Study on performance of light transmittance geopolymer composite

The demand for sustainable construction materials has prompted the advancement of geopolymer concrete (GPC), offering a low-carbon substitute for conventional ordinary portland cement (OPC) concrete. GPC incorporates fly ash (FA) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) as cement alternatives, significantly diminishing carbon emissions. Light-transmittance concrete (LTC) and light transmittance geopolymer composite (LTGC) amalgamate the ecological benefits of GPC with the energy-efficient characteristics of LTC. The research comprised the development of GPC mixtures integrating FA and GGBFS as substitutes for cement, with differing levels of plastic optical fibers (POF). The research entailed the formulation of GPC mixtures with differing amounts of POF. Standardized tests were performed to evaluate both the mechanical and light transmittance characteristics of the LTGC samples. This study evaluated various significant mechanical and light transmittance properties. The research findings demonstrate that the LTGC can attain a light transmission of up to 15.8% when 6% of its volume is replaced with POF. This study demonstrates that using POF at a replacement level of up to 6% in concrete mixtures produces favorable results in terms of both quality and strength. It highlights the viability of LTGC as a sustainable construction material, offering benefits such as increased transparency, reduced cement usage, and improved mechanical properties. Therefore, LTGC presents a viable alternative to traditional concrete for the construction of sustainable structures.