Investigation of abrasion resistance of geopolymer concrete cured in ambient temperature for pavement applications

The viability of eco-friendly geopolymer concrete (GPC) for engineering applications such as pavements requires investigating the abrasion resistance and understanding the improving mechanisms. The produced one-part GPC can be used in various engineering applications showing a 28-day compressive strength between 25–42 MPa and flexural strength above 4.5 MPa. GPC slabs, compared to ordinary Portland cement-based concrete (OPCC), generally experienced higher abrasion. While the abrasion of the OPCC specimen in 28 days was 2.72 mm, the GPC specimens experienced an abrasion between 3.60 and 4.11 mm. The dominance of slag and increasing water content increased the abrasion. It is concluded that the strong connection between microstructural behaviour and macrostructural properties is the key element in GPC performance. Hence, it is recommended that careful attention be paid to the refinement of the microstructure in order to find a GPC that is viable and suitable for pavement and road applications.