Influence of Interparticle Separation Distance on the Fresh and Hardened Behavior of Ecoefficient Cement Pastes
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 35, Issue 8
Abstract
An efficient method to produce ecoefficient cementitious mixtures is using particle packing models (PPMs) combined with limestone fillers (LF). Yet, key outcomes obtained in the fresh and hardened states, including slump and compressive strength, are variable and remain mostly not fully understood. Therefore, in this work, the concept of interparticle separation distance (IPS) is employed to describe the overall performance of ecoefficient cement paste mixtures with high LF dosages [up to 81% of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) replacement]. In this scenario, twenty-one cement paste mixtures displaying three water-to-powder ratios (0.32, 0.40, and 0.50), two distribution factors ( and 0.37), and three cement contents (100, 150, and ) were studied. Next, fresh-state properties (i.e., rheological profile and slump flow over time) along with compressive strength were appraised. Densely packed systems containing moderate to high LF dosages have shown to yield better compressive strength results than pure OPC mixtures, yet the inclusion of LF negatively influenced the cement paste mixtures’ slump loss. Thus, the (i.e., in mass) combined with the ratio from Abram’s law was successfully observed as an important parameter to better predict the compressive strength performance of the ecoefficient cement pastes. Results suggest that the fresh state behavior of packed mixtures containing high LF content can be predicted through the IPS/dp; therefore, this parameter might be adjusted to reach targeted viscosity values when proportioning cementitious materials. Finally, the concept of is proposed to precisely describe fresh and hardened properties of cementitious mixtures with significant dosages of LF and reduced OPC contents.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Omya Canada Inc., Lafarge Canada, and Euclid Admixture Canada for generously providing us with the filler materials, cement, and admixtures (respectively) used in this project. Moreover, M. T. de Grazia benefits from a Vanier scholarship financed by NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada).
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Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 35 • Issue 8 • August 2023
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Jun 3, 2022
Accepted: Jan 17, 2023
Published online: May 30, 2023
Published in print: Aug 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Oct 30, 2023
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