Effect of Cracks on Repair with Geopolymer Motar

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of cracks on the repair performance using geopolymer mortar. Concrete disc specimens with a compressive strength of 32 MPa at 28 days, 150 mm in diameter, and 40 mm in thickness were used. Artificial cracks with a depth of 16 mm were introduced. Three-point bending tests were performed on three types of specimens: uncracked specimens, cracked specimens repaired with geopolymer mortar, and cracked specimens repaired with non-shrink cement grout. The loading was applied at angles of 0° and 63° relative to the crack plane. The test results showed that the compressive strength of the geopolymer mortar exceeded the standard requirements of non shrink cement grout. Specimens with Mode III (Tearing) cracks exhibited higher load-bearing capacity than those with Mode I (Opening) cracks. These findings suggest that geopolymer mortar has strong potential to be developed as an effective repair material for cracked concrete structures.