Title: A tribute to "Studies of the Physical Properties of Hardened Portland Cement Paste"

Author(s): T.C. Powers and T.L. Brownyard

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 249

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 265-618

Keywords:

DOI: 10.14359/20134

Date: 3/1/2008

Abstract:
This paper deals mainly with data on water fixation in hardened portland cement paste, the properties of evaporable water, the desnisty of the solid substance, and the porosity of the paste as a whole. The studies of the evaporable water include water-vapor-adsorption characteristics and the thermodynamics of adsorption. The discusssions include the following topics: 1. Theoretical interpretation of adsorption data 2. The specific surface of hardened portland cement paste 3. Minimum porosity of hardened paste 4. Relative amounts of gel-water and capillary water 5. The thermodynamics of adsorption 6. The energy of binding of water in hardened paste 7. Swelling pressure 8. Mechanism of shrinking and swelling 9. Capillary-flow and moisture diffusion 10. Esimation of absolute volume of solid phase in hardened paste 11. Specific volumes of evaporable and non-evaporable water 12. Computation of volume of solid phase in hardened paste 13. Limit of hydration of portland cement 14. Relation of physical characteristics of paste to compressive strength 15. Permeability and absorptivity 16. Freezing of water in hardened portland cement paste