Sessions & Events

 

All sessions and events take place in Central Daylight Time (CDT).
All events take place at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans.

On-demand sessions will be available for viewing in the convention platform/event app under "On-Demand Content" within 24-48 hours of the session premiere. Please note, on-demand sessions are not available for CEU credit. *Denotes on-demand content.


From the Lab to the Field – Experiences with Portland Limestone Cement, Part 1 of 2

Tuesday, March 26, 2024  1:30 PM - 3:30 PM, Strand 12B

This session will review lessons learned from cement manufacturing, concrete producers, and concrete contractors and finishers. This session will discuss the field observations and growing pains being discovered. In addition to real-world observations, several scientific factors will be discussed. While not all answers are known, progress is being made and challenges tackled!

Learning Objectives:
(1) Describe what Type IL portland-limestone cement is and how it differs from a traditional cement;
(2) Describe how concrete made using portland-limestone cement is similar or different with respect to mixture proportioning;
(3) Discuss the role that PLC plays on the performance of SCMS in a mixture;
(4) Discuss considerations in specifying the use of Type IL portland-limestone cement based on current observations.

This session has been approved by AIA and ICC for 2 PDHs (0.2 CEUs). Please note: You must attend the live session for the entire duration to receive credit. On-demand sessions do not qualify for PDH/CEU credit.


Introduction and Session Goals   

Presented By: Lawrence Taber
Affiliation: Black & Veatch SPC
Description: Portland Limestone Cement (PLC), known as Type IL cement in the USA, has now replaced traditional cement in most areas in an effort to reduce carbon emissions from the concrete industry. While PLC has been successfully used for many years in markets stretching from Canada to Europe, its introduction into American markets has created a lot of conversation, debate, and experienced some growing pains for fresh concrete properties during placement. The need to follow proper curing procedures and other good concrete placement techniques has become even more critical than before. This session will discuss everything from research being performed to real-world observations from the field in an objective manner.


Production of PLC

Presented By: Larry Rowland
Affiliation: Heidelberg Materials
Description: As outlined in the Portland Cement Association, Road Map to Carbon Neutrality, published in 2021 Portland Limestone Cements are considered an important part of the cement industry’s plan of reaching Carbon Neutrality by 2050. Portland Limestone Cements (PLC) reduce the global warming potential of concrete in comparison with ordinary portland cements because they include a higher proportion of limestone within the cement composition. When properly produced and used Portland Limestone Cement yields very similar performance as ordinary portland cement and in some cases, the additional limestone provides a positive synergistic effect when combined with certain supplementary cementitious materials. With these benefits in mind cement producers, including Heidelberg Materials have converted to producing portland limestone cements instead of ordinary portland cements. In some operations our plants have stopped producing portland cement all together and instead are producing 100% portland limestone cements. By specification ordinary portland cements limit limestone to a maximum of 5% of the cement composition in comparison with a maximum of 15% limestone in PLC's. The proportional reduction in clinker content is the key factor delivering up to a 10% reduction in carbon emissions. The limestone additions for either cement type happen in the finish mill at the final grinding phase of production. No fuel is burned to generate heat at the finish mill grinding phase of the operation so, temperatures in the finish mill typically do not exceed 150 degrees Celsius. The limestone added at the finish mill stage of cement production is not calcined, meaning that carbon dioxide is not released from this part of the process. This process and fundamental production methods of producing PLC will be described along with insights on why it is becoming the standard portland cement clinker-based binder in North America.


Mix Optimizations and Material Variations

Presented By: Stephanie Hampton
Affiliation: Aicrete
Description: This presentation will focus on mix optimizations when utilizing PLC/Type IL Cement, as well as when utilizing different supplemental cementitious materials, and admixtures. The presentation will also provide insight to PLC/Type IL Cement variations, through physical and chemical properties as well as reaction kinetics, and explainin how they impact overall concrete performance. Learn what information to look for, what questions to ask your supplier(s), and what steps should be taken prior to putting these new products into practice.


The Science Behind PLC

Presented By: O Burkan Isgor
Affiliation: Oregon State University
Description: This presentation will focus on the synergies between PLC and different types of SCM. It will be shown through experimental and thermodynamic modeling studies that SCM composition particularly reactive alumina content, and pozzolanic reactivity have a strong influence on the performance of the concrete produced with PLCs.


PLC Variability and Use in HES

Presented By: MICHELLE COOPER
Affiliation: Michigan Technological University
Description: Cement producers are increasingly transitioning from Type I, II, and Type I/II cements to portland limestone cements (PLCs), referred to as Type IL. With the increasing number of producers, a new opportunity has arisen for evaluating how the production of these cements changes their properties and, consequently, their performance. Additionally, with Type I/II cement availability decreasing, the use of PLC needs to be evaluated for all applications. This presentation will discuss the variability of physical and microstructural characteristics of PLCs from across the United States, and how they may affect the performance of the cement within concrete. This presentation additionally discusses the use of PLCs in high-early strength concrete materials, specifically for repair. The influence of accelerators on PLC, early-age compressive strength of PLC mortars, and the porosity of PLC systems with and without supplementary cementitious materials are evaluated.


Discussion and Next Steps

Presented By: Ben Wiese
Affiliation: Green Umbrella Architectual Concrete Systems
Description: The session will conclude with a panel discussion highlighting lessons learned and how the topics discussed relate back to modern curing practice.

Upper Level Sponsors

ACI Northern California and Western Nevada Chapter
Baker
Conseal
Euclid Chemical
FullForce Solutions
Master Builders
Natural Resources Research Institute - University of Minnesota
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