Electron Probe Microanalysis Investigation into High-Volume Fly Ash Mortars
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 29, Issue 7
Abstract
High-volume fly ash (HVFA) concrete has been widely investigated because of its lower carbon footprint and higher performance than the conventional portland cement concrete. In this work, a total of 21 HVFA mortar mixtures were fabricated using Class C fly ash, limestone powder, asphalt emulsion, and portland cement following a Box-Wilson central composite design scheme. The compressive strength and spitting tensile strength of these mortar specimens were tested at various ages. Based on the results of mechanical test, three representative mixtures were selected for water sorptivity test, surface resistivity test, and electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA) study. HVFA mortars with higher fly ash replacement and higher water to binder (w/b) ratio exhibited higher water absorptivity and lower surface resistivity. With secondary electron imaging (SEI) and back-scattered electron imaging (BSE), the micrographs of three selected HVFA mortars were examined, while the hydration behavior of fly ash particles in them was elucidated through the element mapping and element ratio mapping enabled by EPMA.
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Acknowledgments
The funding support was provided by the China Scholarship Council (CSC) and the USDOT Center for Environmentally Sustainable Transportation in Cold Climates (CESTiCC). The authors owe their thanks to Dr. Owen K. Neill at the WSU Peter Hooper GeoAnalytical Laboratory for his assistance in the use of EPMA. Boral and Lafarge kindly donated sample materials for this study.
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Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 29 • Issue 7 • July 2017
Copyright
©2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 25, 2016
Accepted: Oct 12, 2016
Published online: Mar 28, 2017
Published in print: Jul 1, 2017
Discussion open until: Aug 28, 2017
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