Effect of geothermal waste on strength and microstructure of alkali-activated slag cement mortars

Mortars of blast furnace slag replaced with 10% of a geothermal silica waste were cured for 90 days. The binder was activated by 6 wt.% Na₂O equivalent of NaOH and water glass. The presence of the silica enhanced the formation of hydration products as shown by nonevaporable water (NEW) results. Backscattered electron images indicated that the microstructures of blended slag had less porosity than those of neat slag mortars and the interfacial zone between aggregate and hydration products was dense and of homogeneous composition similar to the matrix of hydration products. The main hydration products were C-S-H and for NaOH a hydrotalcite type phase was found as finely intermixed with the C-S-H.     

Effects of densified silica fume on microstructure and compressive strength of blended cement pastes

Some experimental investigations on the microstructure and compressive strength development of silica fume blended cement pastes are presented in this paper. The silica fume replacement varies from 0% to 20% by weight and the water/binder ratio (w/b) is 0.4. The pore structure by mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), the micromorphology by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the compressive strength at 3, 7, 14, 28, 56 and 90 days have been studied. The test results indicate that the improvements on both microstructure and mechanical properties of hardened cement pastes by silica fume replacement are not effective due to the agglomeration of silica fume particles. The unreacted silica fume remained in cement pastes, the threshold diameter was not reduced and the increase in compressive strength was insignificant up to 28 days. It is suggested that the proper measures should be taken to disperse silica fume agglomeration to make it more effective on improving the properties of materials.     

The effect of MgSO4 and HCL solutions on the strength and durability of pozzolan cement mortars

Pozzolan cements are produced by adding pozzolans such as silica fume, rice husk ash, blast furnace slag, fly ash, trass in 20% replacement for Portland cement. On the 28th day of production, the produced specimens are stored in water, in MgSO₄·7H₂O (5%) solution and in HCl (pH = 2) solution. The strengths and weights were determined after the mortars are stored in solutions for 56 days. Compressive strengths of the mortars stored in water for 28 days are silica fume, rice husk ash, and control, 43.3, 40.1, and 31.0 MPa, respectively. The highest loss of compressive strength is 20% and the highest gain of weight is 4.2%, occurring in blast furnace slag mortar in MgSO₄.     

Characterization of the Tunisian blast-furnace slag and its application in the formulation of a cement

The Tunisian blast-furnace slag has been characterized by several physicochemical methods to evaluate its hydraulic reactivity. It has been noted that nearly all the slag is glassy, so its use as a replacement of cement is possible.This result has been confirmed by different physical tests applied to blended cements as specific surface, normal consistency, setting time, stability to expansion and the minislump.Finally, a slag cement composition has been formulated and optimized using a mixture design. The optimized formula giving the maximum of compressive strength at 7 and 28 days was 61% clinker, 35% slag, 3% gypsum, and 1% limestone.     

The role of the alumina content of slag,plus the presence of additional sulfate on the hydration and microstructure of Portland cement-slag blends

The effects on composite cements of the aluminium content of slag, plus that of additional sulfate, have been investigated. Samples containing cement or composites with 40% replacement by one of 2 different slags, differing in aluminium contents, were prepared. A further blended sample was prepared with additional anhydrite replacing 3% w/w of binder. Slag blended mortars showed comparable strengths to the neat cement system at later ages. Adding slag changed the hydration kinetics of the clinker phases. The addition of sulfate had no effect on slag reactivity but increased that of alite. Slags richer in aluminium resulted in greater incorporation of aluminium into C-S-H and encouraged the presence of hemicarboaluminate over monocarboaluminate. The Ca/Si ratios of the C-S-H formed were comparable between the two blends, being marginally lower than that of the neat system. The addition of anhydrite resulted in the adsorption of sulfate onto the C-S-H, plus stabilisation of ettringite.     

Utilization of secondary lead slag as construction material

Secondary lead slag, a waste product from battery smelting using CaCO₃ as flux, has been investigated for its use as an admixture and/or aggregate in the production of concrete blocks. The slag was added as partial replacements of cement and/or aggregate. The results revealed that the oxide components of the slag were similar to those of ordinary Portland cement (OPC). The CaO content in the slag is 6.2 times less than that in OPC, while its iron content, as FeO, is 15.1 times higher. Interestingly, it also possesses magnetic property. All samples exhibited higher compressive strengths than that of the sample without slag (STD) which increased with increasing the slag contents and ages. The highest compressive strength was of the sample containing 20% slag as cement substituent and 100% slag as aggregate replacement owing to 259% of that of the STD at 60 days. All samples showed higher water absorption than that of the STD. The higher the slag contents, the more the water absorption. The absorption was, as expected, decreased with ages. Magnetic property of the slag plays an important role in the properties of the concrete blocks. For environmental concern, leachability of lead (Pb) from all samples was also carried out.     

Property improvement of Portland cement by incorporating with metakaolin and slag

The physical and mechanical properties of Portland cement (PC) containing metakaolin (MK) or combination of MK and slag and the compatibility between such materials and superplasticizers were investigated in present study. After MK was incorporated into PC, the compressive strength of the blended cement was enhanced. However, the fluidity of MK blended cement became poorer than that of PC at the same dosage of superplasticizer and the same water/binder ratio. When both MK (10%) and ultra-fine slag (20% or 30%) were incorporated into PC together, not only the compressive strength of the blended cement was increased, but also the fluidity of the blended cement paste was improved comparing to MK blended cement. This indicates that ultra-fine slag can improve the physical and mechanical properties of MK blended cement. The physical and chemical effects of two mineral admixtures were also discussed.     

Influence of initial curing on sulphate resistance of blended cement concrete

The paper presents results of an investigation on the effect of initial curing conditions on the sulphate resistance of concrete made with ordinary portland cement and using pfa, silica fume and ground granulated blast furnace slag for partial replacement of cement. In addition, porosity and pore structure analysis of representative pastes was carried out to examine the relationship between these properties and sulphate resistance of concrete. The depth of carbonation in specimens of pastes was also determined.

Three different initial curing conditions immediately after casting of specimens were adopted, namely: WET/AIR CURED at 45°C, 25% RH; AIR CURED at 45°C, 25% RH; AIR CURED at 20°C, 55% RH. The results show that pore volume and pore structure of the paste bear no direct relationship with the sulphate resistance of concrete. The presence of a carbonated layer on the surface is generally accompanied by superior sulphate resistance—there are, however, important exceptions. Low humidity curing at high temperature (45°C) results in higher depths of carbonation but lower sulphate resistance than similar curing at 20°C.

The sulphate resistance of concrete increases with the replacement of cement with 22% pfa, 9% silica fume and 80% ggb slag. The sulphate resistance also increases due to drying out of concrete during early curing at low relative humidity and due to carbonation. The possible common factor which leads to this improved sulphate resistance is the reduced Ca(OH)₂ content which leads to smaller volume of the expansive reaction products with sulphate ions. The effect of initial curing at high temperature (45°C) is significantly harmful to the sulphate resistance of plain concrete but much less so to the blended cement concretes.     

Pore solution composition and reinforcement corrosion characteristics of microsilica blended cement concrete

Plain and microsilica blended cement pastes with water-cement ratio of 0.6 were prepared using a 14% C₃A cement. Two levels of chloride from NaCl corresponding to 0.6% and 1.2% by weight of cement were added through mix water. The pastes were allowed to hydrate in sealed containers for 180 days and then subjected to pore solution expression. The expressed pore fluids were analyzed for chloride and hydroxyl ion concentrations. The results show that the OH⁻ ion concentration in the pore solutions of both chloride-free and chloride-bearing pastes drop steeply with increasing cement replacement by microsilica. For 10% microsilica cement pastes the pH for both 0.6% and 1.2% chloride addition was found to be around 13.30. However, the pH drops to a level below that of saturated Ca(OH)₂ solution when cement replacement by microsilica is increased from 10% to 20%. This is ascribable to the consumption of Ca(OH)₂ by microsilica as shown by the DTA/TGA results. 10% and 20% microsilica blending more than doubles the free chloride ion concentration in the pore solutions of the chloride-bearing pastes. 10% microsilica replacement raises the Cl⁻/OH⁻ ratio 4 to 5 fold, whereas for 20% microsilica replacement, the Cl⁻/OH⁻ ratio is increased to 77 and 39 folds over the corresponding values for the plain cement pastes for 0.6% and 1.2% chloride additions respectively. Accelerated corrosion monitoring tests carried out on steel bars embedded in plain and microsilica blended cement concretes exposed to 5% NaCl solution show a 3 fold superior performance of microsilica blended cement concretes in terms of corrosion initiation time. This corrosion behaviour is contrary to the prediction from the increased aggressivity of pore solution composition in terms of highly elevated Cl⁻/OH⁻ ratios. This is attributable to the densification of cement matrix by the pozzolanic reaction between microsilica and calcium hydroxide. No discernable advantage in terms of corrosion initiation time is evident by increasing microsilica blending from 10% to 20%.     

Performance of irradiated blended cement paste composites containing ceramic waste powder towards sulfates,chlorides, and seawater attack

Within the scope of this study, blended cement pastes were prepared by replacing different proportions of ordinary Portland cement with ceramic waste powder (CWP). The hardened blended cement pastes were cured under tap water for different periods of time up to 180 days. Physico‐mechanical properties of specimens were studied in terms of free lime content, chemically combined water, compressive strength, and particle size distribution. The results manifested that the optimum content of ceramic waste which gave a marked improvement in the mechanical properties was 10% as compared to the other specimens at the same curing age. Besides that, similar specimens of the hardened blended cement paste containing 10% CWP were impregnated with unsaturated polyester and exposed to different doses of gamma rays from 10 to 50 kGy. Both the impregnated specimens that irradiated at a dose of 30 kGy and the neat blended cement paste that contained 10% ceramic waste were soaked in 1, 3, and 5% magnesium sulfate, sodium chloride solutions, and in seawater for up to 180 days. The results indicated that the composite specimens became more resistant to aggressive solutions and their durability increased as compared to the neat blended cement paste prepared under the same previous conditions. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 26:24–34, 2020. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Effect of activation conditions of a kaolinite based waste on rheology of blended cement pastes

This paper reports the influence of calcining temperature on the rheology of blended cement pastes with 10 and 20% of thermally activated paper sludge as pozzolan at water/binder ratio of 0.5 and 0.4. The kaolinite based waste was activated at different activation temperatures (700–800 °C) and retention times of 2 and 5 h. The yield stress of the blended pastes increased when the activation intensity increased as a result of the increased calcite and free lime content. Due to the stiffness of the blended pastes, a superplasticiser (sodium lignosulfonate) was used in order to reduce the yield stress. The best results could be obtained using the lower calcining temperature (700 °C and 2 h).     

石灰石粉锂渣超早强超高强混凝土研究

研究了石灰石粉及其与锂渣复合掺加对混凝土强度的影响.研究表明,石灰石粉掺量在10%以下时有利于抗压强度的发展,在20%以下时有利于抗折强度的发展.10%的石灰石粉和10%的锂渣复合显示出优良的复合效应,当单位水泥用量为464kg/m3 时,7d抗压强度达到了105MPa.28d强度达到了124MPa,60d强度达到了132MPa.可代替矿渣、硅灰制备超早强高强超高强混凝土.     

Supplementary cementitious materials for mitigating degradation of kraft pulp fiber-cement composites

Kraft pulp fiber reinforced cement-based materials are being increasingly used where performance after exposure to environmental conditions must be ensured. However, significant losses in mechanical performance due to wet/dry cycling have been observed in these composites, when portland cement is the only cementitious material used in the matrix. In this research program, the effects of partial portland cement replacement with various supplementary cementitious materials were investigated. Binary, ternary, and quaternary blends of silica fume, slag, Class C fly ash, Class F fly ash, metakaolin, and diatomaceous earth/volcanic ash blends were examined for their effect on the degradation of kraft pulp fiber-cement composite mechanical properties (i.e., strength and toughness) during wet/dry cycling. After 25 wet/dry cycles, it was shown that binary composites containing 90% slag, 30% metakaolin, or greater than 30% silica fume did not exhibit any signs of degradation, as measured through mechanical testing and microscopy. Ternary blends containing 70% slag/10% metakaolin or 70% slag/10% silica fume were also effective in preventing degradation. A reduction in calcium hydroxide content and the stability of the alkali content due to supplementary cementitious material addition were shown to be primary mechanisms for improved durability.     

利用废硅胶生产五水偏硅酸钠的研究

概述了五水偏硅酸钠的市场现状,介绍了以废硅胶为原料生产五水偏硅酸钠的实验方法。通过实验,得出了优化实验条件为:模数采用0.5~0.8,波美度在35~50°,加热废硅胶及浓缩结晶的温度为90~100℃,时间为持续沸腾5min以上,采用自然降温法,时间在10h左右。最终制得良好的晶体,其中氧化钠含量为28.5%,氧化硅含量27.3%,产品质量达到国内同类产品的一级品标准。     

Properties and hydration of blended cements with calcareous diatomite

In this paper the effect of diatomite addition on blended cement properties and hydration was studied. Calcareous diatomaceous rocks of Zakynthos Island, Ionian Sea, containing mainly CaCO₃ and amorphous silica of biogenic origin with the form of opal-A were used. Cement mortars and pastes, with 0%, 10%, 20% and 35% replacement of cement with the specific diatomite, were examined. Strength development, water demand and setting time were determined in all samples. In addition, XRD, SEM and weight loss at 350 °C were applied in order to study the hydration products and the hydration rate in the cement-diatomite pastes. Blended cements, having up to 10% diatomite content, develop the same compressive strength, as the corresponding Portland cement, while the presence of diatomite leads to an increase of the paste water demand. Diatomite is characterized as natural pozzolana, as it satisfies the requirements of EN 197 1 concerning the active silica content. The pozzolanic nature of the diatomite results to the formation of higher amounts of hydrated products, specifically at the age of 28 days.     

Properties and hydration of blended cements with steelmaking slag

The present research study investigates the properties and hydration of blended cements with steelmaking slag, a by-product of the conversion process of iron to steel. For this purpose, a reference sample and three cements containing up to 45% w/w steel slag were tested. The steel slag fraction used was the “0-5 mm”, due to its high content in calcium silicate phases. Initial and final setting time, standard consistency, flow of normal mortar, autoclave expansion and compressive strength at 2, 7, 28 and 90 days were measured. The hydrated products were identified by X-ray diffraction while the non-evaporable water was determined by TGA. The microstructure of the hardened cement pastes and their morphological characteristics were examined by scanning electron microscopy. It is concluded that slag can be used in the production of composite cements of the strength classes 42.5 and 32.5 of EN 197-1. In addition, the slag cements present satisfactory physical properties. The steel slag slows down the hydration of the blended cements, due to the morphology of contained C₂S and its low content in calcium silicates.     

偏高岭土、矿渣和赤泥对高性能混合水泥性能影响的研究

通过用硅酸盐水泥、偏高岭土等混合材、膨胀剂及减水剂等制备混合水泥的研究发现：偏高岭土和赤泥的加入使水泥的凝结时间缩短,矿渣的加入延长了水泥的凝结时间;偏高岭土和矿渣对水泥的胶砂流动性影响较小,赤泥的加入使得水泥胶砂流动性显著降低;适量偏高岭土的加入对水泥的3d和28d强度均有增强作用,适量矿渣的加入使水泥抗折强度降低,抗压强度增大;少量的赤泥对水泥强度特别是早期强度有一定的增强作用,但掺量超过20％后水泥强度迅速降低;偏高岭土对水泥微膨胀的产生有促进作用,矿渣和赤泥对水泥微膨胀有抑制作用。用80％～90％的硅酸盐水泥、10％～20％的偏高岭土以及少量的膨胀剂和减水剂能够制备出具有较优流动性、较高的强度以及微膨胀的高性能混合水泥。     

磷渣对水泥浆体强度和孔结构的影响

研究了磷渣对水泥浆体孔结构和抗压强度的影响。结果表明,与纯水泥浆体的孔结构相比,磷渣的掺入使浆体早期的孔隙率增大,大孔所占的比例增加,但降低了浆体后期的孔隙率和孔径尺寸。浆体早期的抗压强度随磷渣掺量的增加而减少,90d时,其强度超过了纯水泥浆体。     

Activation of blast furnace slag by a new method

Blast furnace slag is used as supplementary cementing material for the production of blended cement and slag cement. Its latently hydraulic properties can be activated by several methods. Most applications employ the use of high pH values in the pore solution (> 13.0) to accelerate the corrosion of the glass network of the slag.It is shown in this work that activation is also possible by lowering the pH to a range between 11.8 and 12.2 by the addition of calcium hydroxide and soluble calcium salts. Among the salts investigated in this study are calcium chloride, calcium bromide, calcium nitrate, calcium formate, and calcium acetate. Other salts can be used alternatively as long as they are able to increase the calcium ion concentration and thus reduce the pH in the pore solution via the calcium hydroxide equilibrium. Complex formation of organic anions with calcium ions in the pore solution is a serious handicap when using organic calcium salts.This concept was tested on a particular slag improving its early compressive strength. It was possible to increase the strength of mortar bars produced from the pure slag from 3 MPa to 25 MPa after seven days by adding calcium hydroxide, calcium carbonate and calcium acetate. The early strength of slag cement containing 80% slag was increased from 6 to 16 MPa after two days by adding calcium chloride. The final strength was increased from 36 to 53 MPa after 28 days (water/cement-ratio = 0.40, 20 °C).Analytical data is included to demonstrate that application of the aforementioned concept is able to increase heat liberation and degree of slag consumption.     

低温环境下复合矿物掺合料火山灰效应试验研究

采用比强度分析法对低温环境下矿粉、硅灰复合矿物掺合料的火山灰效应进行了研究.结果表明:随着温度的降低,砂浆试件的强度逐渐降低,加入复合矿物掺合料提高了砂浆的强度;通过对比180 d时砂浆强度发现加入15％矿粉+3％硅灰对低温环境下砂浆强度提升最大,0.5水灰比试件在10℃下强度提高了9％,火山灰效应贡献率为25.1％;0.36水灰比试件在10℃下强度提高了6％,火山灰效应贡献率为22.5％,5℃下强度提高了5％,火山灰效应贡献率为21.5％.