Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
ARCHIVES OF CIVIL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, cilt.26, sa.4, ss.189-211, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
This study systematically investigates the synergistic effects of specimen dimensions and curing regimes on the mechanical, physical, microstructural, and high-temperature properties of alkali-activated mortars (AAMs). AAMs were prepared by mixing aggregates with ground granulated blast furnace slag, and activated with 10 M NaOH solution. These mixtures were cast into moulds of three different specimen dimensions (5 × 5 × 5 cm, 10 × 10 × 10 cm, and 15 × 15 × 15 cm) and cured under three distinct curing regimes (ambient laboratory conditions, water curing, and outdoor winter exposure. The experimental program focused on the high-temperature performance of AAMs, as well as strength, water absorption, fracture analyses. In addition, the microstructural characteristics of AAM specimens were examined using by Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy, X-ray Diffractometry, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy analyses. The results demonstrated that larger specimen dimensions and water curing substantially improved compressive strength (exceeding 50 MPa at 28 days) and reduced water absorption (< 4%), while outdoor curing led to poor performance. Moreover, after exposure to 750 °C, it was observed that larger water-cured specimens maintained higher residual strength and a denser aluminosilicate matrix with fewer cracks. Overall, this study contributes to the potential applications of AAMs by highlighting their suitability for prefabricated and fire-resistant elements, while also providing a novel perspective by demonstrating that AAM’s compressive behavior cannot be fully explained through fracture behavior of traditional Portland cement based composites