Optimization of Mixing Parameters in Nanosilica Toughened Cement Mortar Using Taguchi-Grey Relational Analysis

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ORIGINAL PAPER

Optimization of Mixing Parameters in Nanosilica Toughened Cement Mortar Using Taguchi-Grey Relational Analysis P. Vasanthi 1 & S. Senthil Selvan 2 Received: 31 July 2020 / Accepted: 16 October 2020 # Springer Nature B.V. 2020

Abstract In this research, multi response Taguchi-grey relational approach was employed to optimize the mixing parameters in cement mortar preparation. The main aim of this present investigation is to find the optimal input variables like surface-modified nanosilica, water to cement ratio and plasticizer to achieve cement mortar with high compressive strength and low water absorption percentage. The surface-modification of nano-silica was done via aqueous solution method using 3Aminopropyltrimethoxysilane. When the input variables are more than one Taguchi-grey relational approach is a best method since it may give difference set of optimum level for each response. It is observed that the addition of surface modified nano-silica in cement mortar influenced high compressive strength with lower water absorption percentage. According to analysis surfacemodified nanosilica of 2 wt%, water to cement ratio of 0.5 and plasticizer of 1 wt% (A3B2C3) is found to be producing highest compression strength of 53.86 MPa and lower water absorption percentage of 3.32. The SEM morphological images revealed uniform dispersion of nano-silica particle in void content of cement mortar. Keywords Cement mortar . Taguchi . Nanosilica . Compression strength . Water absorption

1 Introduction Cement is the most sustainable raw material in building industry with ever-increasing demand and performance [1]. New types of cement have been developed over the years as an alternative to conventional cements to increase the performance of conventional cement [2]. To enhance long term performance and adhesive properties the nano-particles could be added with cement in considerable volume [3]. This is because the growing demand for the use of nano materials in recent years has brought growing popularity. Nano-oxides, ash fly, slag, and silica fume have been applied by many researchers to strengthen materials dependent on and without cement [4]. Ltifi et al. [5] added the amorphous nano silica particle at a rate of 3 and 10% by mass of cement. According to author’s conclusion the nano-SiO2 improves the strength of * P. Vasanthi [email protected] 1

Department of Civil Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamilnadu 600 119, India

2

Department of Civil Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamilnadu 603 203, India

cement pastes and develops the process of cement hydration. Moreover, the compression strength increases with increase of nano-SiO2 content. Rahmani et al. [6] found that the abrasion strength increases during compression testing, the increase in water-cement ratio of micro silica concrete resulted in greater compressive strength. Similar study was done by Liu et al. [7] to calculate the effect of CaCO3 nano particles (NC) with 2 wt% (wt.%) an