Concrete Experimentation using GGBS and Alcofine Elements Partially Substituted for Cement

Abstract

The most crucial ingredient in concrete is Portland cement. The manufacture of cement plants on a large scale uses a lot of energy and results in a lot of waste products (???????? 2) that harm the environment and deplete natural resources. Researchers are now using industrial by-products as additional cementitious ingredients for concrete production as a result of this environmental treatment. Because of this, efforts are being made to replace some or all of the materials found in concrete, such as silica fume (SF), ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), fly ash, rice husk ash, metakaolin, alcofine (AL), micro fine materials, etc., without sacrificing cement strength. This will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide a sustainable method of waste management. Alcofine is a brand-new ultra-fine substance that has entered the market. It can be used in place of cement as a cementitious substance. The combination of GGBS and Alcofine is being explored because it is a novel material. Throughout the investigation, regular Portland cement grade 53 was utilized, and the concrete grade was M20. Nine distinct percentage combinations of Alcofine (A), GGBS (G), and cement (C) were used to cast and test 108 cubes and 27 cylinders in the lab (C100, C70A0G30, C90A10G0, C60A10G30, C30A10G30, C40A0G60, C85A15G0, C55A15G30, and C25A15G60). Three specimens were utilized for repetition in each instance. This is to investigate its durability and compressive strength using tests such the rapid chloride permeability test (RCPT), sulfate attack test, and acid attack test. Out of the nine possible combinations, the concrete with AL10% and GGBS30% has the highest compressive strength, measuring 38.08 N/mm2. The difference between C60A10G30 and the control mix is 28.76%. The findings indicate that concrete combining GGBS and Alcofine has a higher compressive strength and is more durable.

Introduction

1. Significance and Need for Enhancement

• Cement-based materials (like GGBS, Alcofine, SF, FA) are central to construction and will remain so.

• However, to meet modern performance and sustainability demands, these materials must evolve.

• Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs) like GGBS and Alcofine improve mechanical strength, durability, and sustainability by enhancing the hydration process and reducing calcium hydroxide.

???? Concrete Strength and Durability

A. Strength Characteristics

• Compressive strength: Essential in structural design; measured by the load a specimen can withstand before deforming or cracking.

• Concrete’s resistance to acid, sulfate, and chloride attacks indicates durability.

B. Durability

• Durability is the concrete’s ability to resist weathering, chemicals, and deterioration.

• Permeability is a key factor; lower permeability improves resistance to environmental damage.

• Standard tests: Chloride permeability (ASTM C1202), acid attack, and sulfate attack.

???? Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs)

C. Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS)

• By-product from the iron industry; composed of SiO?, Al?O?, and CaO.

• When used as a partial cement replacement (20–70%):

  • Improves durability, workability, and resistance to sulfate/chloride.

  • Reduces heat of hydration and CO? emissions.

  • Environmentally friendly alternative to cement.

D. Alcofine

• A high-reactivity, ultra-fine slag-based SCM.

• Improves flow, compressive strength, and water reduction in concrete.

• Types:

  • Alcofine 1203: Replaces silica fume; cost-effective and enhances strength.

  • Alcofine 1101: Used for super workability or strength enhancement.

???? Effects of SCM Combinations and Mix Proportions

• Optimal mixes found in studies:

  • 8% Alcofine + 16% Fly Ash → High strength and durability.

  • 13% Alcofine → Peak compressive strength.

  • 20% GGBS → Enhanced strength, but further increase reduces early strength.

  • SCC with 10% Alcofine → Superior flow, filling, and segregation resistance.

  • 20% FA + 20% GGBS → High resistance to acid, sulfate, and improved pore structure.

• SCMs like Alcofine, GGBS, and FA help:

  • Increase strength (compressive and flexural).

  • Densify microstructure, reduce voids, and improve hydration.

  • Enhance fire resistance, acid attack resistance, and long-term durability.

• High-performance concrete (HPC):

  • Uses SCMs to lower w/b ratio (0.25–0.35), improving strength and resistance to chemicals.

  • SCMs like Alcofine and GGBS improve hydration via pozzolanic and nucleation effects.

?? Environmental and Economic Benefits

• Replacing cement with SCMs like GGBS and Alcofine:

  • Reduces CO? emissions by up to 40%.

  • Makes concrete more sustainable and cost-efficient.

• Ultra-fine slag (e.g., Alcofine) from the steel industry reduces pollution and adds value to waste materials.

???? Literature Review Highlights

A. Shah & Suthar (2013):

• Fly ash + Alcofine increases early and late strength due to better microstructure and C-S-H gel formation.

B. Shah, Patel, Suthar (2013):

• Alcofine + fly ash significantly improve durability and reduce voids.

C. Soni et al. (2013):

• 16% FA + 8% AL → Better flexural and compressive strength from improved ITZ and hydration.

D. Gupta & Sourav (2014):

• 13% Alcofine mix shows highest cube strength due to particle packing and early hydration.

E. Arun Kumar et al. (2013):

• 20% GGBS replacement is optimal; more than that lowers early strength.

F. Savji & Pawar (2013):

• 10% Alcofine improves SCC’s flow and segregation resistance.

G. Kodanderram Rao et al. (2013):

• 20% FA + 20% GGBS → Excellent durability in harsh conditions.

? Final Takeaway

• GGBS and Alcofine, especially in combination with fly ash and other SCMs, offer:

  • Improved mechanical properties

  • Enhanced durability

  • Environmental sustainability

• Their incorporation supports the development of high-performance, eco-friendly, and cost-effective concrete, which is essential for the future of sustainable construction.

Conclusion

In this study, the effect of AL and GGBS as supplementary cementations materials and the durability of concrete were investigated. The following conclusions are drawn based on the experimental investigation. • A total of nine different combinations were investigated for strength and durability testing. • All different combinations using Alcofine and GGBS as partial replacements for cement. •The maximum compressive strength of concrete using AL10% and GGBS 30% out of the nine different combinations is 38.08 N/ mm2. C60A10G30 is 28.76% higher than the control mix. The present research investigated the combined use of Alcofine and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) as partial replacements for Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) in M20 grade concrete. A total of nine mix proportions were designed and tested to evaluate both mechanical properties—specifically compressive strength—and durability parameters, including resistance to acid attack, sulfate attack, and chloride penetration. Among the tested combinations, the mix containing 10% Alcofine and 30% GGBS (C60A10G30) exhibited the highest compressive strength, achieving 38.08 N/mm² at 28 days, which is approximately 28.76% higher than the control mix (C100). This improvement is attributed to the ultra-fine particle size and high pozzolanic reactivity of Alcofine, which enhances early-age hydration, and the latent hydraulic activity of GGBS, which contributes to long-term strength development and pore structure refinement. In terms of durability, the inclusion of these supplementary cementitious materials significantly improved the concrete’s resistance to aggressive chemical environments. The combined action of Alcofine and GGBS reduced permeability, limited the ingress of deleterious ions, and enhanced resistance to sulfate and acid attacks. Overall, the results demonstrate that partial replacement of cement with Alcofine and GGBS not only leads to superior strength and durability performance but also offers substantial environmental benefits by reducing cement consumption and associated CO emissions. These characteristics make Alcofine and GGBS highly promising materials for the production of sustainable, high-performance concrete suitable for modern construction needs.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Mr. A. Y. Bedrekar, Dr. M. M. Pawar. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.