Cement and Concrete Research最新文献

Blending the organic cane sugar in an inorganic lime system for improved resistance to salt weathering 将有机蔗糖掺入无机石灰体系中，提高耐盐风化性

IF 11.4 1区工程技术

Cement and Concrete Research Pub Date : 2026-09-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108383

V.S. Athira, Swathy Manohar

{"title":"Blending the organic cane sugar in an inorganic lime system for improved resistance to salt weathering","authors":"V.S. Athira, Swathy Manohar","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108383","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108383","url":null,"abstract":"Salt crystallisation is among the most destructive forces threatening cement-based and ancient constructions. This investigation is on lime-based mortars, which are inherently brittle, porous and particularly vulnerable to salt-induced deterioration. Typically, aerial lime requires pozzolans to achieve early setting and strength gain and organic additives for enhanced workability and plasticity. However, while pozzolan addition accelerates hydration and modifies pore structure, it also restricts vapour transmission, raising durability concerns. Cane sugar, a common organic additive, has long been associated with durable lime-pozzolan mortars, yet the scientific basis for this effect has remained unexplored. This study investigates the salt weathering resistance of lime mortars modified with two chemically distinct mineral admixtures, further assessing the impact of cane sugar modification. Given that lime systems exhibit an extended reaction timeframe, this work utilises a multi-technique approach to investigate the durability of one-year-old lime-pozzolan specimens modified with cane sugar to evaluate their performance after reactions have plateaued. Specifically, the study uncovers the mechanisms driving the enhanced durability of sugar-modified binders under salt attack. The findings demonstrate that cane sugar strengthens lime mortars against salt damage in three key ways: (i) by enhancing strength through effective carbonation, (ii) by modifying the pore structure by reducing capillary suction while introducing macropores (>10 μm), and (iii) by influencing the level of supersaturation and growth of salt crystals. Understanding the mechanism of an admixture from a renewable source equips construction professionals to engineer more durable cementitious binders for sustainable applications.","PeriodicalId":266,"journal":{"name":"Cement and Concrete Research","volume":"2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148884456","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

A curated atomistic dataset and machine learning potential for calcium aluminate silicate hydrates 精心策划的原子数据集和铝酸钙硅酸盐水合物的机器学习潜力

IF 11.4 1区工程技术

Cement and Concrete Research Pub Date : 2026-08-31 DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108370

Cheng Chen, Jian Yang, Yunjian Li

{"title":"A curated atomistic dataset and machine learning potential for calcium aluminate silicate hydrates","authors":"Cheng Chen, Jian Yang, Yunjian Li","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108370","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108370","url":null,"abstract":"Calcium aluminate silicate hydrates (C–A–S–H) underpin the mechanical performance and durability of modern cementitious materials, yet the atomic-scale role of aluminum remains elusive due to the limited accuracy of classical force fields and the restricted size of first-principles models. Here, we develop a machine learning potential (CASH-MLP) trained on a systematically constructed dataset comprising nearly 50,000 representative configurations from 1890 compositional systems covering a broad and realistic range of compositions and defect chemistries. CASH-MLP is stoichiometry-generalizable, transferable, and achieves near-DFT accuracy in predicting structural, dynamic and mechanical properties. Large-scale simulations reveal that aluminum incorporation induces a site-dependent, non-monotonic nanoscale stiffness response in C–A–S–H gels. This behavior provides atomistic insight into the reduced mechanical performance of Al-rich C–A–S–H gels. By bridging a long-standing modeling gap in cement chemistry, CASH-MLP offers a practical blueprint for probing atomic-scale mechanics in nanocrystalline inorganic materials and enables data-driven design of next-generation cementitious binders.","PeriodicalId":266,"journal":{"name":"Cement and Concrete Research","volume":"85 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148884501","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Effect of phase composition on the reactivity of DRI-EAF slags as SCM 相组成对dr - eaf炉渣反应性的影响

IF 13.1 1区工程技术

Cement and Concrete Research Pub Date : 2026-05-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-11 DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108160

Morteza Tayebi , Katrin Schollbach , J.C.O. Zepper , Stefan Melzer , H.J.H. Brouwers

{"title":"Effect of phase composition on the reactivity of DRI-EAF slags as SCM","authors":"Morteza Tayebi , Katrin Schollbach , J.C.O. Zepper , Stefan Melzer , H.J.H. Brouwers","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108160","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108160","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>DRI in EAFs will reduce the availability of blast-furnace slag, necessitating alternative SCMs. Five DRI–EAF slags (four engineered, and one industrial) were investigated, spanning CaO/SiO₂ ≈ 1.3 or 2.0, FeOx ≈25 or 40 wt%, and cooling (air-cooled vs water-granulated). At 25 wt% clinker replacement, hydration and performance were quantified by isothermal and R<sup>3</sup> calorimetry, UPV, autogenous shrinkage, XRD/TGA, compressive strength, and leaching. Cooling history, through the control of the amorphous fraction, governed reactivity: water-granulated slags exhibited higher cumulative heat, accelerated set, and superior strength activity indices compared to air-cooled analogues. Basicity and FeOx exerted secondary effects: higher basicity accelerated hydration and reduced autogenous shrinkage, whereas elevated FeOx retarded reaction. All binders formed C–S–H, ettringite, and portlandite; hydrotalcite-like LDHs were detected only for the low-basicity, water-granulated slag. All mortars complied with Dutch leaching limits and met SCM strength benchmarks, evidencing the viability of engineered DRI–EAF slags as low-CO₂ cementitious binders.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":266,"journal":{"name":"Cement and Concrete Research","volume":"203 ","pages":"Article 108160"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146152976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Understanding the rheology of non-calcium metakaolin geopolymers from chemical and floc-structural perspectives: Effects of silicate concentration and alkalinity 从化学和絮团结构角度了解非钙偏高岭土聚合物的流变性：硅酸盐浓度和碱度的影响

IF 13.1 1区工程技术

Cement and Concrete Research Pub Date : 2026-05-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-10 DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108158

Song Xiang , Huanchun Cai , Prannoy Suraneni , Xu Chen

{"title":"Understanding the rheology of non-calcium metakaolin geopolymers from chemical and floc-structural perspectives: Effects of silicate concentration and alkalinity","authors":"Song Xiang , Huanchun Cai , Prannoy Suraneni , Xu Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108158","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108158","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rheology of fresh geopolymers is primarily governed by Si content and alkalinity, yet the underlying mechanism in Ca-free systems remains insufficiently understood. Metakaolin geopolymers with (0–1) Na<sub>2</sub>O:1Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>:(2–4) SiO<sub>2</sub>:14H<sub>2</sub>O were investigated through rheological, microstructural, and spectroscopic characterizations. Yield stress peaked at 2.4 mol SiO<sub>2</sub> and 0.3 mol Na<sub>2</sub>O. At these maxima, flocculated networks showed diminished roundness (<0.25) and increased fractal dimension (~1.67), alongside maximal dissolved Al concentrations (0.11 and 0.06 mol/L), signifying gelation-driven structural complexity. As Si content and alkalinity further increased, FTIR–ICP analyses revealed that progressive enrichment of surface-adsorbed Si/Al drove condensation to its temporary limit, while precipitating low-polymerized sodium silicates. This precipitation attachment enhanced roundness, reduced fractal dimension, and thus pronouncedly decreased yield stress. In silicate-activated systems, continued Si enrichment generated unstable silica-rich layers, as declining yield stress gradually stabilized. Collectively, these findings establish a mechanistic framework that simultaneously links rheology to floc structures and interfacial chemistry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":266,"journal":{"name":"Cement and Concrete Research","volume":"203 ","pages":"Article 108158"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146152980","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Comparative study on phosphogypsum-based cemented paste backfill prepared with ordinary Portland cement and calcium aluminate cement: Correlations among macroscopic properties, thermodynamic behavior and hydration mechanism 普通硅酸盐水泥与铝酸钙水泥制备磷石膏基胶结体充填体的对比研究：宏观性能、热力学行为及水化机理的相关性

IF 13.1 1区工程技术

Cement and Concrete Research Pub Date : 2026-05-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-10 DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108161

Qiusong Chen , Tianjiao Yu , Daolin Wang , Bin Liu , Yan Feng , Qinli Zhang , Yikai Liu

{"title":"Comparative study on phosphogypsum-based cemented paste backfill prepared with ordinary Portland cement and calcium aluminate cement: Correlations among macroscopic properties, thermodynamic behavior and hydration mechanism","authors":"Qiusong Chen , Tianjiao Yu , Daolin Wang , Bin Liu , Yan Feng , Qinli Zhang , Yikai Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108161","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108161","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Calcium aluminate cement (CAC), characterized by superior properties and low-carbon emission, shows strong potential to replace traditional ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in in-situ phosphogypsum (PG) backfill. Although the microstructural characteristics and pollutant immobilization have been investigated, its hydration kinetics, microstructural evolution, and carbon reduction behavior remain insufficiently explored. This study aims to investigate the intrinsic links between hydration mechanisms and macroscopic properties. The flowability, setting behavior, strength development, hydration characteristics and carbon footprints of CAC-based and OPC-based backfill systems were systematically evaluated through experiments and thermodynamic simulations. The results show that PG alters the hydration of CAC, exerting a dual effect on its macroscopic properties. Thermodynamic simulations indicate sequential formation of amorphous Al (OH)<sub>3</sub>, ettringite and OH-hydrotalcite, with synergistic interactions enhance strength development. The comparison of both systems shows that differences in product types, formation conditions and interactions fundamentally govern their macroscopic variations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":266,"journal":{"name":"Cement and Concrete Research","volume":"203 ","pages":"Article 108161"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146152985","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Pore solution matching: A method to resolve superplasticizer distributions in blended cements 孔隙溶液匹配：一种解决混合水泥中高效减水剂分布的方法

IF 13.1 1区工程技术

Cement and Concrete Research Pub Date : 2026-05-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-07 DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108149

Sirajuddin Moghul , Léa Köller , Astrid Sidos , Franco Zunino , Robert J. Flatt

{"title":"Pore solution matching: A method to resolve superplasticizer distributions in blended cements","authors":"Sirajuddin Moghul , Léa Köller , Astrid Sidos , Franco Zunino , Robert J. Flatt","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108149","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108149","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In blended cements, superplasticizers may distribute unevenly between the different mineral components, a challenge compounded by the heterogeneity of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). While it is understood that this may impact both rheology and hydration kinetics, the topic has not yet been addressed either systematically or quantitatively. This study does this by developing a quantitative framework called Pore Solution Matching (PSM), which enables systematic characterization superplasticizer distribution in multicomponent binders, using limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) as a representative system. This is done by using a polycarboxylate ether (PCE) and a diphosphonate superplasticizers. Protocols are established to conduct adsorption studies on the individual components of LC3, clinker, calcined clay, and limestone, to obtain results that represent an early-age LC3 paste. Integrating such data into a surface-based mass balance model it is possible to reconstruct polymer distributions and surface coverages across the different phases in LC3. As revealed by isothermal calorimetry this has important implications on hydration kinetics. Specifically, it is shown that the retardation response of LC3 varies linearly with the surface coverage of OPC by either of the superplasticizer used.</div><div>Though demonstrated here for LC3, the methodology and insights presented are applicable to a broad class of SCM-rich binders, offering a generalizable strategy for admixture design in a broad range of cementitious systems, including but not limited to low carbon cements.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":266,"journal":{"name":"Cement and Concrete Research","volume":"203 ","pages":"Article 108149"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146134210","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Carbon-negative magnesium-based manufactured aggregates development for carbon negative cement-based materials 负碳镁基人造骨料在负碳水泥基材料中的应用

IF 13.1 1区工程技术

Cement and Concrete Research Pub Date : 2026-05-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-10 DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108147

Xi Chen , Dhanendra Kumar , En-Hua Yang

{"title":"Carbon-negative magnesium-based manufactured aggregates development for carbon negative cement-based materials","authors":"Xi Chen , Dhanendra Kumar , En-Hua Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108147","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108147","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An alternative approach to developing low-carbon concrete is through carbon mineralization in aggregates. This research focuses on carbon mineralized magnesium (Mg)-based manufactured aggregates. First, a low-carbon synthesis process for brucite [Mg(OH)<sub>2</sub>] and the incorporation of silica fume to enhance the strength and carbon sequestration capacity were investigated. The 25% (by weight) of silica fume improved the mechanical strength (~31 MPa) and carbon sequestration capacity (~26 wt%) of manufactured aggregates. The underlying chemical and microstructural characterizations showed that silica fume acts as an inert filler. Carbon emission assessments yielded a negative carbon footprint of 0.186 kg CO₂/kg of aggregates. The 50% volumetric replacement of natural fine aggregates with manufactured aggregates in 50 MPa concrete retained the compressive strength, while also achieving a 10% reduction in embodied carbon. In the case of 20 MPa mortar, 100% of natural fine aggregates could be replaced with Mg-based manufactured aggregates developed in his study.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":266,"journal":{"name":"Cement and Concrete Research","volume":"203 ","pages":"Article 108147"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146152984","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

An advanced understanding for synergistic effect of limestone and ethanol di-isopropanolamine on slag-limestone ternary cement 石灰石与乙醇二异丙醇胺对矿渣-石灰石三元水泥增效作用的进一步认识

IF 13.1 1区工程技术

Cement and Concrete Research Pub Date : 2026-05-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-12 DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108172

Jihoon Lee , Franco Zunino , Juhyuk Moon

{"title":"An advanced understanding for synergistic effect of limestone and ethanol di-isopropanolamine on slag-limestone ternary cement","authors":"Jihoon Lee , Franco Zunino , Juhyuk Moon","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108172","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108172","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The use of limestone can mitigate the limited availability of supplementary cementitious materials while reducing the clinker factor, but it often decreases strength. This study demonstrates that ethanoldiisopropanolamine (EDIPA) enables an increase in strength of slag-limestone cement. EDIPA facilitated the aluminate reaction, enhancing the formation of monocarbonate and ettringite in limestone-containing binder. Meanwhile, additional aluminates were preferentially incorporated into C–A–S–H rather than AFm phases in limestone-free binder. EDIPA improved the slag reactivity, increasing C–A–S–H precipitation with a lower Ca/Si ratio and a higher Al/Si ratio. Although neither EDIPA nor limestone influenced early sulfate adsorption on C–A–S–H, they seem to cause its desorption, resulting in additional ettringite formation at later ages. Consequently, EDIPA did not improve the strength of the limestone-free binder, but the combined increase in hydration products by EDIPA and limestone refined the pore structure and enhanced the strength, exceeding that of limestone-free binder despite a 20% limestone replacement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":266,"journal":{"name":"Cement and Concrete Research","volume":"203 ","pages":"Article 108172"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146160167","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Aqueous carbonation-induced self-healing of UHPFRC: Role of sulfur/magnesium-rich expansive agents in crack closure and mechanical restoration 水碳化诱导UHPFRC自愈：富硫/富镁膨胀剂在裂纹闭合和力学修复中的作用

IF 13.1 1区工程技术

Cement and Concrete Research Pub Date : 2026-05-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-05 DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108159

Qiaomu Zheng , En-Hua Yang , Yanqun Xu , Chen Li , Xinping Zhu , Zuhua Zhang , Zhengwu Jiang

{"title":"Aqueous carbonation-induced self-healing of UHPFRC: Role of sulfur/magnesium-rich expansive agents in crack closure and mechanical restoration","authors":"Qiaomu Zheng , En-Hua Yang , Yanqun Xu , Chen Li , Xinping Zhu , Zuhua Zhang , Zhengwu Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108159","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108159","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>By incorporating characteristic expansive agents, the crack self-healing capability of UHPFRC under aqueous carbonation is enhanced. Synergistic use of sulfur (ye'elimite-based, S-EA)- and magnesium (periclase-based, M-EA)-rich expansive agents reduces the capillary pore content/size through crystalline filling while increasing the gel pore volume by hydration promotion. Such a dual influence balances the overall chemical stability and the surface ion exchange capacity of UHPFRC. Post-cracking, slower periclase hydration from M-EA sustains the alkalinity of crack solution, thus stimulating secondary hydration and subsequent self-healing. S-EA-derived ettringite improves the spatial uniformity of self-healing products by templating the oriented carbonate nucleation during the early carbonation, whereas M-EA-derived brucite promotes the crack closure via prolonging the crack solution supersaturation and facilitating the calcite-aragonite intergrowth. During the later carbonation, Mg-calcite contributes to enhanced nanomechanical properties and modulated failure modes of self-healing products through localized lattice stress fields. Aragonite further reconstructs a more integrated self-healing phase-quartz aggregate interface through the reduction of lattice mismatches. These two mechanisms collectively reinforce the mechanical property restoration of UHPFRC.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":266,"journal":{"name":"Cement and Concrete Research","volume":"203 ","pages":"Article 108159"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146122633","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Chemical and mechanical origin of ettringite morphology and packing properties 钙矾石形态和堆积特性的化学和力学成因

IF 13.1 1区工程技术

Cement and Concrete Research Pub Date : 2026-05-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-05 DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108146

Laura Caneda-Martínez , Hela Bessaies-Bey , Xiaohan Yu , Karen Mourda , Patrick Belin , Belén González-Fonteboa , Nicolas Roussel

{"title":"Chemical and mechanical origin of ettringite morphology and packing properties","authors":"Laura Caneda-Martínez , Hela Bessaies-Bey , Xiaohan Yu , Karen Mourda , Patrick Belin , Belén González-Fonteboa , Nicolas Roussel","doi":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108146","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cemconres.2026.108146","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The contribution of early hydration products is often neglected in rheological studies of cementitious systems, particularly with respect to the quantitative evaluation of their influence on particle packing. Ettringite, owing to its predominance as an early-age hydration product and its frequently elongated morphology, is the most relevant phase to consider in this context. This study investigates the factors controlling ettringite morphology in the absence of admixtures and evaluates their impact on packing behaviour. Ettringite was synthesised under controlled solution conditions and analysed via microscopic techniques to assess the effect of ion concentration on morphology. In addition, the packing properties of ettringite samples of different morphology were studied by applying controlled compressive stress through centrifugation experiments. Results show that ettringite morphology is defined by solution supersaturation with respect to ettringite and mechanical stress: reduced supersaturation (i.e. dilution of the system) favours the formation of longer, thinner crystals, while stress induces breaking, with the resulting aspect ratio of the crystals dictated by the magnitude of the applied stress. Ettringite crystals were found to exhibit poor packing properties compared to those of common building materials. Moreover, a clear correlation between aspect ratio and packing properties was identified, consistent with predictive models for elongated macroscopic particles. These findings have significant practical implications, as understanding and controlling ettringite morphology can provide an effective means to tune early-age rheology in cement-based materials. We finally suggest that these findings are specifically relevant for low-clinker content binders where supersaturation is expected to be lower than traditional binders.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":266,"journal":{"name":"Cement and Concrete Research","volume":"203 ","pages":"Article 108146"},"PeriodicalIF":13.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146122649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0