Predicting thermal properties and temperature rise in geopolymer concrete structures

Geopolymer concrete is excellent for thermal insulation because of its low thermal conductivity, it may be utilized as a suitable insulation for building facades. Furthermore, it may lessen the impact of fire on the reinforcement for geopolymer constructions. Precise forecast of temperature increase during fire in buildings is crucial to evaluate efficacy of insulation and the performance of structures when exposed to high temperature. This paper introduced simple equations to predict the thermal properties (density, thermal conductivity, and specific heat) of normal and light weight GC when exposed to increased temperatures. Additionally, numerical investigation using the Ansys workbench software programme was performed to explore the temperature distribution in geopolymer concrete slabs when exposed to increased temperatures according to ISO 834 fire curve. Simple equations were created using multiple regression analysis for estimating the temperature distribution in geopolymer concrete slabs. Additionally, the predicted equations for thermal properties and the temperature rise predicted from the numerical study were experimentally validated.