Enhancing mechanical strength and reducing drying shrinkage in high-volume fly ash mortar: Synergistic effects of steel fibers and nano-SiO2
This study investigated the effects of steel fibers and nano-silica dioxide (nano-SiO2) on the fluidity, capillary water absorption, mechanical properties, and drying shrinkage of mortar when 50 % of the cement was replaced by fly ash. The mechanisms by which steel fibers and nano-SiO2 influence hig...
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Elsevier
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Journal of Materials Research and Technology |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S223878542501186X |
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| author | Junliang Zhao Jingjing Huang Zhongkun Wang Dongyan Wu Gengying Li |
| author_facet | Junliang Zhao Jingjing Huang Zhongkun Wang Dongyan Wu Gengying Li |
| author_sort | Junliang Zhao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study investigated the effects of steel fibers and nano-silica dioxide (nano-SiO2) on the fluidity, capillary water absorption, mechanical properties, and drying shrinkage of mortar when 50 % of the cement was replaced by fly ash. The mechanisms by which steel fibers and nano-SiO2 influence high-volume fly ash mortar were discussed based on macroscopic tests and microscopic structural analysis. The results show that while nano-SiO2 and steel fibers had negligible effects on the fluidity of fly ash mortar, they significantly enhanced its mechanical properties. When the steel fiber content was 1.0 % and the nano-SiO2 content was 2.0 %, the modified mortar exhibited increases in flexural and compressive strength by 86.4 % and 53.7 %, respectively, compared to the unmodified mortar at 28 days of age. Additionally, the incorporation of nano-SiO2 and steel fibers significantly reduced the capillary water absorption and drying shrinkage of the mortar. The capillary absorption rate of the 1.0 % steel fibers and 2.5 % nano-SiO2 composite mortar decreases 67.8 % compared to the fly ash mortar. At 90 days of age, the drying shrinkage of the modified mortar containing 1.0 % steel fibers and 2.5 % nano-SiO2 was reduced by 44.4 % compared to the unmodified mortar. Microstructural characterization through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) demonstrated that nano-SiO2 incorporation enhanced the hydration of both fly ash and cement, leading to a significant reduction in unhydrated fly ash particles. Furthermore, mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) tests demonstrated that the addition of nano-SiO2 and steel fibers markedly decreased the average and median pore sizes in the mortar, resulting in a more optimized pore structure distribution. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-979f4a787c6142a7bddbca1bcd8df4e8 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2238-7854 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Materials Research and Technology |
| spelling | doaj-art-979f4a787c6142a7bddbca1bcd8df4e82025-08-20T03:48:51ZengElsevierJournal of Materials Research and Technology2238-78542025-05-01367351736010.1016/j.jmrt.2025.05.032Enhancing mechanical strength and reducing drying shrinkage in high-volume fly ash mortar: Synergistic effects of steel fibers and nano-SiO2Junliang Zhao0Jingjing Huang1Zhongkun Wang2Dongyan Wu3Gengying Li4College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China; Key Laboratory of Engineering and Technology for Soft Soil Foundation and Tideland Reclamation of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou, 325035, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering & Architecture, Wenzhou Polytechnic, Wenzhou, 325035, China; Department of Civil Engineering and Smart Cities, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, Guangdong, China; Corresponding author. School of Civil Engineering & Architecture, Wenzhou Polytechnic, Wenzhou, 325035, China.College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China; Key Laboratory of Engineering and Technology for Soft Soil Foundation and Tideland Reclamation of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou, 325035, ChinaCollege of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China; Key Laboratory of Engineering and Technology for Soft Soil Foundation and Tideland Reclamation of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou, 325035, ChinaCollege of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, ChinaThis study investigated the effects of steel fibers and nano-silica dioxide (nano-SiO2) on the fluidity, capillary water absorption, mechanical properties, and drying shrinkage of mortar when 50 % of the cement was replaced by fly ash. The mechanisms by which steel fibers and nano-SiO2 influence high-volume fly ash mortar were discussed based on macroscopic tests and microscopic structural analysis. The results show that while nano-SiO2 and steel fibers had negligible effects on the fluidity of fly ash mortar, they significantly enhanced its mechanical properties. When the steel fiber content was 1.0 % and the nano-SiO2 content was 2.0 %, the modified mortar exhibited increases in flexural and compressive strength by 86.4 % and 53.7 %, respectively, compared to the unmodified mortar at 28 days of age. Additionally, the incorporation of nano-SiO2 and steel fibers significantly reduced the capillary water absorption and drying shrinkage of the mortar. The capillary absorption rate of the 1.0 % steel fibers and 2.5 % nano-SiO2 composite mortar decreases 67.8 % compared to the fly ash mortar. At 90 days of age, the drying shrinkage of the modified mortar containing 1.0 % steel fibers and 2.5 % nano-SiO2 was reduced by 44.4 % compared to the unmodified mortar. Microstructural characterization through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) demonstrated that nano-SiO2 incorporation enhanced the hydration of both fly ash and cement, leading to a significant reduction in unhydrated fly ash particles. Furthermore, mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) tests demonstrated that the addition of nano-SiO2 and steel fibers markedly decreased the average and median pore sizes in the mortar, resulting in a more optimized pore structure distribution.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S223878542501186XHigh-volume fly ash mortarNano-SiO2Steel fibersFluidityMechanical propertiesDrying shrinkage |
| spellingShingle | Junliang Zhao Jingjing Huang Zhongkun Wang Dongyan Wu Gengying Li Enhancing mechanical strength and reducing drying shrinkage in high-volume fly ash mortar: Synergistic effects of steel fibers and nano-SiO2 Journal of Materials Research and Technology High-volume fly ash mortar Nano-SiO2 Steel fibers Fluidity Mechanical properties Drying shrinkage |
| title | Enhancing mechanical strength and reducing drying shrinkage in high-volume fly ash mortar: Synergistic effects of steel fibers and nano-SiO2 |
| title_full | Enhancing mechanical strength and reducing drying shrinkage in high-volume fly ash mortar: Synergistic effects of steel fibers and nano-SiO2 |
| title_fullStr | Enhancing mechanical strength and reducing drying shrinkage in high-volume fly ash mortar: Synergistic effects of steel fibers and nano-SiO2 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enhancing mechanical strength and reducing drying shrinkage in high-volume fly ash mortar: Synergistic effects of steel fibers and nano-SiO2 |
| title_short | Enhancing mechanical strength and reducing drying shrinkage in high-volume fly ash mortar: Synergistic effects of steel fibers and nano-SiO2 |
| title_sort | enhancing mechanical strength and reducing drying shrinkage in high volume fly ash mortar synergistic effects of steel fibers and nano sio2 |
| topic | High-volume fly ash mortar Nano-SiO2 Steel fibers Fluidity Mechanical properties Drying shrinkage |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S223878542501186X |
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