Performance-Based Testing of New Cements for Concrete Pavements

AUTHORS: Slansky, B.; Vyslouzil, L.; Hela, R.; Smilauer, V.; and Hlavaty, J.

ABSTRACT: During the last years, reduction of the clinker factor led to various blended cements used in pavement construction. The experimental campaign covered nine cements, taking into account special coarsely-ground Portland cement and various GGBFS- and limestoneblended cements. Crack resistance during restrained drying was found as the most influential factor, related to volume deformations caused by chemical and drying shrinkage. Cements with slow hydration kinetics performed the best in the ring shrinkage test, four of them were classified as crack-resistant. Crack-resistant cement also demonstrated low free drying shrinkage on prisms 30×30×500 mm. Three cements out of four selected passed tests for frost concrete resistance with defrosting chemicals, disqualifying cement with 14% ground limestone. At the end, three cements passed all the requirements, particularly CEM I 42.5 R (Blaine 263 m2/kg), CEM II/A-S 42.5 N (Blaine 343 m2/kg) and CEM II/B-S 32.5 R (Blaine 331 m2/kg), representing cements with slower strength gain.