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Reaction Mechanism and Properties of Cement-Based Materials

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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Construction and Building Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 July 2024) | Viewed by 6900

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Dr. Weiting Xu

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School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China
Interests: high-performance cement-based materials; shrinkage reduction and toughening mechanism of concrete; prevention and control of concrete cracks; recycling of solid waste; organic-inorganic composite cementitious materials; molecular dynamics simulation
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Dear Colleagues,

Cement is one of the most important building materials in human history and is used to build various infrastructures due to its high strength, excellent durability, and relatively low cost. The microstructure of cement-based materials is composed of cement paste system, stone, porosity, water content, and other components. Among them, the cement paste system, mainly the hydration product of clinker or reaction precursor, is the most important component of cement-based materials. The microstructure of reaction product, pores, and constituent phase, and the hardening process of cement paste system have crucial influences on the mechanical and physical properties of the resulting materials. The in-depth understanding of the relationship between microstructure and macroscopic properties of cement-based materials helps to design more efficient and stable cementitious materials for construction. Cement-based materials are multi-phase and multi-scale structures, and each component has a different degree of influence on the overall mechanical and physical properties. This Special Issue focuses on, but is not limited to, the mechanism of physicochemical effects on the cracking and toughening properties of cement-based materials in macroscopic scale, such as gelling components, aggregates, admixtures, fibers, water-binder ratio, curing system and environmental effect; the effects of micrometer scale reinforcement materials such as microbeads, whiskers and osmotic crystals on the filling, bridging, bonding and osmotic crystallization in cement-based materials system; the enhancing effect and mechanism of nano-scale reinforcement materials, such as nano-SiO₂, nano-CaCO₃, graphene, carbon nanotubes, micro-organisms, nano-polymers, etc., on the microstructure of hydration products, growth mode and pore structure of hardened paste; the conjugate toughening effects of cross-scale components such as “carbon fiber + carbon nanotubes” and “fiber + whisker + graphene” on different scales of cement-based materials.

It is my pleasure to invite you to contribute to the Special Issue “Reaction Mechanism and Properties of Cement-Based Materials”. Full papers, communications, discussions, and reviews related to the current research, application and development of strengthening, toughening and durability enhancement components of different scales of cement-based materials, reaction mechanism and properties of various cementitious materials including Portland cement, aluminate cement, sulfate aluminum cement, ferroaluminate cement, phosphate cement are welcomed.

Dr. Weiting Xu
Guest Editor

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Keywords

cement-based materials
cement-based composite materials
kinetics of hydration evolution
strengthening, toughening, and durability enhancement effect and mechanism
multi-phase and multi-scale structures of cement-based materials
macro-properties and micro-structure
numerical simulation study of cement-based materials
macro-properties and micro-structure of cement or concrete
utilization of waste in the production of sustainable cement-based materials
reaction mechanism of admixtures and their effects on the properties of cement or concrete
mechanism and properties of 3D printing cement materials
cement-based functional materials
Portland cement, aluminate cement, sulfate aluminum cement, ferroaluminate cement, phosphate cement

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 11562 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Fineness and Morphology of Quartz in Siliceous Limestone on the Calcination Process and Quality of Cement Clinker

by Donggen Nie, Wei Li, Lilan Xie, Min Deng, Hao Ding and Kaiwei Liu

Materials 2024, 17(14), 3601; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17143601 - 21 Jul 2024

Viewed by 447

Abstract

With the increasing depletion of high-quality raw materials, siliceous limestone, sandstone and other hard-to-burn raw materials containing crystalline SiO₂ are gradually being used to produce clinker. This study investigates the influence of the quartz content and particle size in siliceous limestone on the calcination process and the resultant quality of cement clinker. Two different siliceous limestones were grinded to different fineness, and calcinated with some other materials. The content of the clinkers was analyzed with the XRD–Rietveld method and the microstructure of the clinkers was observed with laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Three key outcomes of this study provide new insights on the use of siliceous limestone in cement production, namely that (i) reducing the fineness values of siliceous limestone from 15% to 0% of residue on a 0.08 mm sieve decreases the quantity of these larger quartz particles, resulting in an increase in C₃S content by up to 8% and an increase in 28d compressive strength by up to 4.4 Mpa, which is 62.30 Mpa; (ii) the morphology of quartz—either as chert nodules or single crystals—affects the microstructure of C₂S clusters in clinker, finding that chert nodules result in clusters with more intermediate phases, whereas large single crystals lead to denser clusters; (iii) the sufficient fineness values of siliceous limestone SL1 and SL2 are 5% and 7% of residue on a 0.08 mm sieve, respectively, which can produce a clinker with a 28d compressive strength greater than 60 Mpa, indicating that for different kinds of quartz in siliceous limestone, there is an optimum grinding solution that can achieve a balance between clinker quality and energy consumption without having to grind siliceous limestone to very fine grades. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reaction Mechanism and Properties of Cement-Based Materials)

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17 pages, 9295 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on the Influence of Waste Rock Wool on the Properties of Cement Mortar under the Dual Fiber Effect of Polyvinyl Alcohol Fibers and Steel Fibers

by Shijian Lu, Jiajia Cheng, Zhipeng Zhu, Luchao Yan, Yang Wang, Lingling Xu and Min Deng

Materials 2024, 17(14), 3416; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17143416 - 10 Jul 2024

Viewed by 394

Abstract

In this paper, the effect of waste rock-wool dosage on the workability, mechanical strength, abrasion resistance, toughness and hydration products of PVA and steel fiber-reinforced mortars was investigated. The results showed that the fluidity of the mortar gradually decreased with the increase in the dosage of waste rock wool, with a maximum reduction of 10% at a dosage of 20%. The higher the dosage of waste rock wool, the greater the reduction in compressive strength. The effect of waste rock wool on strength reduction decreases with increasing age. When the dosage of waste rock wool was 10%, the 28 days of flexural and compressive strengths were reduced by 4.73% and 10.59%, respectively. As the dosage of waste rock wool increased, the flexural-to-compressive ratio increased, and at 20%, the maximum value of 28 days of flexural-to-compressive ratio was 0.210, which was increased by 28.05%. At a 5% dosage, the abraded volume was reduced from 500 mm³ to 376 mm³—a reduction of 24.8%. Waste rock wool only affects the hydration process and does not cause a change in the type of hydration products. It promotes the hydration of the cementitious material system at low dosages and exhibits an inhibitory effect at high dosages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reaction Mechanism and Properties of Cement-Based Materials)

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12 pages, 1602 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Curing Temperature on Expansion of Concrete Due to ASR

by Yongfu Yang, Min Deng, Liwu Mo and Wei Li

Materials 2024, 17(13), 3140; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17133140 - 27 Jun 2024

Viewed by 347

Abstract

In the laboratory study of alkali–silica reaction (ASR), models attempt to predict the service life of concrete due to ASR by correlating the performance of concrete at high and low temperatures. However, the consequences of elevating temperature are not so encouraging. In this paper, the influence of temperature on the expansion of 2-graded concrete and 3-graded concrete caused by ASR was investigated by curing the concrete under different temperatures ranging from 40 °C to 80 °C. Increased temperature resulted in rapid expansion at the early stages, but the expansion rate of concrete prisms cured at the higher temperatures (70 °C and 80 °C) was slowed down at the later stages, and concrete prisms cured at 50 °C or 60 °C showed the highest expansions during the experimental period. The chemical analysis results of the pore solution expressed from the concrete show that the ASR expansion is significantly influenced by the [OH⁻]: the decrease in [OH⁻] leads to the retardation of the ASR expansion. The decrease in [OH⁻] is attributed to the consumption of OH⁻ ions for the alkali–silica reaction and the decrease in activity of NaOH(aq) influenced by the temperature. For large cross-section specimens, the OH⁻ within the concrete for alkali–silica reactions cannot be effectively compensated by the external alkali solution. In the accelerated test to evaluate ASR for large cross-section specimens, a curing temperature of less than 60 °C is suggested. This study provides critical insights into the temperature dependency of ASR expansion of concrete, offering a curing temperature range for developing predictive models of ASR expansion under varied environmental conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reaction Mechanism and Properties of Cement-Based Materials)

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14 pages, 3016 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Kinetics of Alkali–Silica Reaction: Application to Sandstone

by Yongfu Yang, Min Deng, Liwu Mo and Wei Li

Materials 2024, 17(12), 2956; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17122956 - 17 Jun 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 403

Abstract

Despite extensive research, the relationship between the progression of the alkali–silica reaction (ASR) and the expansion of concrete due to ASR, particularly for the heterogeneous aggregate with slow reactivity, is not thoroughly understood. In this paper, the dissolution kinetics of reactive silica present in sandstone when exposed to NaOH solutions, alongside the expansion characteristics of rock prisms under ASR conditions, were studied. The experimental results indicate that ASR behaves as a first-order reaction, accompanied by an exponential decrease in the concentration of OH⁻ over time, and the dissolution rate of silica is predominantly governed by diffusion dynamics. Notably, increasing the temperature accelerates ASR, which augments the expansive pressure in a confined and limited space, leading to more significant aggregate expansion. Conversely, higher temperatures also result in a diminished retention of ASR gels within the aggregate, leading to the mitigation of ASR expansion. Our findings underscore that larger aggregates retain a greater quantity of gels, resulting in more pronounced expansion. To establish an ASR prediction model based on the relationship of the ASR expansion of concrete to high and low temperatures, the parameters such as the range of curing temperatures and the grading size of aggregates should be carefully considered for the experiments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reaction Mechanism and Properties of Cement-Based Materials)

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21 pages, 5981 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Different Types of Fillers on the Performance of PMMA-Based Low-Temperature Rapid Repair Mortar

by Zhipeng Zhu, Lingling Xu, Min Deng, Shijian Lu, Zemeng Guo, Luchao Yan and Yang Wang

Materials 2024, 17(12), 2871; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17122871 - 12 Jun 2024

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Abstract

In order to further optimize the performance of PMMA (Polymethyl Methacrylate) repair mortar. In this paper, fly ash, talcum powder and wollastonite powder are used as fillers to modify the PMMA repair mortar. The effects of these three fillers on the working performance, mechanical performance and durability of PMMA repair mortar were explored. The study shows that the three fillers have good effect on the bond strength of the repair mortar, in which the fly ash has the best effect on the mechanical performance. The mechanical properties of PMMA repair mortar were best when the amount of fly ash was 60 phr (parts per hundred, representing the amount of the material added per hundred parts of PMMA). At this time, the 28 d compressive strength was 71.26 MPa and the 28 d flexural strength was 28.09 MPa, which increased by 13.31% and 15.33%, respectively. Wollastonite powder had the least negative effect on the setting time of the PMMA repair mortar. When the dosage of wollastonite powder was increased to 100 phr, the setting time was only extended from 65 min to 94 min. When the talc dosage was 60 phr, the best improvement in salt freezing resistance was achieved. After 100 cycles of salt freezing, the mass loss rate and strength loss rate decreased to 0.159% and 4.97%, respectively, which were 75.1% and 37.7% higher than that of the control group. The addition of all three fillers reduced the porosity and the proportion of harmful pores in the mortar. This study contributes to a comprehensive understanding how different types of fillers affect PMMA repair mortars, and it also provides theoretical support for the further development of low-temperature rapid repair mortars. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reaction Mechanism and Properties of Cement-Based Materials)

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21 pages, 7642 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Ultrafine Fly Ash and Slag Powder on Microstructure and Properties of Magnesium Potassium Phosphate Cement Paste

by Zheng Jia, Yuhui Zhang and Liwu Mo

Materials 2024, 17(11), 2556; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17112556 - 25 May 2024

Viewed by 2525

Abstract

This study investigated the influences of ultrafine fly ash (UFA) and ultrafine slag powder (USL) on the compressive strengths, autogenous shrinkage, phase assemblage, and microstructure of magnesium potassium phosphate cement (MKPC). The findings indicate that the aluminosilicate fractions present in both ultrafine fly ash and ultrafine slag participate in the acid–base reaction of the MKPC system, resulting in a preferential formation of irregularly crystalline struvite-K incorporating Al and Si elements or amorphous aluminosilicate phosphate products. UFA addition mitigates early age autogenous shrinkage in MKPC-based materials, whereas USL exacerbates this shrinkage. In terms of the sustained mechanical strength development of the MKPC system, ultrafine fly ash is preferred over ultrafine slag powder. MKPC pastes with ultrafine fly ash show greater compressive strength compared to those with ultrafine slag powder at 180 days due to denser interfaces between the ultrafine fly ash particles and hydration products like struvite-K. The incorporation of 30 wt% ultrafine fly ash enhances compressive strengths across all testing ages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reaction Mechanism and Properties of Cement-Based Materials)

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15 pages, 3929 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Durability of Prestressed Piles in a Leachate Environment

by Yu Wang, Min Deng, Rihong Zhang, Xuming Yu, Junzhong Xue and Jing Zhang

Materials 2024, 17(11), 2497; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17112497 - 22 May 2024

Viewed by 434

Abstract

Prestressed pipe piles are common concrete components characterized by dense concrete structures and favorable mechanical properties, and thus, extensively used as coastal soft soil foundations. However, their durability in harsh environments has not been fully clarified. In this study, leachate from an actual landfill site was collected from the east coast of China as the corrosive medium, and the corrosion process was accelerated by electrifying prestressed pipe piles. The results demonstrated that the concentration of chloride ions in the concrete of the prestressed pile increased with the increase in corrosion time. Moreover, the experimental corrosion of these prestressed piles in the drying–wetting cycle proved to be the most severe. However, a protective layer of epoxy resin coating can effectively inhibit the diffusion of chloride ions into the interior of the piles. The final theoretical corrosion amounts of the piles were 1.55 kg, 1.20 kg, and 1.64 kg under immersion, epoxy resin protection, and a drying–wetting cycle environment. The application of epoxy resin reduced chloride penetration by 22.6%, and the drying–wetting cycle increased chloride penetration by 5.8%, respectively, with corresponding corrosion potentials following similar patterns. The actual corrosion depth of the welding seam was 3.20 mm, and there was a large corrosion allowance compared with the requirement (6.53 mm) for the ultimate bending moment. In summary, these prestressed piles exhibited good durability in a leachate environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reaction Mechanism and Properties of Cement-Based Materials)

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17 pages, 42517 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Inhibition Studies of Expansion Damage in Medium–Low Reactivity Limestone by Fly Ash

by Shaocong Dai, Xinyu Zhang, Wei Li, Zhongyang Mao, Xiaojun Huang, Min Deng and Bi Chen

Materials 2024, 17(10), 2422; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17102422 - 17 May 2024

Viewed by 546

Abstract

Expansion damage in medium–low reactivity dolomite limestone poses significant challenges in construction and engineering projects. This study investigates the potential of fly ash in inhibiting expansion damage in such limestone formations based on RILEM AAR-5 method. Through a series of laboratory experiments, various proportions of fly ash instead of cement, respectively, were prepared and subjected to varying alkali content conditions immersion tests to simulate expansion conditions. The expansion rates and extents were monitored and compared between pure limestone samples and those mixed with different proportions of fly ash. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis was employed to investigate the microstructure of the dolomite limestone–fly ash mixtures to understand the inhibition mechanisms. Results indicate that fly ash demonstrates promising inhibitory effects on expansion damage in medium–low reactivity dolomite limestone across the addition of 40% fly ash and alkali content of 0.70%. The reaction products are calcite, brucite, and a mixture of Mg-Si-Al phases and the reaction area is within 100 μm from the boundary when the cement alkali content is 1.50% without any fly ash. However, no reaction products were found at the boundary after adding 40% fly ash when lowering the cement alkali content to 0.70%. This research contributes to a better understanding of the interaction between fly ash and dolomite limestone in inhibiting expansion damage, providing valuable insights for engineering applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reaction Mechanism and Properties of Cement-Based Materials)

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Review

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19 pages, 2184 KiB

Open AccessReview

Early-Age Cracking of Fly Ash and GGBFS Concrete Due to Shrinkage, Creep, and Thermal Effects: A Review

by Yingda Zhang, Xinyue Liu, Ziyi Xu, Weiguang Yuan, Yong Xu, Zuobang Yao, Zihao Liu and Ruizhe Si

Materials 2024, 17(10), 2288; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17102288 - 12 May 2024

Viewed by 867

Abstract

Supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) are eco-friendly cementitious materials that can partially replace ordinary Portland cement (OPC). The occurrence of early-age cracking in OPC-SCM blended cement is a significant factor impacting the mechanical properties and durability of the concrete. This article presents a comprehensive review of the existing research on cracking in OPC-SCM concrete mix at early ages. To assess the effects of SCMs on the early-age cracking of concrete, the properties of blended cement-based concrete, in terms of its viscoelastic behavior, evolution of mechanical performance, and factors that affect the risk of cracking in concrete at early ages, are reviewed. The use of SCMs in OPC-SCM concrete mix can be an effective method for mitigating early-age cracking while improving the properties and durability of concrete structures. Previous research showed that the shrinkage and creep of OPC-SCM concrete mix are lower than those of conventional concrete. Moreover, the lower cement content of OPC-SCM concrete mix resulted in a better resistance to thermal cracking. Proper selection, proportioning, and implementation of SCMs in concrete can help to optimize the performance and reduce the environmental impact of OPC-SCM concrete mix. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reaction Mechanism and Properties of Cement-Based Materials)

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