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One new flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum-based binder is attempted in this article, which is made up of FGD gypsum, ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) and ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Influences of raw materials, chemical activators, and curing conditions on the compressive strength of this new binder-based mortar, as well as its durability performances and microscopic characteristics, are investigated in consideration of utilizing FGD gypsum as much as possible. Results show that the compressive strength of this new binder-based mortar under normal curing conditions could increase along with GGBS dosages from three days to 90 days. The compressive strength of one selected mix proportion (FG-4550), which contains the highest dosage of FGD gypsum (45 wt.%), is much the same as those containing the highest dosage of GGBS. A better compressive strength of FG-4550 under normal curing conditions could be gained if the fineness of GGBS is improved. The activated effect of CaCl2 on the compressive strength of FG-4550 is superior to that of Ca(OH)2 under steam curing conditions. FG-4550 shows a good capacity for resistance to water, a low shrinkage ratio, but poor compressive strength after 30 freeze-thaw cycles. Based on the mineralogy of X-ray diffraction, the morphology of scanning electron microscopy and the pore diameter distributions of 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, the compressive strength of this FGD gypsum-based mortar mainly depends on clusters of ettringite.

To investigate the fracture performance of high-strength concrete (HSC) under different steam curing systems, this research conducted three-point bending tests on HSC and monitored the fracture process using acoustic emission (AE) and digital image correlation (DIC) technology. The experimental results indicate that both the delay period before steam curing and the duration of high-temperature steam curing have a significant impact on the strength and fracture performance of HSC. When the steam curing duration increased from 6 h to 12 h, the strength and fracture performance of the concrete initially improved and then declined. When the delay period was reduced from 4 h to 2 h, the strength and fracture performance exhibited a decreasing trend. The ratio of splitting tensile strength to compressive strength of HSC ranges from 1/10 to 1/12. The strain cloud map obtained through DIC technology revealed the development of cracks, and the variation in the length of the fracture process zone (FPZ) with the loading process was calculated. The activity of the HSC fracture process was reflected by the AE ringing count, and the damage evolution law of the fracture process was evaluated using the b -value. Shortened delay periods or excessive steam curing increased internal defects in HSC, leading to fracture via low-energy microcrack propagation. Properly cured HSC, with a denser microstructure, exhibited higher-energy failure along dominant fracture paths.

Two sources of natural scoria rocks were procured and ground for use in concrete as natural pozzolans (NP1 and NP2). The evaluation of their pozzolanic reactivity is carried out using different techniques and approaches. The primary goal of employing these techniques is to monitor the amount of portlandite (CH=Ca(OH)2) consumed during steam curing at low or high pressure. The pozzolanicity of NP powders is determined either directly by monitoring CH variation or indirectly by compressive strength and microstructure development. Autoclave curing is known to stimulate the pozzolanicity of the inert siliceous and aluminosiliceous materials under its high-pressure steam conditions. Both steam-curing conditions were applied in this investigation. In this study, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, thermogravimetric, Fourier transform infrared, and isothermal analyzers were used. It is concluded that the nature and types of minerals in SR determine their pozzolanic reactivity as either low-pressure steam-reactive or high-pressure steam-reactive cementitious materials. Due to the nature of their silicate structures, notably single-chain or 3D-framework structures, plagioclase feldspars (albite-anorthite) minerals are high-pressure steam-reactive minerals, whereas pyroxene (enstatite and diopside) minerals are low-pressure steam-reactive minerals. Using high-pressure steam curing, varied replacement levels of up to 60% were achieved in NP1, with a consistent strength activity index (SAI) of 99%, while an SAI of 79% was obtained with NP2. During low-pressure steam curing, NP1 and NP2 consumed around 72 and 80% of portlandite, respectively, demonstrating their relative pozzolanic reactivity. When compared to the control concrete mix, the strength activity indices of NP1, NP2, and class F fly ash in their normal concrete mixes reached 74.3, 82, and 73.7%, respectively, after 56 days of normal curing conditions.

To explore the feasibility of the application of steel slag powder (SSP) in steam-cured precast concrete, 0% and 20% SSP were used to replace cement and prepare cement paste, and the early age performance of steam-cured (80 °C for 7 h and 7 d) SSP-blended cement paste, including different types and amounts of hydrates, the microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated and compared with those of 28 d standard-cured SSP sample. The results show that SSP addition promotes the generation of laminar C-S-H gels and granular C-S-H gels after an initial 7 h steam curing. Further extending the lasting time of 80 °C steam curing to 7 days favors the production of hydrogarnet and crystalline C-S-H, of which the amount of formation of hydrogarnet in SSP composite cement paste is less and the particle size is smaller than those in the control sample. However, steam curing increases the gap between the number of hydrates formed in SSP-blended cement paste and the control paste. The delayed hydration effect of SSP on cement offsets the promoting effect of steam curing on the hydration of cement; in consequence, the incorporation of SSP seems to be detrimental to the hydration of steam-cured cement paste.

In this paper, the influence of the substitution rate of metakaolin (MK) and ultrafine fly ash (UFA) on the hydration degree, the micromechanical properties, the pore size distribution, and the corresponding fractal dimension of composite cement-based material was investigated under high-temperature steam curing. Furthermore, Thermogravimetric, Nanoindentation, and low-field nuclear magnetic resonance tests were used to explore the influencing factors of pore size distribution and its corresponding multi-fractal dimension. Finally, the correlations among the pore size distribution, related fractal dimensions, and compression strength were analyzed. Results indicate that the MK-UFA cement ternary cementation system (TCS) can improve the compressive strength and fluidity of samples and enhance the hydration degree and micromechanical properties of the cementitious system. TCS effectively refines the pore size and increases microporosity. In addition, micropore and its fractal dimension have a stronger correlation with the compressive strength of composite cement-based materials. Furthermore, the micro-fractal dimensions can better reflect the essential characteristics of the composite cementitious system. The higher the degree of hydration of the cementitious system and the nanomechanical properties of the C-(A)-S-H gel, the lower the micro-fractal dimension. Finally, the GM (1,3) prediction model of compressive strength, micro-fractal dimension, and microporosity are established based on the grey relational theory.

When the low strength grade of steam-curing concrete is produced, the temperature which the concrete leaves steam-curing kiln is about 20°C commonly. The temperature difference is too large between the environmental temperature and the temperature which the concrete leaves steam-curing kiln when the daily average temperature drops to 10°C. Because the steam-curing concrete is cooled rapidly, a large of crack will be produced in concrete and the internal structure of concrete will be damaged normally. Then the performance of concrete will be influenced badly. In order to improve the negative effect on concrete by steam curing, the different supplementary curing is used after steam curing. The C30 concrete is made in this research. The daily average temperature is 5°C~10°C and the minimum temperature is-6°C during the test. After the concrete is formed, it is placed in 20°C environment for 2h first. Then the concrete is heated to 55°C in 2h and maintained for 8h in the steam-curing kiln. In the end, the concrete is cooled to 20°C in 3h. After steam curing, the standard curing and covering by wet fabric or film outside are used separately for concrete. The supplementary curing time is 1d, 2d, 3d and 4d. Then the concrete is placed in natural environment to 28d. The microstructure of hydration products are observed by electron microscope. The density of concrete is analyzed by the result of the 28d saturated water content, softening factor and 28d rapid carbonation depth. The mechanical properties of concrete are researched by the result of the 28d strength. When the concrete adopts standard curing or covering by film after steam-curing, the saturated water content and 28d rapid carbonation depth of the concrete will reduce, but the softening factor and 28d strength of the concrete will increase with the time. The performance of concrete which adopts covering by wet fabric after steam-curing is worse than that adopting standard curing. At the same time, the saturated water content and softening factor of concrete change little. Covering by wet fabric is worse than no covering or similar. In the test environment, the performance of the steam-curing concrete with each supplementary curing is worse than that of the concrete with standard curing. The standard curing is the best supplementary curing in this test. But covering by film is a worthy supplementary curing from economy and practicability. Covering by film for 4d, the 28d strength of steam-curing concrete is 87 percent of that of the concrete with standard curing and exceeds Design grade. Its saturated water content is 1.50% and softening factor is 0.932. Its rapid carbonation depth is close to that of the concrete with standard curing and its microstructure of hydration products is preferable.

To dimension the structural systems of reinforced or prestressed concrete, it is necessary to know at least the elastic modulus and the compressive strength of the concrete. This is because several factors directly influence these two properties, from the dosage to the procedure adopted for curing the concrete. Therefore, this study aims to present the influence of two different types of curing (humid and thermal steam) over the elastic modulus of the concrete. The results demonstrate that a significant reduction occurs on the modulus when the concrete is submitted to thermal steam curing. Additionally, the increase in the volume of the paste in the mixture reduces the stiffness of the compound. Keywords: elastic modulus; humid curing; thermal steam curing.

The measures of steam curing and early-strengthening agents to promote the precast components to reach the target strength quickly can bring different degrees of damage to the concrete. Based on this, the new nanomaterial CSH-the hydration product of cement effectively solves these measures’ disadvantages, such as excessive energy consumption, thermal stress damage, and the introduction of external ions. In this paper, the effect of CSH on the early strength of precast fly ash concrete components was investigated in terms of setting time, workability, and mechanical properties and analyzed at the microscopic level using hydration temperature, XRD, and SEM. The results showed that under the same workability, CSH could significantly reduce the amount of admixture, shorten the final setting time, almost not affect the initial setting time, and accelerate the hydration of cement. At the optimum dose of 5%, the mechanical properties of the specimens were improved by more than 98% within 12 h of hydration, resulting in an earlier release time of 12 h and no risk of strength inversion later. The results of this paper give theoretical support to the behavior of precast components under steam-free curing.

This article selects raw materials from different areas to design C60 concrete, based on JGJ55-2011 Specification for mix proportion design of ordinary concrete. The specimens are cured under standard curing schedule and steam curing schedule, respectively. Compressive strengths of requirement age are tested. The result shows that the compressive strengths under steam curing schedule are lower than that under standard curing schedule, and the difference value is about 8MPa. Knowing the trial-mix strength calculation equation of C60 concrete under standard curing schedule, the relationship between the two kinds of curing schedules is analyzed, and then the trial-mix strength calculation equation of C60 concrete under the steam curing schedule is found.

Direct electric curing (EC) is a new green curing method for cement-based materials that improves the early mechanical properties via the uniform high temperature produced by Joule heating. To understand the effects of EC and steam curing (SC) on the mechanical properties and microstructure of cement-based materials, the mortar was cured at different temperature-controlled curing regimes (40 °C, 60 °C, and 80 °C). Meanwhile, the mechanical properties, hydrates and pore structures of the specimens were investigated. The energy consumption of the curing methods was compared. The results showed that the EC specimens had higher and more stable growth of mechanical strength. The hydration degree and products of EC samples were similar to that of SC samples. However, the pore structure of EC specimens was finer than that of SC specimens at different curing ages. Moreover, the energy consumption of EC was much lower than that of SC. This study provides an important technical support for the EC in the production of energy-saving and high early-strength concrete precast components.