Supplementary cementing materials and other
mineral admixtures are being used in increasing amounts in both cement
and concrete. Their main technical benefits are that they enhance the
workability of fresh concrete and the durability of hardened concrete.
Indeed, they affect almost every property of the concrete. Their
economic and ecological benefits may be just as significant, and their
use can be expected to increase as concrete remains the most common
construction material. Cement and Concrete Mineral Admixtures
concentrates mostly on natural pozzolans, fly ashes, ground granulated
blast furnace slag, silica fume and limestone powder, namely the most
commonly used mineral admixtures. Others such as metakaolin, rice husk
ash, expanded clays and shales are also discussed. Their chemical,
mineralogical, and physical properties are outlined. The influence of
mineral admixtures on the hydration of cementitious systems, and the
properties of fresh and hardened concrete in which they are used are
emphasized. International standards are reviewed. The basics of concrete
mix proportioning with mineral admixtures are outlined. The
possibilities of using mineral admixtures as constituents of special
concretes such as self-compacting, reactive powder, roller-compacted
concretes and special non-portland, low-cost, low-energy and/or low-CO2 cements such as alinite, calcium sulfoaluminate, and belitic cements and alkali-activated binders are also covered. The
book is a comprehensive reference for senior undergraduate and graduate
students and researchers in the fields of cement and concrete, and for
cement and concrete practitioners.