A pioneering geopolymer road in Bihar was recently inaugurated by NTPC Kahalgaon. The first of its kind in the state constructed entirely without cement, the 2.9-km road marks a milestone for the company. It utilised 2,000 metric tonne (mt) of fly ash, a byproduct of power plants, and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) from steel plants, combined with chemicals such as sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate. This eco-friendly approach not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but also promotes the effective utilisation of industrial waste and sustainable practices. More durable than conventional concrete roads, the road is expected to set a new standard for future infrastructure projects in the region. Geopolymer concrete can also be used for railway sleepers, electric power poles, cement mortar, marine structures and waste containments.

Technology at work

“The R&D wing of NTPC has developed prototype technology for geopolymer concrete roads, which utilise fly ash, GGBS, caustic soda, sodium silicate and other admixtures and are 100 per cent cement-free,” says Rajiv Satyakam, GM (Ash Tech and NI), NTPC Sipat. “The road has two layers of geopolymer concrete lean concrete (LC) of M10 strength and pavement quality concrete (PQC) of M40 strength. Around 1,100 mt of fly ash is used per km of road built for a width of 8.5 m...

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