Effect of Amorphization Degree on Mechanical and Microstructural Properties of Portland Cement Paste
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 29, Issue 6
Abstract
This paper shows that besides the particle size reduction, prolonged high-energy ball milling of portland cement leads to mechanically induced phase transformation from the crystalline to the amorphous state. This research has also investigated the improvement of the mechanical and microstructural properties of cement pastes incorporating mechanically activated cement milled for various durations as partial replacement of the unprocessed cement. Results have shown that compressive strength increases with prolonging mill duration as well as the amorphization degree of the processed cement. The setting times and porosity are significantly reduced, and the degree of hydration is improved by increasing the mill duration and the amorphization degree of the modified cement. The most significant results were observed when 10% by weight of amorphous cement was added to the unprocessed cement. In this experimental condition, the compressive strength was increased by 107% (at 28 curing days), the initial and final setting times were reduced approximately threefold, the porosity was reduced by 52%, and the early degree of hydration was improved by 162%.
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Acknowledgments
The help of Pere Bellvehi Casadellà (Construction Engineering Department, Girona University) and Joan Lopez (Laboratory of Research in Materials and Thermodynamic, Girona University) is gratefully acknowledged.
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Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 29 • Issue 6 • June 2017
Copyright
©2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: May 18, 2016
Accepted: Oct 5, 2016
Published ahead of print: Feb 8, 2017
Published online: Feb 9, 2017
Published in print: Jun 1, 2017
Discussion open until: Jul 9, 2017
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