Title:
A Brief History of Aluminum and Concrete
Author(s):
Werner
Publication:
Web Session
Volume:
Issue:
Appears on pages(s):
Keywords:
DOI:
Date:
10/17/2021
Abstract:
Aluminum is the thirteenth element on the Periodic Table. Today aluminum is used for and in a wide variety of products and materials including building materials, but it was not until the end of the 19th century that aluminum could be produced on a large scale. Before that time, it was rare and expensive. Although Portland cement contains aluminum in the form of tricalcium aluminate (C3A), it is well known that aluminum and aluminum alloys should not come in direct contact with fresh or recently placed Portland cement concrete due to adverse reactions. A number of research projects were carried out on this issue in the mid-20th century. In this presentation, some of that research will be reviewed and its relevance to concrete in the 21st century will be discussed.