Influence of finely ground limestone on cement hydration

Some work has been carried out on the effect of calcium carbonate on cement paste, but there is no general agreement on the relative effects of different amounts of calcium carbonate on cement paste properties. The objective of the present work is to assess the effect of various amounts of calcium carbonate on the hydration of tricalcium silicate in order to explain the physico-chemical changes occurring during Portland cement hydration. It is shown that calcium carbonate has an accelerating effect on C3S and cement hydration and leads to the precipitation of some calcium carbosilicate hydrate.