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Research and Development of Modified Building Materials
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Research and Development of Modified Building Materials

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Construction and Building Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 November 2022) | Viewed by 47489

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Maria Stefanidou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Civil Engineering Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Polytechnic School, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: cement; lime; bricks; stones; additives; coatings; bio-materials; nano-modification
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Materials scientists study traditional materials and building technology with the aim to learn, transfer knowledge, and advance it. Additionally, newly developed cement-based materials are evolving in order to fulfil the requirements needed for construction. Composites and modified materials are using nanotechnology and alkali-activated mechanisms as well as reactive additives in order to improve their durability and address their inherent weaknesess. Cheap, easy-to-find, environmentally friendly, and effective additives can improve the insulation and consistency of composite materials, influencing fresh and hardened properties. Modified coatings can improve properties such as hydrophobicity, roughness, self-cleanliness, or even adhesion. Material modification can be achieved by different ways either within the structure or by elaborating their surface. Nevertheless, the aim is to produce durable materials with innovative properties able to solve complex structural problems.

Assoc. Prof. Maria Stefanidou
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • cement
  • lime
  • bio-fibres
  • additives
  • coatings
  • nano-modified
  • alkali-activated

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Published Papers (17 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 3197 KiB  
Article
Bond Behaviors of Steel Fiber in Mortar Affected by Inclination Angle and Fiber Spacing
by Xinxin Ding, Mingshuang Zhao, Hang Li, Yuying Zhang, Yuanyuan Liu and Shunbo Zhao
Materials 2022, 15(17), 6024; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15176024 - 31 Aug 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1509
Abstract
Considering the random orientation and distribution of steel fibers in concrete, the synergistic reinforcement of steel fibers on concrete is much complex than the bond of single fiber. It is meaningful to study the bond behavior of steel fiber during many actions. With [...] Read more.
Considering the random orientation and distribution of steel fibers in concrete, the synergistic reinforcement of steel fibers on concrete is much complex than the bond of single fiber. It is meaningful to study the bond behavior of steel fiber during many actions. With the inclination angle of steel fiber to pullout direction and the fiber spacing as main factors, this paper carried out fifteen groups of pullout tests for hook-end steel fiber embedded in manufactured sand mortar. The inclination angle ranged from 0 to 60°, and the fiber spacing ranged from 3.5 mm to 21.2 mm. The characteristic pullout load-slip (PL-S) curve of steel fibers are given out after treating the original complete curves of each group test. The values of key points featured the debonding, peak and residual pullout loads and slips are determined from the characteristic PL-S curves. Based on a multi-index synthetical evaluation method, the nominal debonding strength, bond strength, residual bond strength and the debonding work, slipping work, and pullout work, as well as the debonding energy ratio, slipping energy ratio, and pullout energy ratio are analyzed. Results indicate that the bond performance represented by above indexes changes with the inclination angle and spacing of steel fibers. Except for the bond mechanism performing the same as aligned steel fibers by pullout test, the bond is dominated by the resistance of mortar to peeling off near pullout surface and scraping along pullout direction. When the inclination angle is over 15° or 30°, the bond performance is generally decreased, due to the peeling off of mortar on surface of transversal section with a certain depth. When the fiber spacing is over than 5 mm, the bond performance becomes worst due to the scraping out of mortar along with the slip of steel fibers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Development of Modified Building Materials)
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13 pages, 1787 KiB  
Article
The Optimization of Mix Proportion Design for SCC: Experimental Study and Grey Relational Analysis
by Xinxin Ding, Mingshuang Zhao, Xue Qiu, Yupu Wang and Yijie Ru
Materials 2022, 15(4), 1305; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15041305 - 10 Feb 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2193
Abstract
The optimization of mix proportions based on the targeted fresh and hardened performances of self-compacting concrete (SCC) is a foundation for its transition from laboratory research to industrial production. In this paper, the mix proportions of various SCC mixtures were designed by the [...] Read more.
The optimization of mix proportions based on the targeted fresh and hardened performances of self-compacting concrete (SCC) is a foundation for its transition from laboratory research to industrial production. In this paper, the mix proportions of various SCC mixtures were designed by the absolute volume method with changes in the content of river sand and manufactured sand, the content of fly ash and granulated ground blast furnace slag (GGBS) and the maximum particle sizes of coarse aggregates. This experimental study was carried out to verify the workability, density and cubic compressive strength of SCC. The results show that SCC demonstrated good performance with appropriate mix proportions of manufactured sand and river sand. A hybrid effect of fly ash and GGBS appeared on the fresh performance of SCC with a constant strength, and the coarse aggregate with a smaller maximum particle size was beneficial to the workability but detrimental to the compressive strength of SCC. Finally, the optimization of the mix proportion of SCC was evaluated by grey relational analysis, in which the weight of the indicators was determined by the entropy method to improve the evaluation credibility. As a result, the optimal mix proportions of SCC were selected. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Development of Modified Building Materials)
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20 pages, 20423 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Hydrated Lime and Cellulose Ether Admixture on Water Retention, Rheology and Application Properties of Cement Plastering Mortars
by Edyta Spychał and Ryszard Dachowski
Materials 2021, 14(19), 5487; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14195487 - 23 Sep 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3323
Abstract
In this article, the effect of hydrated lime and cellulose ether on the water retention, rheology, and application properties of plasters was studied. For mortars, the consistency, bulk density, and water retention were tested. Rheological measurements of pastes included yield stress and plastic [...] Read more.
In this article, the effect of hydrated lime and cellulose ether on the water retention, rheology, and application properties of plasters was studied. For mortars, the consistency, bulk density, and water retention were tested. Rheological measurements of pastes included yield stress and plastic viscosity. In addition to standard tests of mortars and examining the rheological properties of the pastes, a proprietary method for testing the application properties was proposed. The obtained research results made it possible to evaluate the performance of the tested plasters. An attempt was also made to correlate the rheological properties of pastes (plastic viscosity) to the water retention value. The influence of hydrated lime and cellulose ether on selected properties of pastes and plasters was also presented using the statistical Box–Behnken method. The subjective rating of an expert plasterer confirmed the necessity of the modification of plastering mortars with hydrated lime and cellulose ether. As shown, modification of cement plastering mortar with hydrated lime and cellulose ether at the same time allows obtaining a material with favorable technical and technological properties, especially mortars applied by machine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Development of Modified Building Materials)
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26 pages, 5425 KiB  
Article
Effects of Amorphous Poly Alpha Olefin (APAO) and Polyphosphoric Acid (PPA) on the Rheological Properties, Compatibility and Stability of Asphalt Binder
by Xiaoguang Pei and Weiyu Fan
Materials 2021, 14(9), 2458; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14092458 - 10 May 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3047
Abstract
High production costs and poor storage stability have become important constraints in the manufacture of modified asphalt binder. To simplify the production process and reduce the production cost, amorphous poly alpha olefin (APAO) and polyphosphoric acid (PPA) were applied to prepare highly stable [...] Read more.
High production costs and poor storage stability have become important constraints in the manufacture of modified asphalt binder. To simplify the production process and reduce the production cost, amorphous poly alpha olefin (APAO) and polyphosphoric acid (PPA) were applied to prepare highly stable modified asphalt binder. The influence of APAO/PPA on the temperature sensitivity, rheological property, storage stability, compatibility and microstructure of neat binder were studied by rotational viscosity (RV), dynamic shear rheometer (DSR), bending beam rheometer (BBR) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results show that the incorporation of APAO/PPA reduced the temperature sensitivity of neat binder. The combined effect of APAO/PPA contributed to the improvement in deformation resistance, which was evidenced by the increase in failure temperature and percent recovery. However, the compound modification of APAO/PPA decreased the binder’s low-temperature performance. APAO strengthened the fatigue resistance of the binder, while PPA reduced the anti-fatigue performance. Composite modified asphalt binder with superior storage stability could be prepared, which was confirmed by the desired Cole–Cole plots and fluorescence imaging. Furthermore, chemical and physical reactions occurred during the APAO/PPA modification process. Overall, 2 wt.% (weight percentage) APAO and 1.5 wt.% PPA are recommended for the production of modified asphalt binder with remarkable rheological performance and storage stability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Development of Modified Building Materials)
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20 pages, 5243 KiB  
Article
Research on the Thermal Properties of Fireplace Concrete Materials Containing Various Mineral Aggregates Enriched by Organic and Inorganic Fibers
by Agata Stempkowska, Joanna Mastalska-Popławska, Piotr Izak, Łukasz Wójcik, Tomasz Gawenda and Marzena Karbowy
Materials 2021, 14(4), 904; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14040904 - 14 Feb 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2043
Abstract
This work presents a summary of research on concrete fireplace materials made of various mineral aggregates and enriched with steel and organic fibers. To determine the optimal applications of such concretes, their ability to accumulate heat and their other physicochemical parameters were tested [...] Read more.
This work presents a summary of research on concrete fireplace materials made of various mineral aggregates and enriched with steel and organic fibers. To determine the optimal applications of such concretes, their ability to accumulate heat and their other physicochemical parameters were tested and analyzed. Studies on the behavior of concrete materials during cooling are reported, and the ability of such materials to accumulate heat is evaluated using calculations. In addition, tests were performed on the loss of mass during heating, as well as on the mechanical bending strength and microstructures of these materials. Studies have shown that the behavior of concrete materials at high temperatures can be modified and adapted for specific purposes. The addition of fibers to concrete improves both the mechanical properties of mortars and the heat flow in concrete materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Development of Modified Building Materials)
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19 pages, 3244 KiB  
Article
Strength Parameters of Foamed Geopolymer Reinforced with GFRP Mesh
by Rafał Krzywoń and Szymon Dawczyński
Materials 2021, 14(3), 689; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14030689 - 2 Feb 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2735
Abstract
The foaming of geopolymers lowers their density, thus opening up new environmental benefits, including acoustic and thermal insulation. At the same time, foaming disturbs the homogeneity of the material, which worsens the strength parameters, and particularly those related to tension, which can be [...] Read more.
The foaming of geopolymers lowers their density, thus opening up new environmental benefits, including acoustic and thermal insulation. At the same time, foaming disturbs the homogeneity of the material, which worsens the strength parameters, and particularly those related to tension, which can be improved by introducing reinforcement. This paper presents the results of research on foamed geopolymers reinforced with glass fiber meshes, a type of reinforcement that provides an adequate bond. The samples tested here were based on three types of coal fly ash, and were foamed with varying doses of hydrogen peroxide. Samples were cured at 40 °C and were tested after 28 days of maturing at ambient temperature. The strength parameters of the synthesized geopolymers were determined via laboratory testing, and were used to evaluate load-bearing capacity models of the tested samples reinforced with glass fiber mesh. The results showed the importance of the type of ash on the strength properties and efficiency of reinforcement. At the same time, a slight deterioration in the glass fibers was noticed; this was caused by the presence of sodium hydroxide solution, which was used as an activator. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Development of Modified Building Materials)
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13 pages, 8145 KiB  
Article
Effect of High Calcium Fly Ash, Ladle Furnace Slag, and Limestone Filler on Packing Density, Consistency, and Strength of Cement Pastes
by Eleftherios K. Anastasiou
Materials 2021, 14(2), 301; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14020301 - 8 Jan 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2283
Abstract
Environmental considerations and technical benefits have directed research towards reducing cement clinker content in concrete, and one of the best ways to do this is to replace cement with supplementary cementitious materials. High calcium fly ash, ladle furnace slag, and limestone filler were [...] Read more.
Environmental considerations and technical benefits have directed research towards reducing cement clinker content in concrete, and one of the best ways to do this is to replace cement with supplementary cementitious materials. High calcium fly ash, ladle furnace slag, and limestone filler were investigated as supplementary cementitious materials in cement pastes, and binary mixtures were produced at 10%, 20%, and 30% cement replacement rates for each material. The water requirement for maximum packing and for normal consistency were obtained for each paste, and strength development was determined at 3, 7, 28, and 90 days for the 20% replacement rate. Furthermore, two ternary mixtures at 30% cement replacement were also prepared for maximum packing density and tested for compressive strength development. The results showed that high calcium fly ash decreased cement paste packing and increased water demand but contributed to strength development through reactivity. Ladle furnace slag and limestone filler, on the other hand, were less reactive and seemed to contribute to strength development through the filler effect. The ternary paste with 70% cement, 20% high calcium fly ash, and 10% limestone filler showed equivalent strength development to that of the reference cement paste. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Development of Modified Building Materials)
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13 pages, 4150 KiB  
Article
Effect of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes on Strength and Electrical Properties of Cement Mortar
by Elena Cerro-Prada, Rosalía Pacheco-Torres and Fernando Varela
Materials 2021, 14(1), 79; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14010079 - 26 Dec 2020
Cited by 35 | Viewed by 2613
Abstract
This work aims to investigate the effects of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the strength and electrical properties of cement mortar. MWCNTs were added to cement mortar in four different concentrations: 0.00 wt.%, 0.01 wt.%, 0.015 wt.%, and 0.02 wt.% by the mass [...] Read more.
This work aims to investigate the effects of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the strength and electrical properties of cement mortar. MWCNTs were added to cement mortar in four different concentrations: 0.00 wt.%, 0.01 wt.%, 0.015 wt.%, and 0.02 wt.% by the mass of cement. The consistency, density, setting time and compressive and flexural strength of mixes were tested and analyzed at 28 and 90 days curing time. Mechanical performance tests confirm an increase of 25% and 20% in the ultimate compressive and flexural strength respectively, which results from MWCNT 0.02 wt.% loading at 90 days curing time. The resistivity measurements in mortars with 0.01 and 0.015 wt.% MWCNT loading result up to 10% decrement at both 28 and 90 days curing. Activation energy calculations show fully accordance with these statements, resuming that 0.01 wt.% MWCNT appears to be the most effective loading scheme to produce certain conductivity enhancement in cement mortar. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Development of Modified Building Materials)
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19 pages, 9852 KiB  
Article
Effect of Natural Graphite Fineness on the Performance and Electrical Conductivity of Cement Paste Mixes for Self-Sensing Structures
by Ioanna Papanikolaou, Chrysoula Litina, Amir Zomorodian and Abir Al-Tabbaa
Materials 2020, 13(24), 5833; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13245833 - 21 Dec 2020
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4302
Abstract
Cementitious composites are the most widely used construction materials; however, their poor durability necessitates frequent monitoring and repairs. The emergence of self-sensing composites could reduce the need for costly and time-consuming structural inspections. Natural graphite, due to its low cost and wide availability, [...] Read more.
Cementitious composites are the most widely used construction materials; however, their poor durability necessitates frequent monitoring and repairs. The emergence of self-sensing composites could reduce the need for costly and time-consuming structural inspections. Natural graphite, due to its low cost and wide availability, is a promising additive to generate an electrically conductive network which could ultimately lead to a self-sensing mechanism. Despite several studies using natural graphite as a conductive additive, the effect of its fineness on the cementitious composite’s performance has not been explored. This study experimentally investigated the effect of three graphite products of varying fineness on the early age, mechanical, and electrical conductivity performance of cement pastes. The fluidity of the graphite-cement paste reduced significantly with increasing graphite fineness, and graphite did not affect the cement hydration. The finer the graphite, the lower the effect on the mechanical performance, as confirmed by compressive strength testing and micro-indentation. Electrical conductivity testing showed that the percolation threshold depended on the graphite fineness and was found at ~20 wt % for the fine and medium graphite, while it increased to 30–40 wt % for the coarse graphite. This is the first study that has investigated holistically the effect of graphite fineness on the performance of cement pastes and will pave the way for using this material as an additive for self-sensing structures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Development of Modified Building Materials)
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14 pages, 2273 KiB  
Article
The Influence of HEMC on Cement and Cement-Lime Composites Setting Processes
by Edyta Spychał and Przemysław Czapik
Materials 2020, 13(24), 5814; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13245814 - 20 Dec 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2685
Abstract
In this article, the effect of hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose (HEMC), which is a polymeric viscosity modifying admixture on the mineral based composites setting processes, was studied. Previous studies available in the literature included the evaluation of the influence of this admixture on the [...] Read more.
In this article, the effect of hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose (HEMC), which is a polymeric viscosity modifying admixture on the mineral based composites setting processes, was studied. Previous studies available in the literature included the evaluation of the influence of this admixture on the hydration processes of cement or lime pastes. In this paper, the analysis of this issue was extended to include cement-lime composites. The composition of the pastes and mortars differed in the type of binder (the tests were carried out on cement-based and cement-lime-based materials, in which the cement was replaced in 50% with hydrated lime), as well as the amount and viscosity of the admixture. The study of mortars setting processes and hardening processes using the ultrasonic method was supplemented in the work with calorimetric measurements and phases analysis by the X-ray diffraction method. Finally, it was found that the HEMC reduces the rate of a hydration reaction in cement and cement-lime pastes. The amount of admixture used has a greater influence on the changes taking place during the setting process than the admixture viscosity or the type of binder. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Development of Modified Building Materials)
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13 pages, 11739 KiB  
Article
Lightweight Gypsum Materials with Potential Use for Thermal Insulations
by Cristina Dima, Alina Badanoiu, Silviu Cirstea, Adrian Ionut Nicoara and Stefania Stoleriu
Materials 2020, 13(23), 5454; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13235454 - 30 Nov 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2721
Abstract
This article presents the influence of three additions i.e., hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose (HEMC), sodium bicarbonate and flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum on the porosity of gypsum-based materials. The specific microstructure for a material with good thermal insulation properties i.e., numerous closed pores distributed [...] Read more.
This article presents the influence of three additions i.e., hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose (HEMC), sodium bicarbonate and flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum on the porosity of gypsum-based materials. The specific microstructure for a material with good thermal insulation properties i.e., numerous closed pores distributed in the binding matrix, was achieved using HEMC (0.3 wt.%) and sodium bicarbonate (0.5–2 wt.%). The addition of HEMC to the gypsum binder determines, as expected, an increase of the porosity due to its ability to stabilize entrained air. In the case of a sodium bicarbonate addition, the pores are formed in the binding matrix due to the entrapment of the gas (CO2) generated by its reaction. Sodium bicarbonate addition delays the setting of gypsum binder therefore in this study FGD gypsum (waste produced in the desulfurization process of combustion gases generated in power plants) was also added to the mixture to mitigate this negative effect. The decrease of geometrical density (up to 13%, in correlation with the additive nature and dosage) correlated with the increase of the porosity, determines, as expected, the decrease of flexural and compressive strengths (33–75%), but improves the thermal properties i.e., decreases the thermal conductivity (9–18%). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Development of Modified Building Materials)
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16 pages, 3401 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Curing Regimes in Self-Healing of Nano-Modified Cement Pastes
by Maria Stefanidou, Eirini-Chrysanthi Tsardaka and Aspasia Karozou
Materials 2020, 13(22), 5301; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13225301 - 23 Nov 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1957
Abstract
The present study proposes nano-calcium oxide (NC) and nano-silica (NS) particles as healing agents in cement pastes, taking into account the curing conditions. Two series of specimens were treated in water and under wetting-drying cycles. The addition of NC (1.5%wt of binder) triggered [...] Read more.
The present study proposes nano-calcium oxide (NC) and nano-silica (NS) particles as healing agents in cement pastes, taking into account the curing conditions. Two series of specimens were treated in water and under wetting-drying cycles. The addition of NC (1.5%wt of binder) triggered early healing since cracks were healed within 14 days in underwater immersion and before 28 days at wetting-drying cycles. Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) spectroscopy and SEM analysis revealed that the healing products were mainly aragonite and calcite in water conditions and more amorphous carbonates under wetting-drying cycles. The combination of NS and NC (3.0%wt in total) offered healing under both curing conditions before 28 days. The presence of NS assisted toward porosity refinement and NC increased the carbonates’ content. The newly formed material was dense, and its elemental analysis by SEM revealed the C-S-H compounds that were also verified by ATR. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Development of Modified Building Materials)
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18 pages, 10903 KiB  
Article
Effect of the Combination of Superabsorbent Polymers for Autogenous Shrinkage Control with Steel Fibers of High-Performance Concrete under Uniaxial Tension Using DIC
by Karyne Ferreira dos Santos, António Carlos Bettencourt Simões Ribeiro, Eugênia Fonseca da Silva, Manuel Alejandro Rojas Manzano, Leila Aparecida de Castro Motta and Romildo Dias Toledo Filho
Materials 2020, 13(20), 4638; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13204638 - 17 Oct 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2848
Abstract
This paper presents a study of the effect of a superabsorbent polymer (SAP) for autogenous shrinkage control on the uniaxial tensile behavior of steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC). The use of fibers and SAP potentially increases the durability of the concrete, preventing cracking [...] Read more.
This paper presents a study of the effect of a superabsorbent polymer (SAP) for autogenous shrinkage control on the uniaxial tensile behavior of steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC). The use of fibers and SAP potentially increases the durability of the concrete, preventing cracking by autogenous shrinkage and enhancing post-cracking behavior. Furthermore, SAP can provide further hydration for self-healing purposes and improve the ductility of the SFRC. In order to evaluate the effect of the addition of SAP in SFRC, dog-bone SFRC specimens with different dosages of superabsorbent polymers were cast and tested under uniaxial tension. The digital image correlation (DIC) technique was used to understand the effect of SAP on the steel fibers’ crack-bridging mechanisms. Surface strains and crack openings were inferred using the DIC technique. The effect of SAP and fibers on fresh and hardened concrete was individually investigated by flow tests and compressive strength tests. Autogenous shrinkage was measured in plain concrete to investigate the minimum SAP content required to mitigate autogenous shrinkage of 0.3%. The use of 0.3% SAP was also sufficient to reach multiple cracking behavior. This content of SAP completely suppressed the autogenous shrinkage with minimal side effects on compressive strength. An analytical formulation for the tensile behavior of SFRC was developed using the variable engagement model, presenting a mean correlation of R2 of 0.97 with the experimental results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Development of Modified Building Materials)
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18 pages, 4991 KiB  
Article
Long-Term Behavior and Durability of Alkali-Activated Clay Mortars
by Aspasia Karozou, Stavroula Konopisi, Eleni Pavlidou and Maria Stefanidou
Materials 2020, 13(17), 3790; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13173790 - 27 Aug 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1907
Abstract
The need to increase the durability of clay-based materials, due to their inherent low strength and vulnerability in contact with water, led researchers to examine different options. In this paper, clay mortars were produced using four different activating solutions. Alkali hydroxides, alkali carbonates, [...] Read more.
The need to increase the durability of clay-based materials, due to their inherent low strength and vulnerability in contact with water, led researchers to examine different options. In this paper, clay mortars were produced using four different activating solutions. Alkali hydroxides, alkali carbonates, and alkali silicates activating solutions were used. Interest is given to long term properties while their behavior to wetting–drying and freeze–thaw cycles is recorded. In total, the results of the experiments indicated the positive effect of the potassium metasilicate on mechanical characteristics presenting, however, low performance at wetting–drying. The combination of sodium metasilicate with sodium hydroxide solution has also presented a positive effect on both mechanical and physical properties. In contrast, sodium carbonate acted better in enhancing physical properties and granting water-resistant abilities. Moreover, the performance of the specimens mixed with water–glass addition presented excellent volume stability and low mass loss in durability tests. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Development of Modified Building Materials)
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19 pages, 2939 KiB  
Article
Effect of Ultralight Filler on the Properties of Hydrated Lime Injection Grout for the Consolidation of Detached Historic Decorative Plasters
by Andreja Padovnik and Violeta Bokan-Bosiljkov
Materials 2020, 13(15), 3360; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13153360 - 29 Jul 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2472
Abstract
Injection-grout density is an important parameter when its additional weight leads to consolidated decorative plasters becoming damaged. This is especially evident in larger detached areas. In this study, thin-walled soda–lime–borosilicate glass microspheres were used as a density-reducing constituent in hydrated lime grout mixtures. [...] Read more.
Injection-grout density is an important parameter when its additional weight leads to consolidated decorative plasters becoming damaged. This is especially evident in larger detached areas. In this study, thin-walled soda–lime–borosilicate glass microspheres were used as a density-reducing constituent in hydrated lime grout mixtures. The normal density grout composition—one volume part hydrated lime and three volume parts inert limestone filler with 0.5% of the polycarboxylate ether-based superplasticiser—was modified with partial substitution of the limestone filler with lightweight glass microspheres. The following volumetric proportions between limestone filler and glass microspheres were used: 100%:0%, 67%:33%, 50%:50%, 33%:67%, and 0%:100%. With the increase of the glass microspheres’ volume, the density of the grout is gradually reduced. Furthermore, there is a decrease in the stability and injectability of fresh grout. In its hardened state, the grout’s strength again reduces gradually, but there is no significant change in the grout’s water absorption and water-vapour resistance. The resistance of the grout to freezing–thawing and heating–cooling cycles using distilled water or salt solution is highly improved when the microspheres are present. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Development of Modified Building Materials)
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17 pages, 5169 KiB  
Article
Properties of Concrete Made with Low-Emission Cements CEM II/C-M and CEM VI
by Anna Król, Zbigniew Giergiczny and Justyna Kuterasińska-Warwas
Materials 2020, 13(10), 2257; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13102257 - 14 May 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3236
Abstract
The paper presents the composition and properties of low-emission ternary cements: Portland multicomponent cement CEM II/C-M and multicomponent cement CEM VI. In the ternary cements, Portland clinker was replaced at the levels of 40% and 55% with a mixture of the main components [...] Read more.
The paper presents the composition and properties of low-emission ternary cements: Portland multicomponent cement CEM II/C-M and multicomponent cement CEM VI. In the ternary cements, Portland clinker was replaced at the levels of 40% and 55% with a mixture of the main components such as limestone (LL), granulated blast furnace slag (S) and siliceous fly ash (V). Portland multicomponent cements CEM II/C-M and CEM VI are low-emission binders with CO2 emissions ranging from 340 (CEM VI) kg to 453 (CEM II/C-M) kg per Mg of cement. The results obtained indicate the possibility of a wider use of ground limestone (LL) in cement composition. This is important in the case of limited market availability of fly ash and granulated blast furnace slag. The tests conducted on concrete have shown that the necessary condition for obtaining a high strength class and durability of concrete from CEM II/C-M and CEM VI ternary cements is low water–cement ratio. Durability characteristics of concrete (carbonation susceptibility, chloride ion permeation, frost resistance) made of CEM II/C-M and CEM VI cements were determined after 90 days of hardening. This period of curing reflects the performance properties of the concrete in a more effective way. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Development of Modified Building Materials)
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21 pages, 4320 KiB  
Article
Effect of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes on Strength Properties of Cement Composites
by Jiayuan Kang, Salam Al-Sabah and Roger Théo
Materials 2020, 13(6), 1305; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13061305 - 13 Mar 2020
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 3545
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effects of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on strength the properties of cement composites when surfactant (SAA) was applied as the dispersion method. TritonX-100 (TX10) was used as the SAA to pretreat SWCNTs, which has been proved to [...] Read more.
This study aimed to investigate the effects of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on strength the properties of cement composites when surfactant (SAA) was applied as the dispersion method. TritonX-100 (TX10) was used as the SAA to pretreat SWCNTs, which has been proved to perform well in dispersing the agglomerates of SWCNTs. In this study, four different concentration of SWCNTs, namely 0.00 wt%, 0.02 wt%, 0.04 wt%, and 0.06 wt% by the mass of cement, were used to prepare cement composite specimens. The compressive strength and flexural strength of specimens were tested and recorded. The results show that the compressive and flexural strengths of cement composites decreased with the increase in the concentration of SWCNTs without the addition of TX10. However, when SWCNT suspensions were pretreated with TX10, the strength variation pattern changed; the compressive and flexural strengths of cement composites increased as a function of the concentration of SWCNTs, although there were reductions compared to non-TX10-treated specimens at all concentrations of SWCNTs. Furthermore, the relationship between the strength of cement composites and bulk density of specimens was considered. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Development of Modified Building Materials)
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