This research studies the potential for using waste ash from industrial and agricultural by–products as a geopolymer material. This paper presents a study of the resistance to chloride penetration and resistance to sulfuric acid of geopolymer mortar containing ground rice husk ash (RA) and ground bagasse ash (BA). Geopolymer mortars with constant liquid to ash ratio and similar flow were used for the tests. Compressive strength porosity chloride penetration test Rapid migration test of chloride depth chloride ion diffusion coefficient immersion test of chloride depth and weight loss with impressed sulfuric acid were investigated. Test results show that the workable flow of geopolymer mortar was in the range of 110–115% and was dependent on the ratio by mass of sodium silicate to NaOH and the concentration of NaOH. Extra water was used to improve the workabililty. In case of rice husk ash geopolymer mortar the geopolymer mortars with high strengths were obtained with concentration of NaOH of 15M with the sodium silicate to NaOH ratio by weight of 2.5. However the bagasee ash geopolymer mortars with high strengths were obtained with concentration of NaOH of 10M with the sodium silicate to NaOH ratio by weight of 2.5. The use of rice husk ash and bagasse ash produces geopolymer mixes with good strength and resistance to acid and chloride penetration. The resistance to acid and chloride penetration is higher with an increase in the sodium silicate to NaOH ratio by weight of 2.5.

This paper presents a study on the strength and corrosion resistance of mortars made with binary blends of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and ground rice husk ash (RHA) or ground palm oil fuel ash (POA). The mortar mixtures were made with Portland cement Type I containing 0-40% RHA and POA. RHA and POA with 1-3% by weight retained on a sieve No.325 were used. The water to binder ratio was kept constant at 0.5 and the flow of mortar was maintained at 110±5% with the aid of superplasticizer (SP). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for analysis. The compressive strength chloride penetration and corrosion resistance of the mortar were determined. The results show that strength as well as the resistance of mortar to chloride and corrosion can be improved by blending with RHA and POA. Thus RHA and POA have a high potential to be used as a good pozzolanic material.