The Influence of Low-Emission Mineral Additives as a Substitute for CEM II and CEM III Cement on the Properties of Cement Mortars

The main goal of the research was to determine whether it was possible to reduce the cement content in mortar without compromising strength parameters. This is crucial for reducing the carbon footprint associated with cement production. In this article, the authors presented the results of research evaluating the effect of selected mineral additives on the strength properties of standard mortar after 7, 28, and 56 days of curing. The analysis of the effect of mineral additives was performed for CEM II and CEM III cements and seven selected mineral additives: white microsilica, Mikrosill+ microsilica, limestone powder, glass powder, glass granulate, and basalt powder. The study considered the use of mineral additives at 10% and 20% by weight of cement as a substitute. During the analysis of the test results, it was observed that the use of white microsilica and Mikrosill+ at 10% and 20% increased strength by approximately 50% compared to the reference samples. Importantly, strength was 50% higher with a 20% reduction in cement content. A positive effect of additives on strength parameters was observed only for CEMII cement. In the case of CEMIII cement, mineral additives reduce compressive strength.