Engineering Characterization of Strength and Elastic Properties of Geopolymer Cement Concrete Materials

Geopolymer cements provide an alternative to the Portland cement used to produce structural concrete. In this study, geopolymer cements were used to create concrete having compressive strength in the range of 34 to 83 MPa (5,000–12,000 psi). The mechanical properties of these concrete materials were evaluated to determine the compressive and tensile strengths and immediate and long term elastic behaviors. The geopolymer cement concrete (GCC) was found to perform in a similar manner to Portland cement concrete (PCC). Long term shrinkage and creep properties of GCC materials were found to be lower than the values typical for PCC.