The effects of fine limestone powder on the early hydration of cementitious systems accelerated by means of alkali-free aluminum sulfate based products, commonly used for shotcrete applications, were investigated in the course of laboratory and real scale tests. In binary (CEM I + limestone) and ternary (CEM I + limestone + slag) systems the addition of fine limestone led to an enhancement of the hydration degree and strength development at early times (<24 h). The formation of ettringite, aluminate hydrates, and C–S–H is affected by the joint action of the setting accelerator and the fine limestone. Accelerator and limestone, in combination with the cement, can be optimized to enhance ettringite and silicate reaction, in some cases coupled with aluminate reaction inhibition, to produce mixes suitable for sprayed concrete applications. Such optimization can help to reduce the cement content in the mixes without compromising the early strength development of the shotcrete.
The reduction of clinker use is mandatory to lower the negative environmental impact of concrete. In shotcrete mixes, similarly to the case of conventional concrete, the use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) and proper mix design allow for the substitution of clinker without compromising the mechanical properties. However, the impact of the substitution on the durability of shotcrete needs to be further assessed and understood. The results from the present study, obtained from real-scale sprayed concrete applications, show a reduction of the Ca2+ leaching and sintering potential of clinker-reduced shotcrete mixes due to the presence of SCMs. This positive effect, crucial for low maintenance costs of tunnels, is mainly related to a reduced portlandite content, which on the other hand negatively affects the carbonation resistance of shotcrete. Additionally, the hydration of SCMs positively influences the chloride penetration resistance presumably due to a combination of microstructural changes and changes in the chloride binding capacity. Differences found in the pore size distribution of the various mixes have low impact on the determined durability parameters, in particular compared to the effect of inhomogeneities produced during shotcrete application.
The (early) hydration mechanisms of two different binder systems used for shotcrete were investigated: the so far almost unexplored low sulfate binder (spray binder), used in the field of dry-mix shotcrete; and ordinary Portland cement, accelerated by aluminum sulfate, widely used for wet-mix shotcrete. The basis for the fast setting of the spray binder is the rapid dissolution of C3A and the subsequent formation of flaky CO3-AFm phases. Thereby induced high aluminum concentrations in the pore solution lead to a blockage of alite dissolution during the first hours of hydration. At later stages, higher amounts of portlandite are formed in the dry-mix, compared to the wet-mix system. The lower calcium availability for portlandite formation in the wet-mix system is explained by an enhanced formation of C–A–S–H phases with a higher Ca:Si ratio. Additionally, wet-mix systems show lower porosity and higher compressive strength after 1 d of hydration and beyond.
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