PSI - Issue 70

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ScienceDirect

Procedia Structural Integrity 70 (2025) 82–88

Structural Integrity and Interactions of Materials in Civil Engineering Structures (SIIMCES-2025) Analysis of Fly Ash-Based PPC Concrete with Nano- SiO₂ Particles by Rebound hammer and UPVT methods R. Mohanraj a, *, Gaurav Sharma a a Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Technology, SRM University, Delhi-NCR, Sonipat 131029, Haryana, India. Abstract The incorporation of nano-SiO 2 particles into cementitious materials, particularly in cement mortar, has garnered significant attention due to their potential to enhance the material's properties. Nano-SiO 2 , a silica nanoparticle, is renowned for its high surface area and reactivity, which can improve the mechanical, thermal, and durability properties of cement-based products. In this study, we investigate the effects of varying percentages of nano-SiO 2 on the properties of cement mortar. A series of experiments was conducted by preparing cement mortar mixtures with SiO 2 at varying dosages of 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, and 5% by weight of cement. After the preparation of these mixtures, cube samples were cast and subjected to non-destructive testing (NDT) to assess the effect of the SiO 2 on the material’s mechanical behaviour. The NDT methods included Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) testing, Rebound Hammer testing. The findings from these tests were analysed and compared to assess the impact of nano-SiO 2 on the performance of the cement mortar. © 2025 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under the responsibility of International Conference on Structural Integrity Organizers

Keywords: nano-SiO 2 ; nanoparticles; nondestructive test; rebound hammer test; ultrasonic pulse velocity test

1. Introduction Cement-based materials, particularly mortars and concretes, are widely used in construction due to their excellent mechanical properties, durability, and cost-effectiveness (Zhuang and Chen (2019); Balapour et al. (2018)). However, despite their widespread usage, they have limitations such as low resistance to cracking, shrinkage, and limited durability against environmental factors (Zhang et al. (2017)). To overcome these shortcomings, various admixtures

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +91-7358135699. E-mail address: rsrirammohan@srmuniversity.ac.in; rsrirammohan@gmail.com

2452-3216 © 2025 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under the responsibility of International Conference on Structural Integrity Organizers 10.1016/j.prostr.2025.07.029