Calorimetry of Portland cement with metakaolins, quartz and gypsum additions

In this work two aluminic pozzolans (metakaolins) and a non-pozzolan were added to two Portland cements with very different mineral composition, to determine the effect on the rate of heat release and the mechanisms involved. The main analytical techniques deployed were: conduction calorimetry, pozzolanicity and XRD. The results showed that the two metakaolins induced stimulation of the hydration reactions due to the generation of pozzolanic activity at very early stage, because of their reactive alumina, Al2O3r− contents, mainly. Such stimulation was found to be more specific than generic for more intense C3A hydration than C3S, at least at very early on into the reaction, and more so when 7.0% SO3 was added, and for this reason, such stimulation is described as ‘indirect’ to differentiate it from the ‘direct’ variety. As a result of both stimulations, the heat of hydration released is easy to assimilate to a Synergistic Calorific Effect.We would like to thank the Fundación Rotaria, the Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, for financial support, and the Instituto de C. C. ‘Eduardo Torroja’-CSIC from Spain as well, for having provided the authors with necessary cementing materials and some analytical and experimental techniques.Peer reviewe