International Journal of Advanced Engineering Application

Mechanical and Durability Performance of Fly Ash and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) Based Ternary Blended Concrete for Sustainable Pavement Applications

Author(s):Ananya Sharma

Affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering, Arora Engineering College, Telangana, India

Page No: 90-93

Volume issue & Publishing Year: Volume 3, Issue 6, 2026/06/13

Journal: International Journal of Advanced Engineering Application (IJAEA)

ISSN NO: 3048-6807

DOI:

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Abstract:
The escalating demand for durable, low-carbon pavement concrete has intensified interest in supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) capable of replacing significant proportions of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) without compromising structural performance. Fly Ash (FA), a by-product of coal-fired thermal power generation produced at over 200 million tonnes per year in India, and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS), a latent hydraulic by-product of integrated steel production, are both widely available industrial by-products with established pozzolanic and cementitious properties. While individual FA and GGBS replacements have been extensively studied, ternary combinations optimised for pavement-grade concrete under Indian climatic and traffic loading conditions remain comparatively underexplored. This study evaluates the fresh, hardened mechanical, and durability properties of M30 grade pavement concrete incorporating FA (20%, 40% cement replacement by weight), GGBS (20%, 40% replacement), and a ternary blend (20% FA + 20% GGBS) across six mix designs. Properties assessed include workability (slump, Vebe time), compressive strength at 28, 56, and 90 days, flexural and split tensile strength, water absorption, chloride permeability by RCPT, and SEM/EDX microstructural analysis at 28 days. Flexural fatigue response of pavement slabs (300×300×75 mm) under repeated wheel-load simulation and Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry (MIP) pore structure evolution at ages 3–90 days provide structural and microstructural performance data.
M30+40%GGBS achieves a 28-day compressive strength of 37.9 MPa (28% above control), outperforming all FA mixes. The ternary blend achieves a 28-day strength of 39.4 MPa with chloride permeability of 452 C (RCPT) — a 67% reduction versus control — and CO₂ emissions of 224 kg/m³ (48% reduction). SEM analysis confirms refined pore structures and reduced calcium hydroxide content in GGBS-modified specimens. EDX reveals elevated Si/Ca and Al/Ca ratios in ternary mixes, consistent with enhanced C-A-S-H gel formation.

Keywords: sustainable concrete, fly ash, GGBS, ternary blend, compressive strength, durability, chloride permeability, SEM, EDX, carbon footprint, pavement concrete, M30

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