Ultrasonic sound speed analysis of hydrating calcium sulphate hemihydrate \ud

This article focuses on the hydration, and\ud associated microstructure development, of b-hemihydrate\ud to dihydrate (gypsum). The sound velocity is used to\ud quantify the composition of the fresh slurry as well as the\ud hardening and hardened—porous—material. Furthermore,\ud an overview of available hydration kinetic and volumetric\ud models for gypsum is addressed. The presented models\ud predict the sound velocity through slurries and hardened\ud products. These states correspond to the starting and ending\ud times of the hydration process. The present research shows\ud that a linear relation between the amount of hydrationproduct\ud (gypsum) formed and sound velocity (Smith et al.,\ud J Eur Ceram Soc 22(12):1947, 2002) can be used to\ud describe this process. To this end, the amount of hydrationproduct\ud formed is determined using the equations of\ud Schiller (J Appl Chem Biotechnol 24(7):379, 1974) for the\ud hydration process and of Brouwers (A hydration model of\ud Portland cement using the work of Powers and Brownyard,\ud 2011) for the volume fractions of binder, water and\ud hydration products during the hydration proces

Ultrasonic sound speed of hydrating calcium sulphate\ud hemihydrate; part 2, the correlation of sound velocity to\ud hydration degree

In this article the sound velocity through a mix is correlated to the hydration degree of\ud the mix. Models are presented predicting the sound velocity through fresh slurries and\ud hardened products. These two states correspond to the starting and finishing point of the\ud hydration process. The present research shows that a linear relation between the amount\ud of hydration-product (gypsum) formed (Smith et al., 2002) and sound velocity can be\ud used to describe this process. To this end, the amount of hydration-product formed is\ud determined by the using the equations of Schiller (1974) for the hydration process and\ud of Brouwers (2010) for the volume fractions of binder, water and hydration products\ud during the hydration process. The presented model shows that the induction time and\ud gypsum growth rate are linear related to the water/gypsum-ratio

The use of artificial neural networks in adiabatic curves modeling

Adiabatic hydration curves are the most suitable data for temperature calculations in concrete hardening structures. However, it is very difficult to predict the adiabatic hydration curve of an arbitrary concrete mixture. The idea of modeling adiabatic temperature rise during concrete hydration with the use of artificial neural networks was introduced in order to describe the adiabatic hydration of an arbitrary concrete mixture, depending on factors which influence the hydration process of cement in concrete. The influence of these factors was determined by our own experiments. A comparison between experimentally determined adiabatic curves and adiabatic curves, evaluated by proposed numerical model shows that artificial neural networks can be used to predict adiabatic hydration curves effectively. This model can be easily incorporated in the computer programs for prediction of the thermal fields in young concrete structures, implemented in the finite element or finite difference codes. New adiabatic hydration curves with some other initial parameters of the concrete mixture can be easily included in this model in order to expand the range of suitability of artificial neural networks to predict the adiabatic hydration curves. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

On the global hydration kinetics of tricalcium silicate cement

We reconsider a number of measurements for the overall hydration kinetics of tricalcium silicate pastes having an initial water to cement weight ratio close to 0.5. We find that the time dependent ratio of hydrated and unhydrated silica mole numbers can be well characterized by two power-laws in time, $x/(1-x)\sim (t/t_x)^\psi$. For early times $t < t_x$ we find an `accelerated' hydration ($\psi = 5/2$) and for later times $t > t_x$ a `deaccelerated' behavior ($\psi = 1/2$). The crossover time is estimated as $t_x \approx 16 hours$. We interpret these results in terms of a global second order rate equation indicating that (a) hydrates catalyse the hydration process for $t<t_x$, (b) they inhibit further hydration for $t > t_x$ and (c) the value of the associated second order rate constant is of magnitude 6x10^{-7} - 7x10^{-6} liter mol^{-1} s^{-1}. We argue, by considering the hydration process actually being furnished as a diffusion limited precipitation that the exponents $\psi = 5/2$ and $\psi = 1/2$ directly indicate a preferentially `plate' like hydrate microstructure. This is essentially in agreement with experimental observations of cellular hydrate microstructures for this class of materials.Comment: RevTeX macros, 6 pages, 4 postscript figure

Comparison between two ultrasonic methods in their ability to monitor the setting process of cement pastes

This paper presents the comparison between ultrasonic wave transmission (USWT) method and ultrasonic wave reflection (USWR) method in their ability to monitor the setting process of cement pastes. The velocity of ultrasonic longitudinal waves and shear wave reflection coefficient were measured simultaneously on cement pastes with different hydration kinetics. Even though both methods are able to reliably monitor the hydration process and formation of structure of an arbitrary cement paste, they monitor the setting process in different ways. The relationship between the velocity of longitudinal waves and shear wave reflection coefficient can be simplified into three characteristic phases and the end of the first phase can be used to define the beginning of the setting process of cement paste. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Hydration Modeling of Calcium Sulphates

The CEMHYD3D model has been extended at the University of Twente in the last ten years [1,2]. At present the cement hydration model is extended for the use of gypsum. Although gypsum was present in the model already, the model was not suitable for high contents of gypsum and did not include the transitions between the different calcium sulphate phases (anhydrite, hemihydrate and gypsum). Besides that gypsum was seen as intermediate phase instead of a final phase. The presented model addresses these problems and has the possibility to simulate the microstructure development of gypsum, including reaction kinetics (dissolution, diffusion and precipitation) and the formation of gypsum needles. The model enables multi-time modelling which means the possibility to zoom in and out on the hydration process with respect to time. Multi-time modelling enables the user to study the hydration in more detail in both the early phase (hours) and on the long term (years). This modelling is needed, since the hydration of calcium sulphates is very short compared to that of cement

Stabilization of Cr(III) wastes by C3S and C3S hydrated matrix : comparison of two incorporation methods

In the present study, the influence of Cr(III) on the properties of C3S and its stabilization in C3S hydrates was investigated by either direct incorporation as Cr2O3 during C3S preparation or introduced as nitrate salt during hydration. Levels of Cr used were from 0.1 to 3.0 wt% of C3S. The effect of Cr on the polymorph and hydration of C3S and its immobilization in the hydrates was detected by means of DTA/TG, XRD, isothermal calorimeter and ICP-AES, etc. When doped during sintering process, Cr caused a C3S polymorph transformation from T1 to T2 and led a decomposition of C3S into C2S and CaO resulting in high f-CaO content. Cr doping showed an obvious promotion effect on the hydration properties. The promotion effect decreased when the Cr addition increased to 3.0 wt%. When Cr was added as nitrate salt, Cr showed a retardation effect on the hydration of C3S due to the formation of Ca2Cr(OH)7 center dot 3H(2)O, which resulted in a high degree of Cr stabilization

Hydration modelling of Calcium Sulphates

The CEMHYD3D model has been extended at the University of Twente in last ten years1,2. At present the cement hydration model is extended for the use of gypsum. Although gypsum was present in the model already, the model was not suitable for high contents of gypsum and did not include the transitions between the different calcium sulphate phases (anhydrite, hemihydrate and gypsum). Besides that gypsum was seen as intermediate phase instead of a\ud final phase. The presented model addresses these problems and has the possibility to simulate the microstructure development of gypsum, including reaction kinetics (dissolution, diffusion and precipitation) and the formation of gypsum needles. The model enables multi-time modelling which means the possibility to zoom in and out on the hydration process with respect to time. Multi-time modelling enables the user to study the hydration in more detail in both the early phase (hours) and on the long term (years). This modelling is needed, since the hydration of calcium sulphates is very short compared to that of cement

Monitoring the reduction in shrinkage cracking of mortars containing superabsorbent polymers

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is characterized by a low water-to-cement ratio, leading to improved durability and mechanical properties. However, the risk for autogenous shrinkage and cracking due to restrained shrinkage increases, which may affect the durability of UHPC as cracks form pathways for ingress of aggressive liquids and gases. These negative features can be prevented by the use of superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) in the mixture. SAPs reduce autogenous shrinkage by means of internal curing: they will absorb water during the hydration process and release it again to the cementitious matrix when water shortage arises. In this way, hydration can continue and shrinkage is diminished