Study on the Inhibition Effect of Fly Ash on Alkali–Silica Reaction and Its Influence on Building Energy Performance
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Method
2.1. Materials
2.2. Experimental Methods
3. Results
3.1. ASR Expansion of Specimens in Different Alkali Environments
3.2. Comparative Analysis of Mechanical Properties
3.3. SEM/EDS Analysis of the Interface Transition Zone
3.4. Element Ratio of Products in the Interface Area
3.5. XRD Analysis
3.6. The Impact of Building Energy Conservation
4. Conclusions
- (1)
- Fly ash can effectively inhibit the ASR expansion in NaOH and KOH environments. The expansion rate gradually decreases with the increase in fly ash content, and the inhibition effect is more evident in the KOH environment. A replacement amount of 20–30% fly ash can restrain ASR expansion and maintain high mechanical strength.
- (2)
- The internal mechanism of mineral admixture inhibition of ASR mainly lies in the fact that they are rich in active SiO2 and Al2O3, are especially high in Al2O3 content, and produce C-A-S-H gel with low Ca/Si and Ca/Al through the secondary hydration reaction, which has a strong solid alkali ability. The results show that both alkali environments enrich K and Al elements in the interface transition zone. K+ combines with a high content of SiO2 and Al2O3 in mineral admixtures and aggregates and crystallizes into non-expansive frames like aluminosilicate minerals in the interface transition zone, enhancing concrete’s durability and crack resistance. Na+ reacts with the excess silicon in the admixture, which is far away from the aggregate area and is retained.
- (3)
- The addition of fly ash also significantly improves the thermal insulation performance of concrete. With the addition of fly ash, the heat dissipation flux of the external wall is reduced by 11.3%, and the heat dissipation flux of the overall enclosure structure is reduced by 9.2%, effectively reducing the building energy consumption.
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Performance Index | Rupture Strength (MPa) | Compression Strength (MPa) | Setting Time (min) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 d | 28 d | 3 d | 28 d | Initial Set | Final Set | |
Standard requirements | ≥4.0 | ≥6.5 | ≥22.0 | ≥42.5 | >45 | <390 |
Measurement value | 5.7 | 9 | 27 | 50.1 | 133 | 225 |
Material | CaO | SiO2 | Al2O3 | Fe2O3 | SO3 | MgO | K2O | Na2O | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cement | 63.52 | 21.67 | 4.62 | 3.25 | 2.46 | 1.49 | 0.65 | 0.07 | 97.73 |
Fly ash | 6.2 | 47.66 | 35.66 | 3.46 | - | 0.82 | 0.94 | 0.32 | 95.06 |
Specimen Name | Cement/g | Dosage of Admixture/g | Amount of Cement Replaced by Admixture/% | Aggregate/g | Water/g |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
WN1/WK1 | 440/484 | 0/0 | 0 | 990/1089 | 206.8/227.5 |
WN2/WK2 | 440/484 | 0/0 | 0 | ||
FN2/FK2 | 352/387 | 88/97 | 20 | ||
FN3/FK3 | 308/339 | 132/145 | 30 | ||
FN4/FK4 | 264/290 | 176/194 | 40 |
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Chen, L.; Wei, L.; Zheng, J.; Zhou, J. Study on the Inhibition Effect of Fly Ash on Alkali–Silica Reaction and Its Influence on Building Energy Performance. Buildings 2025, 15, 392. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15030392
Chen L, Wei L, Zheng J, Zhou J. Study on the Inhibition Effect of Fly Ash on Alkali–Silica Reaction and Its Influence on Building Energy Performance. Buildings. 2025; 15(3):392. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15030392
Chicago/Turabian StyleChen, Lulu, Lili Wei, Jiang Zheng, and Junming Zhou. 2025. "Study on the Inhibition Effect of Fly Ash on Alkali–Silica Reaction and Its Influence on Building Energy Performance" Buildings 15, no. 3: 392. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15030392
APA StyleChen, L., Wei, L., Zheng, J., & Zhou, J. (2025). Study on the Inhibition Effect of Fly Ash on Alkali–Silica Reaction and Its Influence on Building Energy Performance. Buildings, 15(3), 392. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15030392