## 2 Experimental Program
### Mixing, Casting and Curing of Specimens  
The aluminosilicate-rich materials (binder constituents) and the reagents required for each mix composition were weighed per the proportions given in Tables 2 and 3. The reagent components were first mixed thoroughly to form a multi-component reagent/activator. This multi-component reagent was then added to the precursors in the shear mixer. All the ingredients were dry mixed for about 3 min to obtain a uniform one-part geopolymer binder mixture. Then, two-thirds of the required water was gradually added to the mix, similarly to the development of cement-based binders. The HRWRA mixed with the remaining water was gradually added to make the paste flowable for incorporating silica sand as per the proportions given in Table 2. The incorporation of sand was followed once the paste became flowable so that the sand did not hinder the initial alkali activation reactions. After sand addition, the remaining HRWRA mixed with water was added gradually to the mortar. The total mixing procedure lasted about 12-15 min. At least 12 cube specimens having dimensions of 50 mm \(\times\) 50 mm \(\times\) 50 mm were prepared for each mix composition for compressive strength testing. All the specimens were kept in the curing room/chamber maintained at a temperature of 23 \(\pm\) 3 \({}^{\circ}\)C and 95 \(\pm\) 5% relative humidity (RH). Theolds were demolded 24 h after casting and were kept in the curing chamber until the days of testing. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Mix-Des.** & \begin{tabular}{c} **Total SCMs** \\ **(Binder \({}^{\star}\))** \\ \end{tabular} & **Cement** & **FA-C** & **FA-F** & **GGBFS** & \begin{tabular}{c} **Reagent** \\ **Type** \\ \end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}{c} **Reagent**/ \\ **Binder** \\ \end{tabular} & \
\begin{tabular}{c} **Silica** \\ **Sand** \\ \end{tabular} &
\begin{tabular}{c} **Water/** \\ **Binder** \\ \end{tabular} & **HR-WRA \({}^{\star\star}\)** \\ \hline \multicolumn{8}{c}{Allali activated mortars (AAMs)–CS: Binary and CFS: Ternary} \\ \hline CSM1 & 1 & 0 & 0.55 & 0 & 0.45 & 1 & 0.09 & 0.3 & 0.35 & 0.02 \\ \hline CSM1N & 1 & 0 & 0.50 & 0 & 0.50 & 1 & 0.09 & 0.3 & 0.35 & 0.02 \\ \hline CFSM1 & 1 & 0 & 0.25 & 0.35 & 0.40 & 1 & 0.09 & 0.3 & 0.35 & 0.02 \\ \hline CFSM1N & 1 & 0 & 0.25 & 0.25 & 0.50 & 1 & 0.09 & 0.3 & 0.35 & 0.02 \\ \hline CSM2 & 1 & 0 & 0.55 & 0 & 0.45 & 2 & 0.12 & 0.3 & 0.375 & 0.02 \\ \hline CSM2N & 1 & 0 & 0.50 & 0 & 0.50 & 2 & 0.12 & 0.3 & 0.375 & 0.02 \\ \hline CFSM2 & 1 & 0 & 0.25 & 0.35 & 0.40 & 2 & 0.12 & 0.3 & 0.375 & 0.02 \\ \hline CFSM2N & 1 & 0 & 0.25 & 0.25 & 0.50 & 2 & 0.12 & 0.3 & 0.375 & 0.02 \\ \hline \multicolumn{8}{c}{Control mortar} \\ \hline FFcM & 1 & 0.45 & 0 & 0.55 & 0 & N.A. & NA. & 0.36 & 0.27 & 0.006 \\ \hline \multicolumn{8}{c}{All numbers are mass ratios of the binder. \({}^{\star}\) Binder denotes supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) and Portland cement (P\({}_{\text{C}}\)). C: FA-C, F: FA-F, S: GGBFS, N denotes mixes with equal mass of fly ash (class C + class F) and GGBFS. Numeric value in the mix designation denotes reagent type. \({}^{\star\star}\) HRWRA: Poly-carboxylate ether-based superplasticizer.} \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 2: Mix proportions for one-part alkali-activated and control mortars.