Mechanical Properties of Nano-SiO2 Modified GGBS-Fly Ash Geopolymer-Stabilized Soil

doi:10.16552/j.cnki.issn1001-1625.2025.0958

Abstract

Abstract:

To address the issues of high energy consumption， significant carbon emissions， low early strength， and poor water stability in cement-stabilized soil， this study used ground granulated blast-furnace slag （GGBS） and fly ash as precursors， water glass as activator to prepare geopolymer， and added nano-SiO₂ to solidify the soil. Through unconfined compressive strength tests and water stability tests， combined with microscopic analyses including scanning electron microscopy， energy-dispersive spectroscopy， and nitrogen adsorption， the effects of nano-SiO₂ content and curing age on the mechanical properties of geopolymer-stabilized soil were investigated. The results indicate that the unconfined compressive strength of geopolymer-stabilized soil initially increases and then decreases with increasing nano-SiO₂ content， with an optimal nano-SiO₂ content of 0.6% （mass fraction）. When the mass ratio of GGBS to fly ash is 5∶5， 7∶3， and 9∶1， the unconfined compressive strength is 16.0%， 22.4% and 26.5%， respectively， higher than that of the undoped nano-SiO₂ specimen. The higher the content of GGBS is， the more significant the effect of nano-SiO₂ on the unconfined compressive strength of geopolymer-solidified soil is. With the increase of curing age， the unconfined compressive strength of geopolymer-stabilized soil gradually increases， but the effect of nano-SiO₂ on the unconfined compressive strength decreases. When the mass ratio of GGBS to fly ash is 7∶3， the strength growth rates at 7， 14， and 28 d for specimens with nano-SiO₂ are 22.4%， 15.4%， and 6.0%， respectively， relative to those without nano-SiO₂. The incorporation of nano-SiO₂ improves the water stability and reduces the strength loss rate of the specimens. Microscopic analysis reveales that nano-SiO₂ enhances the compressive strength and water stability of geopolymer-stabilized soil through chemical reactions， particle filling， and nucleation effects. Nitrogen adsorption test results show that with increasing nano-SiO₂ content， the cumulative pore volume and the proportion of large pores in the specimens first decrease and then increase， which is consistent with the change of mechanical properties.

Key words: GGBS-fly ash geopolymer, nano-SiO₂, stabilized soil, unconfined compressive strength, water stability, microscopic analysis

CLC Number:

TU447

HU Jianlin, TAO Xilong, LI Yaru, JIA Tianyao, WU Chunping, MENG Zhipeng, ZHOU Yongxiang. Mechanical Properties of Nano-SiO₂ Modified GGBS-Fly Ash Geopolymer-Stabilized Soil[J]. BULLETIN OF THE CHINESE CERAMIC SOCIETY, 2026, 45(5): 1626-1637.

Figures/Tables 13

References 21

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Material	Mass fraction/%
Material	SiO₂	Al₂O₃	CaO	MgO	Fe₂O₃	Na₂O	SO₃
FA	56.20	24.75	1.63	0.92	4.70	0.51	—
GGBS	33.50	7.12	49.21	3.73	0.62	0.33	—
Portland cement	20.54	6.23	65.59	2.54	2.38	0.42	2.33

Material	Mass fraction/%
Material	SiO₂	Al₂O₃	CaO	MgO	Fe₂O₃	Na₂O	SO₃
FA	56.20	24.75	1.63	0.92	4.70	0.51	—
GGBS	33.50	7.12	49.21	3.73	0.62	0.33	—
Portland cement	20.54	6.23	65.59	2.54	2.38	0.42	2.33

Silicate modulus	Mass fraction/%
Silicate modulus	Na₂O	SiO₂	H₂O
3.2	8.3	26.2	65.5
1.0	21.8	21.1	57.1

Silicate modulus	Mass fraction/%
Silicate modulus	Na₂O	SiO₂	H₂O
3.2	8.3	26.2	65.5
1.0	21.8	21.1	57.1

Group	Experiment number	m（GGBS）∶m（FA）	Water-solid ratio	Alkali dosage/%	NS/%	Curing age/d
A	A+NS0	5∶5	0.25	15	0	7， 14， 28
	A+NS0.3	5∶5	0.25	15	0.3	7
	A+NS0.6	5∶5	0.25	15	0.6	7， 14， 28
	A+NS0.9	5∶5	0.25	15	0.9	7
	A+NS1.2	5∶5	0.25	15	1.2	7
	A+NS1.5	5∶5	0.25	15	1.5	7
B	B+NS0	7∶3	0.25	15	0	7， 14， 28
	B+NS0.3	7∶3	0.25	15	0.3	7
	B+NS0.6	7∶3	0.25	15	0.6	7， 14， 28
	B+NS0.9	7∶3	0.25	15	0.9	7
	B+NS1.2	7∶3	0.25	15	1.2	7
	B+NS1.5	7∶3	0.25	15	1.5	7
C	C+NS0	9∶1	0.25	15	0	7， 14， 28
	C+NS0.3	9∶1	0.25	15	0.3	7
	C+NS0.6	9∶1	0.25	15	0.6	7， 14， 28
	C+NS0.9	9∶1	0.25	15	0.9	7
	C+NS1.2	9∶1	0.25	15	1.2	7
	C+NS1.5	9∶1	0.25	15	1.5	7
D	CG	—	0.25	—	—	7， 14， 28

Mechanical Properties of Nano-SiO₂ Modified GGBS-Fly Ash Geopolymer-Stabilized Soil

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