The growth of global construction has contributed to an inevitable increase in the amount of construction and demolition (C&D) waste, and the recycling of C&D waste as aggregates in concrete is receiving increased interest, resulting in less demand for normal aggregates and bringing a potential solution for the landfilling of wastes. Recently, several studies have focused on the use of C&D waste in alkali-activated concrete to move one step closer to sustainable concretes. This paper focuses on the main mechanisms of using C&D waste in the resulting physical, mechanical, and durability properties of alkali-activated concrete in fresh and hardened state properties. The main difficulties observed with recycled aggregates (RA) in concrete, such as high levels of water demand, porous structure, and low mechanical strength, occur in RA alkali-activated concretes. These are associated with the highly porous nature and defects of RA. However, the high calcium concentration of RA affects the binder gel products, accelerates the hardening rate of the concrete, and reduces the flowability of alkali-activated concretes. For this reason, several techniques have been investigated for modifying the water content and workability of the fresh matrix and for treating RA and RA/alkali-activated binder interactions to produce more sustainable alkali-activated concretes.

Alkali-activated binders have received substantial attention due to their excellent potential in enabling the reuse and recycling of industrial solid wastes and by-products. One-part or just-add-water alkali-activated binders are an approach to reduce the negative aspects of using an alkali solution during the preparation of traditional two-part alkali-activated binders. The work aims to utilize the maximum content of ceramic wastes in alkali-activated blast-furnace slag/ceramic binders. The ground granulated blast-furnace slag was partially replaced [10%, 20%, and 30% in weight (wt.)%] by two types of ceramic wastes (porcelain and raw; i.e., fired and unfired). Moreover, the coarse particle size of porcelain ceramic waste was used as recycled aggregate. The specimens were cured under two different curing regimes: (1) sealing with plastic; and (2) using thermal curing conditions for 3 h in 60°C after demolding and then sealing until the test day. Mechanical testing and microstructural analysis were used to characterize the effects of different curing regimes and different ceramic sources. The results showed that replacing ground granulated blast-furnace slag with all types of ceramic wastes reduced the compressive strength; this reduction was mainly caused by reduction of the calcium content. This strength loss was also governed by the ceramic waste type, curing regime type, and curing duration. The microstructural analysis indicated that some cracks formed between the ceramic waste particles and the matrix. Moreover, the microscopic analysis indicated the use of preheating could eliminate cracking.

This experimental study aimed to develop alkali-activated concretes containing carbonated basic oxygen furnace (BOF) slag aggregates. In the first stage, the impacts of replacing normal aggregates with carbonated BOF slag aggregates in different alkali-activated concretes were determined by assessing mechanical properties (compressive and flexural strengths), morphology, thermogravimetric analyses (TGA), differential thermogravimetry (DTG) and the crystalline phases using X-ray diffraction analysis. Second, the developed plain alkali-activated concrete was reinforced by different fibre types and dosages to limit the negative impacts of the drying shrinkage and to improve strength. Therefore, the effects of using different fibre contents (1% and 1.5% in Vol.) and types (Polyvinyl alcohol [PVA], Polypropylene [PP], basalt, cellulose and indented short-length steel) on hardened state properties were evaluated. These evaluations were expressed in terms of the compressive and flexural strengths, ultrasonic pulse velocity, mass changes, drying shrinkage and efflorescence. Then, the impacts of aggressive conditions on the hardened properties of fibre-reinforced alkali-activated concretes were evaluated under carbonation, high temperature and freeze/thaw tests. The results showed that using carbonated BOF slag aggregates led to obtain higher strength than using normal aggregates in alkali activated concretes. Moreover, the maximum enhancement due to reinforcing the mixtures was recorded in alkali-activated concretes with steel fibres.

This experimental study aimed to develop a fiber-reinforced lightweight mineral wool-based alkali activated mortar. The lightweight mineral wool-based alkali activated mortars were produced using premade foam and reinforced by polypropylene (PP) fibers. They were assessed in terms of fresh and hardened-state properties. Fresh-state properties were investigated by mini-slump tests. Hardened-state characteristics were assessed by ultrasonic pulse velocity, dry density, compressive and flexural strengths, drying shrinkage, efflorescence, water absorption, and permeable porosity. For the first time, the resistance of the synthesized lightweight mineral wool-based alkali activated mortars against harsh conditions (carbonation, freeze and thaw, and high temperature) were evaluated. The porous structures of the developed lightweight alkali activated mortars were also analyzed using an X-ray micro-computed tomography (CT) technique. Lightweight mix compositions with densities in a range of 770–1510 kg/m³, compressive strengths of 1–9 MPa, and flexural strengths of 2.6–8 MPa were developed. Increases in both density and strength after carbonation were also recorded, while a decrease of strength was noticed after exposure to freeze/thaw and high temperatures of up to 500 °C.

This paper presents experimental results regarding the efficiency of using acoustic panels made with fiber-reinforced alkali-activated slag foam concrete containing lightweight recycled aggregates produced by using Petrit-T (tunnel kiln slag). In the first stage, 72 acoustic panels with dimension 500 × 500 × 35 mm were cast and prepared. The mechanical properties of the panels were then assessed in terms of their compressive and flexural strengths. Moreover, the durability properties of acoustic panels were studied using harsh conditions (freeze/thaw and carbonation tests). The efficiency of the lightweight panels was also assessed in terms of thermal properties. In the second stage, 50 acoustic panels were used to cover the floor area in a reverberation room. The acoustic absorption in diffuse field conditions was measured, and the interrupted random noise source method was used to record the sound pressure decay rate over time. Moreover, the acoustic properties of the panels were separately assessed by impedance tubes and airflow resistivity measurements. The recorded results from these two sound absorption evaluations were compared. Additionally, a comparative study was presented on the results of impedance tube measurements to compare the influence of casting volumes (large and small scales) on the sound absorption of the acoustic panels. In the last stage, a comparative study was implemented to clarify the effects of harsh conditions on the sound absorption of the acoustic panels. The results showed that casting scale had great impacts on the mechanical and physical properties. Additionally, it was revealed that harsh conditions improved the sound properties of acoustic panels due to their effects on the porous structure of materials.

Alternative cementitious binders, based on industrial side streams, characterized by a low carbon footprint, are profitably proposed to partially replace Portland cement. Among these alternatives, alkali-activated materials have attracted attention as a promising cementitious binder. In this paper, the chemical stability of the matrix, in fiber-reinforced slag-based alkali-activated composites, was studied, in order to assess any possible effect of the presence of the reinforcement on the chemistry of polycondensation. For this purpose, organic fiber, cellulose, and an inorganic fiber, basalt, were chosen, showing a different behavior in the alkaline media that was used to activate the slag fine powders. The novelty of the paper is the study of consolidation by means of chemical measurements, more than from the mechanical point of view. The evaluation of the chemical behavior of the starting slag in NaOH, indeed, was preparatory to the understanding of the consolidation degree in the alkali-activated composites. The reactivity of alkali-activated composites was studied in water (integrity test, normed leaching test, pH and ionic conductivity), and acids (leaching in acetic acid and HCl attack). The presence of fibers does not favor nor hinder the geopolymerization process, even if an increase in the ionic conductivity in samples containing fibers leads to the hypothesis that samples with fibers are less consolidated, or that fiber dissolution contributes to the conductivity values. The amorphous fraction was enriched in silicon after HCl attack, but the structure was not completely dissolved, and the presence of an amorphous phase is confirmed (C–S–H gel). Basalt fibers partly dissolved in the alkaline environment, leading to the formation of a C–N–A–S–H gel surrounding the fibers. In contrast, cellulose fiber remained stable in both acidic and alkaline conditions.