EARLY AGE HYDRATION OF METAKAOLIN CEMENT BLENDS

Abstract eng:
Currently, the precast industry represents 20% of concrete production around the world and the use of steam curing to accelerate hydration has been adopted as one of the standard methods for high-volume production of concrete units. Precast concrete can contribute toward a more efficient, cost effective and durable design, as well as toward more superior construction practices associated with efficient constructability, design flexibility and minimization of construction noise and waste. This paper examines the effect of general use cement (GU), ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), and metakaolin (MK), at w/b ratios of 0.34 and 0.40, on the hydration processes and chemistry of hydration products when exposed to steam curing conditions for 18 hours. Early age hydration was examined by differential thermal and thermogravimetric analysis, x-ray diffraction, non-evaporable water content and cube strengths. Results revealed that an increase in MK content resulted in decreased levels of CH. Compressive strengths in mixtures containing MK at 0.34 w/b ratio were observed to have higher compressive strengths than control mixes and the opposite was observed in mixes of 0.40 w/b ratio. KEYWORDS: steam-curing, metakaloin, slag, hydration products, early-age, compressive strength

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