Advanced Pore Structure Characterization of High-Volume Mineral Admixture Steam-Cured Mortar Using X-Ray Computed Tomography
Yuntian Wang, Songlin Xie, Yushu Li, Min Yang, Qiuling Chen, Lijuan Huang, Danping Hu, Sheng Li
TL;DR
This study uses X-ray imaging to show how steam curing and postcuring methods affect the strength and pore structure of concrete with mineral additives.
Contribution
The novel contribution is the use of X-ray computed tomography to analyze pore structure changes in steam-cured concrete with high mineral admixture content.
Findings
Steam curing followed by water curing improved compressive and flexural strength by 9% and 19.8%, respectively.
Higher steam curing temperatures increased porosity and reduced mechanical strength.
Postcuring with water reduced pore size variability and enhanced durability.
Abstract
Steam curing is a widely used method in the production of industrial precast concrete but it often leads to thermal damage that negatively impacts the material’s long-term durability and mechanical strength. The use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) has shown considerable promise in improving pore structure and alleviating these adverse effects. This study employs high-resolution X-ray computed tomography (X-CT) to thoroughly assess how steam curing temperatures and various subsequent curing regimes influence the pore characteristics of mortars containing high volumes of mineral admixtures. The results shows that steam-cured specimens under water curing (ST8012-WA) achieved a compressive strength of 51.72 MPa and flexural strength of 5.85 MPa, representing improvements of 9% and 19.8%, respectively, compared to natural curing (ST8012-NA: 47.32 MPa and 4.88 MPa). The…
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Taxonomy
TopicsConcrete and Cement Materials Research · Concrete Properties and Behavior · Innovative concrete reinforcement materials