Effects of Blaine and Tricalcium Aluminate on the Sulfate Resistance of Nanosilica-Containing Mortars
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 30, Issue 2
Abstract
This study set out to determine the effect of dry powder nanosilica (nS) on the sulfate resistance of mortars when paired with portland cements (PCs) of contrastingly different fineness and tricalcium aluminate () content. Several mortar mixtures containing incrementally higher cement replacement with nS were prepared with a lower-Blaine 4.1% and a higher-Blaine 12.3% PC. Similar mixtures for both cements containing microsilica (mS) were also prepared for comparison. Results indicated that microsilica increased sulfate resistance more effectively than nanosilica due to its superior dispersion in comparison to the agglomerated state of the nS. Poor dispersion of the dry powder nanosilica used in this study is suspected to increase mortar permeability and hinder the reported filler, paste, and interfacial transition zone (ITZ) densification effects of nS. Mortars made with a lower-Blaine and low- cement paired with the agglomerated nanosilica exhibited more sulfate attack expansion in comparison to the control. Microsilica resulted in both pore and grain refinement of the mortar pastes. Increasing cement fineness proved beneficial in combination with either pozzolan regardless of the cement’s content.
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Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 30 • Issue 2 • February 2018
Copyright
©2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 15, 2017
Accepted: Jul 7, 2017
Published online: Nov 24, 2017
Published in print: Feb 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Apr 24, 2018
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