Prediction of temperature distribution in concrete incorporating fly ash or slag using a hydration model

Granulated slag from metal industries and fly ash from the combustion of coal are industrial by-products that have been widely used as mineral admixtures in normal and high strength concrete. Due to the reaction between calcium hydroxide and fly ash or slag, the hydration of concrete containing fly ash or slag is much more complex compared with that of Portland cement. In this paper, the production of calcium hydroxide in cement hydration and its consumption in the reaction of mineral admixtures is considered in order to develop a numerical model that simulates the hydration of concrete containing fly ash or slag. The heat evolution rates of fly ash- or slag-blended concrete is determined by the contribution of both cement hydration and the reaction of the mineral admixtures. Furthermore, the temperature distribution and temperature history in hardening blended concrete are evaluated based on the degree of hydration of the cement and the mineral admixtures. The proposed model is verified through experimental data on concrete with different water-to-cement ratios and mineral admixture substitution ratios.