Research on the application of geopolymer concrete for prestressed girder structures of bridges towards sustainable development

In this study, geopolymer concrete is used for the first time to design post-tensioned girders for bridge construction in Vietnam. Geopolymer Concrete (GPC) is a type of concrete that does not use conventional Portland cement binders. It is the product of the reaction between an alkaline solution and materials containing large amounts of silica and aluminum compounds. The use of GPC in bridge construction will have several practical implications for the bridge industry in particular and the Vietnamese construction industry in general, helping to reduce significant levels of CO2 emissions and environmental pollution and promoting sustainable development. The post-tensioned I-girder in this study is designed using GPC that was created in the lab using materials available in Vietnam. With a fly ash content of 15% of the total volume, the compressive strength, tensile strength, and elastic modulus of GPC concrete samples at 28 days were 45.8MPa, 4.1MPa, and 35.5GPa, respectively. The design results have been compared with the standard to conclude about the bearing capacity of the beam.