Title: SilicaFume in Concrete--An Overview

Author(s): Kamal Henri Khayat and Pierre-Claude

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 132

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 835-872

Keywords: abrasion; air entrainment; alkali-aggregate reactions; bleeding; bond; corrosion; creep properties; drying shrinkage; durability; freeze-thaw durability; heat of hydration; permeability; reviews; physical properties; segregation; setting (hardening); sil

DOI: 10.14359/2292

Date: 5/1/1992

Abstract:
Silica fume is no longer a waste by-product from the silicon metal and ferrosilicon alloy industries, but a well-established pozzolanic material which can contribute unique properties to portland cement products. The use of silica fume in cement and concrete technology has sharply increased in North America in the last 5 years. An overview of recently published literature on the subject is presented. Silica fume modifies physical characteristics of fresh cement paste as well as the microstructure of the paste after hardening. The various mechanisms of action of silica fume that cause physical and chemical changes in concrete are discussed. The role of silica fume in altering engineering properties of concrete is highlighted. In particular, the effects of silica fume on the following properties of concrete are discussed: rheological properties (such as consistency and cohesiveness), mechanical properties (such as compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths; bond strength with reinforcement; creep and drying shrinkage), and durability (such as resistance to deterioration by aggressive chemicals, abrasion-erosion, and freeze-thaw cycles).