Mechanical and durability performance of GGBS–RHA self-curing concrete incorporating PEG-400

Abstract

Concrete is one of the most widely used construction materials worldwide, with cement, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate, and water as its primary constituents. In recent years, considerable research has focused on producing concrete with reduced cement consumption and improved resource utilization through the incorporation of waste materials generated from agricultural, industrial, transportation, and other sectors. Among these materials, supplementary cementitious materials such as ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) and rice husk ash (RHA) have received significant attention due to their pozzolanic properties and widespread availability. Depending on their physical, chemical, and pozzolanic characteristics, these materials can be used as partial replacements for conventional cementitious materials. In this study, an experimental investigation was conducted on self-curing concrete (SCC) by partially replacing cement with 20% GGBS and 10% RHA and incorporating polyethylene glycol-400 (PEG-400) as a self-curing admixture at dosages of 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% by weight of the cementitious material. The mechanical properties were evaluated under ambient laboratory curing conditions at a temperature of 27 °C. Among the investigated mixtures, the concrete containing 1.0% PEG-400 exhibited the most favorable performance, achieving higher mechanical strength than the other mixtures. The findings indicate that SCC incorporating GGBS, RHA, and PEG-400 can enhance mechanical and durability properties while reducing the need for conventional external curing methods.