Enhancing the Sustainability of Concrete Mixes Utilizing Supplementary Cementitious Materials in Renewable Energy Buildings

Authors

  • Arjan Fakhrulddin Abdullah Technical Engineering College, Northern Technical University (NTU), Kirkuk, Iraq
  • Nabaz Yassen Ezuldin Technical Engineering College, Northern Technical University (NTU), Kirkuk, Iraq
  • Inas Mahmood Ahmed Technical Engineering College, Northern Technical University (NTU), Kirkuk, Iraq
  • Zainab Al-Khafaji Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia | Imam Ja'afar Al-Sadiq University, Qahira, Baghdad, Iraq
Volume: 15 | Issue: 5 | Pages: 28041-28049 | October 2025 | https://doi.org/10.48084/etasr.12936

Received: 25 June 2025 | Revised: 20 July 2025 | Accepted: 14 August 2025 | Online: 4 September 2025


Corresponding author: Zainab Al-Khafaji

Abstract

The growing emphasis on sustainable infrastructure has increased interest in Geo-Polymer Concrete (GPC) as an eco-friendly alternative to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). This study evaluates the mechanical performance of GPC incorporating binary combinations of Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs), specifically Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS), fly ash, and metakaolin. Four mixes were developed and tested for compressive, splitting tensile, and flexural strength at 7 and 28 days. The blend of slag and fly ash (G1) exhibited superior strength characteristics, achieving 41 MPa in compression, 2.75 MPa in tensile strength, and 3.85 MPa in flexural strength at 28 days. The One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) confirmed statistically significant variations between the mixes. The correlation analysis revealed strong linear relationships between the compressive strength and both tensile (R = 0.93) and flexural strength (R = 0.98), suggesting that the compressive strength may serve as a practical predictor in the early-stage mix design. The enhanced performance of slag-based mixes is attributed to the improved geo-polymer gel formation and matrix densification. These findings support the use of SCM-based GPC as a sustainable and high-performance material for renewable energy infrastructure, contributing to reduced carbon emissions and more efficient resource utilization in the construction sector.

Keywords:

renewable energy, sustainable material, GGBS, eco-friendly material, supplementary cementitious materials

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How to Cite

[1]
A. F. Abdullah, N. Y. Ezuldin, I. M. Ahmed, and Z. Al-Khafaji, “Enhancing the Sustainability of Concrete Mixes Utilizing Supplementary Cementitious Materials in Renewable Energy Buildings”, Eng. Technol. Appl. Sci. Res., vol. 15, no. 5, pp. 28041–28049, Oct. 2025.

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