Novel strategies for ultra-early strengthening of shotcrete: Stage-wise kinetic control of hydration products

Abstract

The use of aluminum sulfate (Al₂(SO₄)₃)-based alkali-free accelerators in shotcrete often impeded tricalcium silicate (C₃S) hydration, leading to poor ultra-early strength development. To address this, a novel stage-wise kinetic control strategy was proposed to regulate the sequential formation of ettringite and C-S-H gel through the delayed addition of C-S-H nano seeds. The dosage of C-S-H nano seeds, delayed time, addition sequence of Al₂(SO₄)₃ and C-S-H nano seeds were carefully examined in this study, and the effects of addition sequence on the hydration kinetic, hydration products, and pore structure of cement pastes were systematically investigated. Results demonstrated a significant enhancement in 6 h compressive strength, achieving a 35% increase when C-S-H nano seeds (4% dosage) were added 1 h after initial mixing compared to simultaneous addition. Hydration heat, XRD, TG, SEM, and BSE-EDS analyses revealed that the delayed addition promoted C₃S hydration at later stages by staggering intensive ettringite formation and C-S-H gel precipitation, mitigating competition for calcium ions. This stage-wise approach facilitated C-S-H gel integration into the pre-constructed porous ettringite skeleton, refining the pore structure and enhancing ultra-early mechanical performance. These findings highlight an effective strategy to optimize hydration kinetics and strength development in shotcrete applications.