Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear authors,

thank you for your work.

Best regards,

reviewer

Author Response

The authors would like to sincerely thank Reviewer 1 for spending his/her valuable time reviewing the article in detail and providing helpful and constructive suggestions.

Author Response File: Author Response.doc

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Lines 70–71: Please check the font of the statement.

A total of 136 pieces of literature were discussed. You can identify the research gap because works already exist and also include novelty.

line 119: include source of C fly ash

Line 126: Why are 50 mm, 100 mm, 150 mm, and 250 mm used? You should relate it to practical applications.

Table 2: Include detailed mix proportions, like the quantity of binder and filler per cubic metre.

line 172: i=w/b increases slump value increases.. why? Include a microstructure study and justify it; also include a methodology for finding slump flow; and include photographs.

Figures 2, 5, 6, 7, and 8: Which mix was discussed? Include those details (100 FA or any).

The analysis and discussion part was not clear and should be reframed with the different proportions mentioned in this work.

In the cost analysis, only the fly ash distance cost was included; why not other materials?

 

In conclusion, avoid generalised statements and use quantifiable data that is related to the objective.

 

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Moderate editing of English language required

Author Response

The authors would like to sincerely thank Reviewer 2 for spending his/her valuable time reviewing the article in detail and providing helpful and constructive suggestions.

Author Response File: Author Response.doc

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Interesting investigation has been performed by the authors of the manuscript. The properties of cement-paste composites containing high proportions of fly ash are intended for use as sustainable ecological products in various civil engineering applications to minimize the worse effects of building construction. New insight is presented in this study to show how to use fly ash in the paste for a wide range of workability with better optimization of physical and mechanical characterization with cost performance and to design the composites to achieve specific engineering properties. Big experimental and analytical work was performed.

 

Comments and questions:

1.      The abstract should be extended by a short description of what is performed in the framework of research and which results have been obtained.

2.      The goal of the research should be formulated.

3.      What is new in this research, that wasn’t performed before?

4.      References to the sources Nr. 73, 102, 115, and 116 lack in the introduction.

5.      The figures should be mentioned in the paper in the same stale, bold, or non-bold.

6.      It isn’t clear, which “In Fig. 1, the most suitable model was a second-order polynomial” was mentioned. (Page 6. Line 155)  

7.      Which Figure’s detail is explained in Table A7 ”Details of the equation used in Fig. 3 are presented in Table A7” (page 6, lines 156-157)?

 

8.      The statements in the conclusions should be expanded by the quantitative evaluation in % of the effect of w/b and amount of FA on the main properties of cement paste, such as UCS, FS, porosity…

Author Response

The authors would like to sincerely thank Reviewer 3 for spending his/her valuable time reviewing the article in detail and providing helpful and constructive suggestions.

Author Response File: Author Response.doc

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

 

Can you please include the following author's work in the introduction part for the fly ash-based mix. 

1. Joseph Davidovits et al,

2, B.V. Ragan et al. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author Response

The authors would like to sincerely thank Reviewer 2 for spending his/her valuable time reviewing the article in detail and providing helpful and constructive suggestions. The authors have implemented all the suggestions provided in full within the revised article. The modified text is highlighted in green in the revised manuscript.

Author Response File: Author Response.doc

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Thank you for revision the manuscript. It may by accepted. 

Author Response

The authors would like to sincerely thank Reviewer 3 for spending his/her valuable time reviewing the article in detail and providing helpful and constructive suggestions. The authors have implemented all the suggestions provided in full within the revised article. The modified text is highlighted in green in the revised manuscript.

Author Response File: Author Response.doc