Microstructural Investigations of Ultra-High Performance Concrete Obtained by Pressure Application within the First 24 Hours of Hardening
2013
Jānis Justs, Diāna Bajāre, Aleksandrs Korjakins, Gundars Mežinskis, Jānis Ločs

In this study, the effect of pressure application (0–50 MPa) to fresh concrete right after casting and during the first 24 hours of hardening has been examined. Supplementary cementitious materials in a form of silica fume, nanosilica and ground quartz sand were used. The aim of pressure application was to reduce porosity, thus improving concrete mechanical properties. Considerable reduction in porosity and a subsequent increase in compressive strength reaching the level of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) were achieved. Mechanical and physical properties were tested and gas sorption porosimetry, mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), X-ray diffraction (XRD), as well as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used for material characterization.


Keywords
Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC), pressure application, porosity, compressive strength

Justs, J., Bajāre, D., Korjakins, A., Mežinskis, G., Ločs, J. Microstructural Investigations of Ultra-High Performance Concrete Obtained by Pressure Application within the First 24 Hours of Hardening. Construction Science. Vol.14, 2013, pp.50-57. ISSN 1407-7329. e-ISSN 2255-8551.

Publication language
English (en)
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