journal article·2025-07-10Open access

Effect of volcanic pumice powder on the properties of fiber-reinforced cement mortars in aggressive environments

Mohammed Shubaili, Abdullah M. Zeyad

Abstract

Abstract The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of natural pozzolana (NP) and silica fume (SF) as a partial replacement for ordinary Portland cement (OPC) to enhance the performance of fiber-cement mortar subjected to harsh environments. The samples were immersed in seawater mixed with sodium sulfate (Na 2 SO 4 ) at a rate of 5 kg per 100 L to represent the harsh environment of surface groundwater in offshore soil. Mortar mixes were made by substituting the mass of OPC with NP and SF for 0, 5, 10, and 20%. The mortar samples underwent 90 cycles of drying and wetting, with 48 h allocated for each phase, for a duration of 360 days. Compressive strength (CS) and flexural strength (FS) tests were conducted on samples aged 7, 28, 90, 180, and 360 days, while cement samples after 28, 90, 180, and 360 curing days were examined for absorption and initial surface absorption capacity. The study indicates that the curing of control samples with seawater resulted in a slight decrease in CS and FS, up to 2.4 and 7.4%, respectively. Despite the application of seawater curing, the mortar samples containing NP and SF exhibited enhanced CS (up to 10.8% for SF), FS (up to 27.3% for NP and 30.7% for SF), and water resistance (up to 18.5% for NP and 24.9% for SF) compared to the OPC.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Innovative concrete reinforcement materials · Concrete and Cement Materials Research · Innovations in Concrete and Construction Materials

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Affiliations

Civil and Architectural Engineering Department, College of Engineering and Computer Sciences, Jazan University , Jazan , Saudi Arabia

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