Durability Study on Ternary Blended Alumina- Silicate Concrete in Marine Environments

This study evaluates the performance of geopolymer concrete (GPC) incorporating Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS), Fly Ash, Metakaolin, and Rice Husk Ash under a marine water environment. Four different mix designs were developed to analyze the mechanical and durability properties of GPC through compressive strength, split tensile strength, rapid chloride penetration test (RCPT), sulphate attack and water absorption tests. The specimens were subjected to marine water curing for 28 and 56 days, followed by compressive strength testing to assess strength retention. Among the mixes, GPC-A (50% fly ash, 50% GGBS) exhibited the highest strength, achieving a 28-day compressive strength of 36.6 MPa and a split tensile strength of 4.7 MPa, making it the most suitable for high-stress, load-bearing marine applications due to its excellent durability and crack resistance. Microstructural analyses, including X-ray Diffraction (XRD) were conducted to examine phase composition and morphological changes due to prolonged marine exposure.