Cement with silica fume and granulated blast-furnace slag: strength behavior and hydration

This paper analyses the influence of portland cement replacement by silica fume (up to 10%) and/or granulated blast furnace slag (up to 70%) on the hydration cement (XRD, heat of hydration, non evaporable water content and calcium hydroxide content) curing under sealed conditions and their effect on the mechanical strength. The obtained results indicate that binary cements containing silica fume and ternary cements there was a significant increase of hydration rate at early age. At later ages, most of studied cements have an equivalent or greater strength that those obtained in the plain portland cement.