Caracterização destrutiva e não destrutiva de concreto geopolimérico álcali-ativado com base em metacaulim

Abstract

Portland cement materials are indispensable for civil construction, but the environmental impact of its production process is high, 5% of the global CO2 emission comes from this source. Therefore, researches on sustainable binders are growing. Geopolymers form a new generation of binders and are obtained from the alkaline activation of an inorganic matrix, source of silica (SiO2) and alumina (Al2O3). The geopolymer materials have the same mechanical properties as Portland cement derivatives, greater durability and lower environmental impacts. This paper aimed to evaluate a geopolymer concrete, obtained by the activation of metakaolin by sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide, as a possible alternative to conventional concrete by non-destructive characterization, by measuring the dynamic elastic modulus and the damping of the material, and the destructive characterization, measuring its uniaxial compressive strength, as well as a cost comparison with Portland cement concrete. The results of the tests were satisfactory, presenting a compressive resistance in the range of 29 MPa, a dynamic elastic modulus of 15,85 GPa and a damping of 0,89%, at 14 days of age, showing the geopolymer concrete as a possible substitute for the traditional concrete, except in relation to the cost demanded in obtaining the geopolymer, currently, difficulty found in recent technologies.