The X ray computed tomography (X-CT) was applied to test the cracking resistance of cement paste, and the hydration process was monitored to study the effect of fly ash on the early age cracking performance. The results showed that the hydration heat reduced with the increase of fly ash under the same water-cement ratio. Within 24h, the porosity increased with time. The addition of fly ash increased the proportion of large holes and then changed the internal stress state. Using X-CT test method and by comparing the number of cracks, the sample with 20% FA was found to have the most serious cracks, whereas the sample with 30% FA had the best crack resistance.
abstract: Ultra-high performance concretes with steel microfibers have been studied in depth with the aim of producing more efficient and durable structures. The performance of these materials depends on the characteristics of the interface between microfibers and cementitious matrix. This research investigates the micro-nanomechanical properties of the interfacial transition zone between the steel microfibers and the matrix of ultra-high performance cementitious composite. The effect of the water/cement ratio and distance from the microfiber were analyzed. The results confirm the formation of high-density calcium-silicate-hydrate (HD C-S-H) matrix at higher concentrations than low-density calcium-silicate-hydrate (LD C-S-H) for w/c ratios of 0.2 and 0.3. The properties in cementitious matrix interface with steel microfibers were very similar to that measured for the cement paste, and no significant difference was observed regarding the distance to the microfibers in relation to the elastic modulus, hardness and chemical composition. Thus, the authors can conclude that the formation of a less resistant region does not occur at the interfacial transition zone cement paste/microfibers.
AbstractHigh strength cement pastes include hot pressed, autoclaved, impregnated low water/cement ratio, macrodefect free, ultrafine particles arrangement systems. The densification of the microstrucure is mainly related to a low porosity and to the formation of poorly crystalline hydrates. In composite systems like mortars and concretes, the interfacial bond between the cement paste and aggregates is moreover less porous and more finely crystallized than the normal “auréole de transition”.
Curing by CO2 is a way to utilize CO2 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Placing early-age cement paste in a CO2 chamber or pressure vessel accelerates its strength development. Cement carbonation is attributed to the quickened strength development, and CO2 uptake can be quantitatively evaluated by measuring CO2 gas pressure loss in the pressure vessel. A decrease in CO2 gas pressure is observed with all cement pastes and mortar samples regardless of the mix proportion and the casting method; one method involves compacting a low water-to-cement ratio mix, and the other method comprises a normal mix consolidated in a mold. The efficiency of the CO2 curing is superior when a 20% concentration of CO2 gas is supplied at a relative humidity of 75%. CO2 uptake in specimens with the same CO2 curing condition is different for each specimen size. As the specimen scale is larger, the depth of carbonation is smaller. Incorporating colloidal silica enhances the carbonation as well as the hydration of cement, which results in contributing to the increase in the 28-day strength.
This paper shows how polycarboxylate based superplasticizer affects the initial setting time of cement paste. Three superplasticizers are used in this study with different properties and aiming to determine the delay in initial setting time due to superplasticizer. Initial setting time is calculated as per IS: 4031-PART 5-1988 with different SP dosages (0.5%, 0.75%, 1.0% and 1.5% of weight of cement). Superplasticizer is an admixture which reduces the water-cement ratio or increase the workability at the same water content. This paper deals with the evaluation of initial setting time due to superplasticizers.
The research object of the paper is cement paste with the particulate reinforcement of basalt fiber. Regardless of fibers’ length at the same fiber cement mix workability and cement consumption equality compressive solidity of the specimens is reduced with increasing fiber content. This is due to the necessity to increase the water-cement ratio to obtain a given workability. The flexural stability of the specimens with increasing fiber content increments in the same conditions. There is an optimum value of the fibers’ dosage. That is why stability has a maximum when crooking. The basaltic fiber particulate reinforcement usage can abruptly increase the cement paste level limiting extensibility, which is extremely important in terms of crack resistance.
The hydrated products, unhydrated cement and water (capillary pores) in the cement paste are seen as matrix, inclusion, Equivalent medium respectively, We used the micromechanics theories and Power’s Volume model to develop a multi-phase micromechanics model capable of simulating the elastic properties of cement-based materials, and the evolution of elastic properties in the hydration process was calculated at different water-cement ratio. The final experimental results show that this model can be used to predict the elastic properties of cement-based materials.
Water to Cement Ratio Effect on Cement Paste Microstructural Development by Electrical Resistivity Measurements and Computer Illustration