Novel Structural Materials for Use in Mass Concrete Structures

The main challenge with mass concrete structures lies in temperature rise and temperature differentials resulting from the heat of hydration of cementitious materials. Therefore, controlling the heat of hydration in mass concrete structures is important in order to minimize and potentially prevent cracks from forming. In this study, a novel material and/or combination of materials were utilized to study the effect on the heat of hydration. An isothermal calorimeter is used to measure the heat of hydration in concrete mixtures including barium oxide (BAO), which is a phase changing material. Different percentages of other supplementary cementitious materials were utilized based on the amount of total cementitious materials in the mixtures. The results were also compared with the heat of hydration of mixtures containing conventional mass concrete mixtures containing cement supplementary materials such as slag and fly ash. It is concluded that BAO significantly retarded the rate of hydration and slightly reduced the magnitude of the heat of hydration peak in concrete mixtures.