ash (FA) reduces flowability of SCC; this is due to the fact that the specific surface area of MK and SF is larger than FA, and the total water demand increases as a result. However, the flowability increases when replacement ratio is 2%, as the small MK and SF particles will fill in the interstitial space of mixture and more free water is released. The fluidity, slump flow, and SA decrease linearly with the increase of yield stress. The total amount of SF and MK should be no more than 6% to meet the requirement of self-compacting. Adding MK or SF to SCC results in more hydration products, less Ca(OH)₂ and refinement of pore structure, leading to obvious strength and durability improvements. When the total dosage of MK and SF admixture is 6%, these beneficial effects on workability, mechanical performance, and microstructure are more significant when SF and MK are applied together.

This research aimed to investigate the effect of fine aggregate particles on mechanical properties of fly ash-based geopolymer mortar. In this work, seven kinds of river sand particles were designed based on different fine aggregate characteristics. The fineness modulus was adopted to quantitatively describe the gradation of sands. The fluidity, compressive, flexural, and tensile strengths of geopolymer mortar with different sand gradations were analyzed by laboratory tests. Furthermore, the composition and morphology of fly ash-based geopolymer mortar was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The reasonable gradation range and filling effect of sand were obtained. The results show that fluidity and compressive and flexural strengths of geopolymer mortar both improve with the increase of the fineness modulus, while specific surface area and voidage are opposite. The tensile strength of mortar largely lies on the interface properties between the geopolymer binder and fine aggregates. When the pass rate of the key sieving size 1.18 mm is 75–95%, the pass rate of the key sieving size 0.15 mm is 15–25%, the fineness modulus is 2.2–2.6 and the appropriate filling coefficient of geopolymer paste is around 1.0–1.15, the comprehensive performance of geopolymer mortar is the best. This research paper could provide a basis for the design of geopolymer mortar based on fly ash, and it is of great significance for its popularization and application.