Abstract
In order to decrease the greenhouse gas emissions generated by regular Portland cement (OPC), additional cementitious ingredients have been frequently employed, even while building road bases. OPC's susceptibility to moisture and lack of flexibility make it ineffective for stabilizing road bases. This research used alkali-activated materials (AAM) with fly ash to investigate the mechanical properties of cold asphalt binder (freeze-thaw cycles) including the compressive, flexural strength, workability and porosity of cement. Dry specimens and specimens in distilled water have both been used in the experiments to study these temperature correlations. One sample was tested at 20 °C, and the other was frozen and thawed five times at a temperature of −5 °C (cold region environment). The resulting mixtures' morphologies and microstructures were analyzed via SEM images. During the 7 to 28-day curing period, the mixture's growth ratio rose. The combination registered both the greatest and lowest robust elastic modulus. The total compressive strength of the material decreased as the water-to-cement ratio increased due to the greater amount of free water accessible with a higher cationic asphalt emulsion (CAE) content. The moderate loss of flexural strength with increasing CAE concentration after 7 and 28 days of curing was seen. There is not a major impact on flexural strength in the materials by looking at the very modest gaps in flexural strength between 7 and 28 days curing periods. Due to the particle shape and size of this precursor, FA's inclusion allowed for a lower water to binder rate while maintaining a similar level of workability. The porosity and water absorption values rose with FA substitutions. Further studies might clarify the lower flexural strength observed in this study by adding other hybrids plus fly ash such as lime or nanoparticles.
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•Decreasing greenhouse gas emissions generated by OPC is aimed.•Additional cementitious ingredients have been frequently employed.•Adding alkali-activated materials as binders is focused.•Asphalt concrete behavior in temperature variations and freeze-thaw cycles assessed.•The alkali activated material's durability and adaptability were strengthened.