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Volumetric Variation and Rheology of Cement Based Mineral Additions (Blast Furnace Slag and Silica Fume)



Author(s)

Meriem Laakri, Mohamed Nadjib Oudjit and Kamel Abdelli

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DOI:10.17265/1934-7359/2014.02.009

Civil Engineering Department, University of Science and Technology Houari Boumediene (USTHB), Algiers 16111, Algeria

The partial substitution of clinker by mineral additions offers very significant, both economical and environmental benefits. This adds value to industrial waste, and contributes also in the preservation of natural resources, like clay and limestone, as well as the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (CO₂). This study is interested in the simultaneous effect of BFS (blast furnace slag) and SF (silica fume) on setting time and water requirement of cement paste. The volumetric variations are tested in mortars, prepared in the same mixture of pastes, and the tests indicate that the addition of slag increase the fluidity, reduce the water demand, shrinkage and expansion, compared to the mortar, containing ten percent (10%) of Silica Fume only. The images of pastes obtained by SEM (scanning electron microscopy), are indicated an improvement of the microstructure of the paste with a large amount of slag, which leads to improve durability.

Cement rheology, blast furnace slag, silica fume, shrinkage, expansion, microstructure.