Faculty Publications
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Item Strength characteristics of laterized mortars using processed laterite(Springer, 2019) Basavana Gowda, S.N.; C, C.; Yaragal, S.C.The rapid pace of population growth in India has enforced the construction industry to use construction materials at an accelerated rate leads to the exhaustion of natural resources. Large-scale constructions have a severe influence on the environment instigating many threats either directly or indirectly like exhaustion of the river due to unscientific sand mining being done at a frightening level, etc. To address this issue, it is required to find substitutes for river sand for producing mortars. One among the locally available marginal resource is laterite. In this study, an attempt is made to study the performance of cement mortars using laterite as fine aggregate in replacement levels of 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% to natural fine aggregates (river sand). Studies were carried out in two stages, initially river sand is replaced with laterite quarry waste (unprocessed laterite), and then it is replaced with the processed laterite. The flowability and compressive strength characteristics of mortars are studied. Results indicate that, the decrease in compressive strength of mortars with increase in replacement levels of river sand by unprocessed laterite was more, when compared to mortars with processed laterite. However, there is only 13% reduction in strength for laterized mortar with 100% processed laterite when compared to control mortar is observed. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2019.Item Fast Setting Steel Fibre Geopolymer Mortar Cured Under Ambient Temperature(Springer, 2021) Prasanna, K.M.; Theodose, I.; Shivaprasad, K.N.; Das, B.B.Cement and cementitious materials are being used worldwide as the most popular multipurpose construction materials but the greenhouse gas such as carbon dioxide (CO2) produced during its manufacturing process creating a huge environmental hazard, thus efforts have been made for alternative binders. Geopolymer binder is new age binder alternative to ordinary Portland cement in infrastructure projects because it is produced from eco-friendly and industrial waste materials. This study was aimed to produce fast setting with ground-granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) in fly ash-based geopolymer mortar incorporated with steel fibres cured under ambient temperature. In this research, alkaline to binder ratio was varied from 0.5 to 0.8, crimped steel fibre are varied from 0.5 to 1.5% by total volume of binder and combination of fly ash (FA) and GGBS (100%:0%, 90%:10%, 80%:20%, 70%:30%, 60%:40% and 50%:50%) as binder were used for preparation of fibre geopolymer mortar. The tests conducted include stetting time and flowability of geopolymer mortar, compressive strength and microstructural characterisation of steel fibre geopolymer mortar. The tests for compressive strength were carried out on standard size of mortar samples at curing period of 3, 7 and 28 days. It is noted from the test results that increase in GGBS content setting times were decreased; however, the compressive strength of fly ash-based geopolymer mortar increased. The highest compressive strength at 28 days of curing period was found to be 69.5 MPa, which is obtained with content of 1% of steel fibres and alkaline to binder ratio of 0.6 with 50%:50% binder’s proportions. Further, it is observed that the incorporation of steel fibres in plain geopolymer mortar have enhanced the compressive strength and optimum dosage of fibres was found to be 1%. © 2021, Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.Item Effect of slag and solid activator on flowability and compressive strength of fly ash based one-part geopolymer pastes(Elsevier Ltd, 2023) Srinivasa, A.S.; Swaminathan, K.; Yaragal, S.C.The geopolymerization process has led to the transformation of industrial by-products into sturdy and long-lasting construction materials, such as geopolymer binders, which can be used to mitigate the massive CO2 emissions associated with the production of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). These binders are produced from aqueous solutions of alkali activators and alumina and silica rich industrial waste materials. Strong, caustic, and viscous aqueous solutions are used in alkali activation. Its handling, usability, and mass production are all tough, even transport and site difficulties compound these issues. The solid alumina-silica rich components, solid alkali activators, and free water are dry mixed in this work to create a unique “one-part” or “simply add water” geopolymer binder that is equivalent to OPC in its manufacture. Researchers looked at the flowability and compressive strength properties of fly ash based one-part geopolymer mixes while adding ground granulated blast furnace slag and a solid activator (anhydrous sodium metasilicate powder). At the 25 and 50% replacement levels, GGBS was used in place of fly ash. Solid activator content varied from 8 to 16% at an interval of 2% for each replacement level of GGBS. Microstructural and mineralogical alterations were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. According to the findings of the tests, the flowability and compressive strength improved with decreasing slag and solid activator concentration. It was found that activator content increments beyond 12% result in minor reduction in compressive strength, and that the highest compressive strength was measured at 50% GGBS and 12% activator content. Both flowability and compressive strength were improved by the 50% GGBS and 12% activator mixture, which also displayed symptoms of having a dense and compacted microstructure. © 2023Item Factors influencing powders’ flowability and favorable phases like crystalline (Mullite and quartz) and amorphous phases of plasma-sprayed fly ash coatings suitable for marine and offshore applications(Elsevier B.V., 2023) Bhajantri, V.F.; Jambagi, S.C.Due to its rich mineralogy, fly ash (FA), an industrial waste, has been used to combat erosive, corrosive environments. Powder flowability dictates coating properties. In this investigation, raw FA powder was obtained from a thermal power plant and sieved in various sizes to assess their flowability. Powder's physical characteristics, such as specific surface area, Blaine's fineness number, and bulk density, were determined, and their influence on powder flowability was analyzed. Of these properties, bulk density affects more. Rietveld refinement was performed on the powder to quantify the phases. The powders had 45.08 ± 11.38 amorphous and 11.00 ± 2.76 % of mullite phases. Later, alumina was added between 10 and 50 wt% to FA, and samples were subjected to high-temperature X-ray diffraction at 1150 °C. A ∼32.27% rise in Mullite content was observed for 50 wt% alumina, with ∼119% decrease in the amorphous phase. Finally, one set of FA without additives coating was plasma sprayed onto a marine-grade steel substrate. The coating showed ∼17.31 ± 0.6% of mullite and ∼69.43 ± 0.6 % of the amorphous phase, with decent Mechanical properties. Therefore, 50 wt% alumina in FA powder has improved the mullite phase, bulk density (43%), and flowability by decreasing the amorphous phase content. © 2023 Society of Powder Technology JapanItem Multi-objective optimization of one-part geopolymer mortars adopting response surface method(Elsevier Ltd, 2023) Srinivasa, A.S.; Yaragal, S.C.; Swaminathan, K.; Rakesh Kumar Reddy, R.One-part geopolymers have immense potential in large-scale structures owing to their improved safety and convenience of handling over the conventional geopolymer mixing procedure. Thus, this study aims at optimizing the mixes by assessing the influence of binder content, activator dosage and water to geopolymer solids (W/GS) ratio on the flowability, strength, and shrinkage properties of one-part geopolymer mortars (OPGM). The test results were utilized to develop models that could predict the desired properties of mixes and optimize the mix proportions of OPGMs using the response surface method. The fly ash and slag-based OPGMs were developed. The GGBS substitution was chosen as 25, 50, and 75% by volume of fly ash. The activator dosage was taken as 8, 12, and 16% by mass of total binder content at varied W/GS ratios of 0.35, 0.40, and 0.45. The responses considered were flowability, compressive and flexural strengths at 7 and 28 days, and drying shrinkage of up to 180 days. Total of 504 specimen were cast to record the observations for this optimization study. The GGBS content, W/GS ratio, and combined effect of these factors were found to be the most influential factors affecting the responses. The optimal mix proportion obtained consists of 49.8% GGBS, 13.6% activator dosage, and 0.37 W/GS ratio. This mix achieved 170.4 mm flow, 57.8 MPa and 5.9 MPa compressive and flexural strengths, respectively and also 1626 microstrain of 180 days drying shrinkage. The microstructural characterization adopting techniques like SEM, XRD, TGA and FTIR was carried out to study microstructural changes, mineral phases, thermal mass loss and molecular bonding of OPGM mixes. This study revealed that mix with 50% GGBS, 12% activator dosage and 0.40 W/GS ratio can better be characterized compared to other mixes. © 2023 Elsevier LtdItem Assessment on the effectiveness of chemical admixture in processed laterite and copper slag based geopolymer mortar(Elsevier Ltd, 2025) Clement, D.; C, R.; Singh, S.K.; Tiwari, M.Geopolymer-based cementitious materials known for their robust durability and lower environmental impact make them an ideal choice for sustainable construction. The main focus of this study is to understand the influence of chemical admixtures which plays a pivotal role in improving the properties of geopolymer mortar (GM). This research integrates various chemical admixtures, including calcium chloride, sodium sulphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, and MasterGlenium SKY 8233 (SKY) which falls under the category of either accelerators, retarders, or superplasticisers. Assessments were conducted on the fresh and hardened states of flyash-based GM mixes with varying proportion of river sand (RS), laterite soil (LS) and copper slag (CS), encompassing flowability, setting times, compressive strength, durability study in aggressive environmental conditions and microstructural analyses after 56 days of ambient curing. Findings reveal that calcium chloride and sodium sulphate efficiently decrease the initial and final setting times of the geopolymer paste, highlighting their roles as accelerators, with calcium chloride showing greater efficacy than sodium sulphate. On the other hand, sodium hexametaphosphate serves as a retarder, substantially extending the initial setting time of the geopolymer paste. Introducing the modified polycarboxylic ether (PCE) based superplasticiser SKY into the mortar matrix caused the initial setting time to be extended and resulted in a slight drop in compressive strength compared to the other mixes. Durability tests confirmed the superior resistance of GM mixes to harsh environments like acid, sulphate, and marine water exposure. These findings highlight the potential for tailoring geopolymer blends to achieve desired properties under ambient curing conditions using chemical admixtures. © 2025 Elsevier LtdItem Microstructural insights of geopolymer mortar using binary blended sustainable fine aggregates(Elsevier Ltd, 2025) Clement, D.; C, R.; Agarwal, S.; Pratap, M.The socio-economic growth of a nation depends heavily on the availability of adequate infrastructure, which relies on essential materials like river sand (RS) and cement. However, the rising demand for RS, combined with its excessive extraction causing ecological damage, and its increasing cost, has raised significant concerns. At the same time, the production of cement contributes significantly to environmental damage, especially through CO2 emissions. In this scenario geopolymer technology has emerged as a sustainable alternative to cement, offering environmental benefits and reducing the carbon footprint of construction materials. This study investigates the impact of replacing RS with copper slag (CS) and laterite soil (LS) in geopolymer mortar (GM) on key properties such as setting time, flowability, compressive strength, and microstructure. The results showed that as LS content increased, setting time and flowability decreased considerably, while increasing CS content caused a reduction in these values. Unlike the other observed parameters, the compressive strength values showed no distinct upward or downward trend. Moreover, the microstructural analysis, including SEM, EDS, XRD, FTIR, TGA and BET, provided valuable insights to support the observed results across various mix designs. Overall, the findings highlight that optimised binary blends of CS, LS and RS not only improved the compressive strength but also enhanced the microstructural characteristics of geopolymer mortar, reinforcing their potential as sustainable and high-performance alternatives to conventional fine aggregates. © 2025 The AuthorsItem Utilization of Iron Ore Tailing in Controlled Low-Strength Material- Development and Characterization(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2025) Satheesh, A.; Gangaputhiran, S.Construction industry is prioritizing sustainability in infrastructure development and there is a significant demand for incorporating industrial waste into civil engineering applications. Iron ore tailing (IOT) is a mining waste generated during beneficiation of iron from its ore. In the present study, iron ore tailing and fly-ash based Controlled Low-Strength Material (CLSM), is developed, and characterized for its fresh and hardened properties. Mix proportions were developed and tested for bleeding, density, flowability, and unconfined compressive strength. Specific mixes were tested for engineering properties namely California bearing ratio (CBR), permeability, and shear strength. Further mineralogical and microstructural characteristics of CLSM were analyzed. IOT is classified as a poorly graded sand with silt, having a friction angle of 49° and leaching studies revealed IOT is environmentally safe. For the design of IOT based flowable fill for structural fill applications, a mix design range is proposed. The unconfined compressive strength of CLSM specimens ranged between 0.98 and 3.3 MPa for mixes with flowability between 200 mm and 300 mm. The permeability of IOT based CLSM is in the order of 10? 5 cm/sec. CBR value of CLSM mix ranged between 83% and 159%, making it suitable for subgrade and subbase applications. Mineralogical and microstructural analysis indicate that the addition of IOT does not hinder the hydration process as well as formation of hydration compounds, thereby enhancing the strength of CLSM. The present research affirms that, CLSM can be designed with satisfactory properties by incorporating up to 65% IOT in the mix. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.