Strain-Hardening and High-Ductile Behavior of Alkali-Activated Slag-Based Composites with Added Zirconia Silica Fume

This paper presents an experimental study on the effects of zirconia silica fume on the composite properties and cracking patterns of fiber-reinforced alkali-activated slag-based composites. Four mixtures were prepared with added zirconia silica fume and varying water-to-binder ratio. Polyethylene fiber was used as a reinforcing fiber for all the mixtures at a volumetric ratio of 2.0% cubic specimens and uniaxial tensile specimens were prepared to evaluate their density, compressive strength, and tensile behavior. The test results demonstrated that the compressive strength, tensile strength, and tensile strain capacity of the composite can be simultaneously improved by incorporating zirconia silica fume. A mixture incorporating zirconia silica fume showed high-ductile behavior of 26.5% higher tensile strength, and 13.7% higher tensile strain capacity than the mixture without zirconia silica fume. The composite with added zirconia silica fume also showed excellent cracking patterns, i.e., narrow crack spacing and crack width.