Hydration, Hardening Properties, and Microstructure of Magnesium Phosphate Cement–Emulsified Asphalt Composites across Various Stoichiometries
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 36, Issue 12
Abstract
To promote green and low-carbon development in the rehabilitation of damaged asphalt pavements, a cold patching material combining magnesium phosphate cement (MPC) with emulsified asphalt (EA) was developed. This study systematically examined the impact of each preparation parameter on the performance of the composite system, including the EA to MPC ratio (A/C), the mass ratio of dead-burned magnesium oxide (MgO) and phosphate (M/P), and the dosing ratio of borax, a retarder (B/M). It also investigated their effects on workability, hydration process, mechanical behavior, and microstructure of MPC-EA. Furthermore, it elucidated the mechanism behind the loss of strength in MPC-EA. The results demonstrate that each component of MPC-EA has interdependent influences on workability. When and M/P increased to 4, there was a 5.4% to 31.5% reduction in setting time and an increase in compressive strength as well. However, when , M/P gradually lost its regulating effect. EA significantly prolonged the setting time of the MPC-EA system; for instance, when (compared with MPC), setting time more than doubled but fluidity was severely impaired due to EA incorporation into the system. Additionally, borax in the MPC-EA system exhibited significant delaying effects on setting time, while positively affecting fluidity as well. Moreover, borax modulated heat release rate and cumulative heat release in MPC-EA, which influenced mechanical properties and improved microstructure within this system too. Furthermore, when A/C is not greater than 0.2, the pore structure becomes refined; however, when A/C is greater than 0.2, the porosity increases along with an increase in harmful micropores proportion within MPC-EA. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) test clarified microscopic mechanisms behind strength loss in MPC-EA: inhibition of hydration product development, poor crystalline morphology, and encapsulation by asphaltene film leading to decreased mechanical strength due to incomplete reaction between hydration products and reactants.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
Acknowledgments
The authors greatly appreciate the financial support from National Natural Science Foundation of China with Grant No. 52279105.
Author contributions: Huasheng Zhang: writing–original draft and formal analysis. Yan Pei: conceptualization, content review, and revision. Guoyin Zhou: investigation. Haiyang Yu: validation. Mi Zhang: resources. Cheng Xu: resources. Qingsong Zhang: supervision.
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Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 36 • Issue 12 • December 2024
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 20, 2023
Accepted: Feb 23, 2024
Published online: Sep 18, 2024
Published in print: Dec 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Feb 18, 2025
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Asphalt pavements
- Chemical compounds
- Chemical elements
- Chemicals
- Chemistry
- Concrete pavements
- Engineering mechanics
- Environmental engineering
- Hydration
- Infrastructure
- Laminating
- Magnesium
- Material mechanics
- Material properties
- Materials characterization
- Materials engineering
- Materials processing
- Microstructure
- Pavements
- Phosphate
- Pollutants
- Salts
- Transportation engineering
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