Utilisation of industrial waste materials in the production of geopolymer concrete

Cement production is one of the primary sources of carbon dioxide emissions. Oman produces around 1.5 million tons of industrial waste annually, of which more than 1.2 million tons are slag and Fly Ash from the mining industry. This study aims to utilize the waste materials stagnating in landfills to develop an alternative to OPC (OPC) concrete. GPC is an innovation in building materials that replaces cement in concrete with ground-granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) and Fly Ash. This study used compressive strength to compare the two types of concrete. The test results were obtained after seven days, fourteen days, and twenty-one days using six different mixed concrete designs. The results indicated that the compressive strength of GPC altered along with the mix proportions. The best mix proportion of 25% Fly Ash and 75% GGBS reached 41 MPa within seven days, significantly higher than OPC concrete. Finally, GPC can be used as an alternative to OPC concrete with the potential to reduce the pollution from producing Portland cement, offering a greener approach to the construction industry as a sustainable material.