Behavior of Ambient-Cured Geopolymer Concrete Columns under Different Loads

This paper investigates the behavior of ambient cured geopolymer concrete columns under different loading conditions. Sixteen circular concrete column specimens 150 mm (5.9 in.) in diameter and 600 mm (23.62 in.) high were tested. The effects of the addition of steel fibers and the loading conditions (concentric, eccentric axial, and four-point bending) on the performance of the geopolymer concrete specimens were investigated. It was found that the behavior of geopolymer concrete specimens without steel fiber was similar to the behavior of ordinary portland-cement concrete specimens under different loading conditions. The addition of micro steel fibers into geopolymer concrete enhanced the strength and the addition of macro steel fibers into geopolymer concrete enhanced the ductility of the specimens under concentric and eccentric axial loads and four-point bending.