Effect of High Content Limestone Powder on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Cement-based Materials

Compared with the control sample without limestone powder(LP), the mechanical properties of the sample with 30% LP can be significantly improved by using a small amount of water reducer to reduce the water-cement ratio, without significantly affecting the fluidity of the fresh mixture and increasing the economic cost. In addition, compared with the sole addition of limestone powder, dual addition of metakaolin and limestone powder can effectively improve the strengths. The reason of this phenomenon was investigated by means of XRD, TG-DTG, SEM, LF-NMR and isothermal calorimetry, etc. The reactive aluminum-rich phases in metakaolin react with limestone powder in the hydration process, and the formed calcium carboaluminate reduces the porosity and makes the hardened paste denser. The addition of ground granulated blast furnace slag can also improve the strength of the specimen added with limestone powder, whereas, the effect is inferior to that of metakaolin, for the ground granulated blast furnace slag contains less reactive aluminate phases, and accordingly, the amount of calcium carboaluminate generated is lower than that of metakaolin.

Preparation of High Activity Admixture from Steel Slag,Phosphate Slag and Limestone Powder

The problem of low disposal and utilization rate of bulk industrial solid waste needs to be solved.In this paper,a high-activity admixture composed of steel slag-phosphate slag-limestone powder was proposed for most of the solid waste with low activity and a negative impact on concrete workability,combining the characteristics of each solid waste.The paper demonstrates the feasibility and explains the principle of the composite system in terms of water requirement of standard consistency,setting time,workability,and mechanical properties,combined with the composition of the phases,hydration temperature,and microscopic morphology.The results showed that the steel slag:phosphate slag:limestone=5:2:3 gave the highest activity of the composite system,over 92%.Besides,the composite system had no significant effect on water demand and setting time compared to cement,and it could significantly increase the 7 and 28 d activity of the system.The composite system delayed the exothermic hydration of the cement and reduced the exothermic heat but had no effect on the hydration products.Therefore,the research in this paper dramatically improved the solid waste dissipation in concrete,reduced the amount of cement in concrete and positively responded to the national slogan of carbon neutral and peaking.

Effect of Limestone Powder on Microstructure of Concrete

The effect of limestone powder on microstructure of concrete was studied by using mercury intrusion porosimetry （MIP）, backscattering scanning electron（BSE）, scanning electron mi- croscopy （SEM） and X-ray diffraction （XRD） techniques. The experimental results show that the compressive strength of concrete containing 100 kg/m3 limestone powder can meet the strength requirement. Limestone powder has not pozzolanic activity; it is still unhydrated at the age of 28 days. But its filling effect can make the paste matrix and the interfacial transition zone between matrix and aggregate denser, which will improve the performance of concrete.

Effect of Limestone Powder and Fly Ash on Magnesium Sulfate Resistance of Mortar

The effect of limestone powder and fly ash on magnesium sulfate resistance of mortar was studied by testing on the strength, expansion and hydration products of the specimens stored in MgSO4 solution at certain periods. The experimental results show that the strength of mortar stored in MgSO4 solution increases a little before 28 d, but decreases fast subsequently. The more the contents of limestone powder and fly ash, the less the strength losses. Mortar swells in the MgSO4 solution with the soaking time. And the more the contents of limestone powder and fly ash, the less the expansion rate is. The expansion or strength loss of mortars results from the expansion of gypsum, as well as the loss of Ca（OH）2 and other hydration products of cement. The magnesium sulfate resistance of the mortars containing limestone powder and fly ash is high.

Form and Mechanism of Sulfate Attack on Cement-based Material Made of Limestone Powder at Low Water-binder Ratio under Low Temperature Conditions

The development of strength and the form of attack of cement-based material made of limestone powder at low water-binder ratio under low-temperature sulfate environment were studied. The results indicate that when water-binder ratio is lower than 0.40, the cement-based material with limestone powder has insignificant change in appearance after being soaked in 10% magnesium sulfate solution at low temperature for 120 d, and has significant change in appearance after being soaked at the age of 200 d. Expansion damage and exfoliation occur on the surface of concrete test cube at different levels. When limestone powder accounts for about 28 percent of cementitious material, with the decrease of water-binder ratio, the compressive strength loss has gradually decreased after the material is soaked in the magnesium sulfate solution at low temperature at the age of 200 d. After the specimen with the water-binder ratio of less than 0.4 and the limestone powder volume of greater than 20% is soaked in 10% magnesium sulfate solution at low temperature at the age of 200 d, gypsum attack-led destruction is caused to the concrete test cube, without thaumasite sulfate attack.

Effects of Limestone Powder on Rheological Properties of Cement - Fly Ash Mortar

This article studies the effects of limestone powder on rheological properties of cement - fly ash mortar with RHEOLAB QC type rotation viscometer. The Bingham fluid model is introduced to fit the yielding stress and plastic viscosity of the mortar. The POWER LAW fluid model is introduced to fit the rheological index of the mortar. The results show that, adding limestone powder and fly ash to the cement mortar significantly decreases the yield stress of the mortar, changes the plastic viscosity of the mortar, increases the rheological index, decreases the degree of shear thinning of the mortar, and thereby improves the mortar＇ s workability. In the case of cement - fly ash mortar, with the increase of limestone powder content, both the yield stress and plastic viscosity of the mortar increase. When the limestone powder content is not higher than 14%, the increase of yield stress is not significant. When the limestone powder content is lower than 8%, the increase of plastic viscosity is not significant. When the content of limestone powder is higher than 22%, the rheological index of the mortar decreases and the degree of shear thinning increases. The effects of limestone powder＇ s packing density, shape and size, specific surface area, and fluid volume, are found to be the four major factors responsible for the changes ofrheological properties of the mortar.

Strength of Limestone-based Non-calcined Cement and its Properties

A new type of cement was prepared with ground limestone powder, blastfumace slag, steel slag and gypsum without calcination. The fraction of ground limestone powder in the cement was as high as 40 wt%-60 wt% without Portland clinker. All of its physical properties can meet the requirements of masonry cement standards. The impact of limestone content on physical properties of the cement and determined its impact on law was investigated. The steel slag can excit the aquation activity of this cement effectively, and the influence of its quantity on the strength of the materials was studied, which shows that the optimum quantity of mixing is 10%. By way of changing the different content of the lime stone by quartzy sample, the law of the compression strength and the PH value was determined, confirming that the lime stone can promote the early aquation of the slag and improve the early strength. The main hydration product of this cement is calcium aluminate hydrate, ettringite and calcium silicate hydrate, as indicated by XRD and SEM analysis.

Potential Use of Crushed Ghanaian Limestone in Paste and Mortar Formulated for Masonry

Crushed Ghanaian limestone （L） powder was analysed for its physical, chemical and microstructural properties for the formulation of mortar for masonry. Ordinary Portland Cement （OPC） was replaced by 10- 40% limestone powder for paste and mortar formulation. Mechanical properties that included compressive strength, water demand and setting times （initial and final） were determined and analysed. The mechanical properties were determined in accordance with ASTM standards. The test results indicated that crushed limestone powder contained about 88.7% CaO in calcite form. A 10-30% and 35-40% limestone content in conjunction with OPC was suitable to produce ASTM type M and S mortars respectively. Formulated OPC - L paste showed a high water demand, a delayed initial setting time and an accelerated final setting time than the plain OPC paste.

Effect of cement types, mineral admixtures, and bottom ash on the curing sensitivity of concrete

The curing sensitivity of concrete with cement Types 1, 3, and 5 as well as multiple powders consisting of cement, fly ash, and limestone powder was studied. Bottom ash was also used in the study as an internal curing agent and a partial substi- tution of fine aggregate. The curing sensitivity index was calculated by considering the performances of compressive strength and carbonation depth. Specimens were subjected to two curing conditions： continuously water-cured and continuously air-cured. The results show that cement Type 3 has a lower curing sensitivity, while cement Type 5 increases the curing sensitivity. For the mixes without bottom ash, the use of fly ash increases the curing sensitivity, while limestone powder reduces the curing sen- sRivity of concrete. The use of bottom ash in concrete reduces the curing sensitivity, especially at a lower mass ratio of water to binder. Concrete with limestone powder, together with bottom ash, is least sensitive to curing. The curing sensitivity calculated from carbonation depth also has a similar tendency as that derived by considering compressive strength. From the test results of compressive strength and curing sensitivity, bottom ash has been proven to be an effective internal curing agent.

Effect of polycarboxylate-type superplasticizer on the paste fluidity based on the water film thickness of flocs

The excess water film theory and the properties of flocs are integrated to examine the effect of the polycarboxylate-type superplasticizer on the paste fluidity. The theory states that excess water can surround the flocs rather than the particles and that the cell consists of a floc and a superficial water film. Experiments on limestone powder pastes were conducted to verify the theory. The superplasticizer dosage （sp%） and the water-powder ratio by volume （Vw/Vv） were systematically varied. A sedimentation balance method was used to measure the size distribution of the flocs in the limestone powder pastes. The water film thickness （WFT） of flocs was then calculated and shown to determine the paste fluidity. Based on this WFT of flocs, the effect of the sp on the paste fluidity was determined and then compared with the effect of water.