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Ternary blended cements, made with silica fume and limestone, provide significant benefits such as improved compressive strength, chloride penetration resistance, sulfates attack, etc. Furthermore, they could be considered low-carbon cements, and they contribute to reducing the depletion of natural resources in reference to water usage, fossil fuel consumption, and mining. Limestone (10%, 15%, and 20%) with different fineness and coarse silica fume (3%, 5%, and 7%) was used to produce ternary cements. The average size of coarse silica fume used was 238 μm. For the first time, the carbonation resistance of ternary Portland cements made with silica fume and limestone has been assessed. The carbonation resistance was assessed by natural carbonation testing. The presence of coarse silica fume and limestone in the blended cement led to pore refinement of the cement-based materials by the filling effect and the C-S-H gel formation. Accordingly, the carbonation resistance of these new ternary cements was less poor than expected for blended cements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ternary Portland cements composed of coarse silica fume (SF), limestone (LS), and Portland cement (PC) can afford some environmental advantages by reducing the clinker content in Portland cements. These cements will help to reduce the clinker factor target from 0.78 to 0.60 by 2050 with the aim to be climate neutral. Silica fume (SF) possesses pozzolanic properties that enhance mechanical strength and durability. By contrast, limestone powder has three main outcomes, i.e., filler, dilution, and chemical effects. The first reduces porosity and refines the microstructure of mortars and concretes. The second decreases the amount of hydration products and increases the porosity; the third one promotes the appearance of carboaluminates and reduces porosity. This paper covers the mechanical properties of Portland cement-limestone-coarse silica fume ternary cements, and its synergetic mechanism. Compressive and flexural strength of mortar at 2, 7, 14 and 28 days was performed. Coarse silica fume has a minor contribution on the nucleation effect compared to ground limestone at early ages. The nucleation and filler effects, at early ages, are less pronounced in coarse and very fine limestone powder. The highest compressive strength at 28 days is reached with the lowest content of coarse silica fume (3%). Mortar mixes made with a high level of limestone presented a delay in the compressive strength development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: In this paper, blended cements are proposed as an effective means of meeting the needs of mitigating climatic change. This proposal is a two-pronged strategy, i.e., durable and sustainable. The pozzolanic reaction of four binders is assessed, which is related to an alkali–silica reaction (ASR). Thanks to the findings made here, mix-design optimization can be performed. Alkali–silica reaction (ASR) is a swelling reaction that occurs in concrete structures over time between the reactive amorphous siliceous aggregate particles and the hydroxyl ions of the hardened concrete pore solution. The aim of this paper is to assess the effect of pozzolanic Portland cements on the alkali–silica reaction (ASR) evaluated from two different points of view: (i) alkali-silica reaction (ASR) abatement and (ii) climatic change mitigation by clinker reduction, i.e., by depleting its emissions. Open porosity, SEM microscopy, compressive strength and ASR-expansion measurements were performed in mortars made with silica fume, siliceous coal fly ash, natural pozzolan and blast-furnace slag. The main contributions are as follows: (i) the higher the content of reactive silica in the pozzolanic material, the greater the ASR inhibition level; (ii) silica fume and coal fly ash are the best Portland cement constituents for ASR mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]