The impact of metakaolin, silica fume and fly ash on the temperature resistance of high strength cement paste
AbstractThe effects of elevated temperatures on the properties of high-strength cement paste (HSCP) based on metakaolin (MK), silica fume (SF), and fly ash (FA) were studied in the current experimental research. The resistance of HSCP against elevated temperatures was evaluated as well. The new method is expressed by the total area under each curve of strength, known as “temperature resistance”, is adopted. Results of the HSCP mixtures containing MK, SF, and FA with replacements ratios of 9%, 6% and 15% have shown excellent temperature resistance at all levels of maximum temperatures, respectively. Properties added to HSCP by these supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) such as decreasing the amount of CaO and increasing the amounts of SiO2 and Al2O3 have minimized the harmful effects of the use of pure ordinary Portland cement (OPC) at elevated temperatures. The results have shown also that the grinding fineness of OPC influences the amount of optimum replacement of the used SCM on HSCP at elevated temperatures. Hence, the amount of optimum replacement of MK blended with CEM I 42.5 N was 9% whereas, the amount of optimum replacement of MK blended with CEM I 52.5 N shifted to 3%. Finally, the fineness of cement of 4500 cm2 g−1 has shown a better-elevated temperature resistance compared to the cement with a fineness of 4000 cm2 g−1 in case of using pure OPC.