Title:
Assessing the Freeze-Thaw Performance of CSA Cement Systems
Author(s):
Bukhari
Publication:
Web Session
Volume:
ws_S23_Bukhari.pdf
Issue:
Appears on pages(s):
Keywords:
DOI:
Date:
4/2/2023
Abstract:
The production of ordinary portland cement (OPC) is very carbon expensive, and with an increased focus on application of eco-friendly cementitious materials, interest in alternative cements has grown. One of these alternatives is calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement. The manufacturing of CSA cement emits about 50% less carbon per lb. of cement produced and has other advantages such as rapid hardening due to a greater formation of ettringite when compared to OPC. However, there are a limited number of studies concerning the freeze-thaw resistance of CSA cement systems in cold environments. This study directly compares Type I OPC and CSA cement paste and mortar mixtures at water-to-binder ratios (w/b) of 0.40, 0.45, and 0.50 to determine the differences in freeze-thaw durability. This study implements thermomechanical analysis (TMA) to quantify the frost-induced damage in CSA and OPC systems with micron-scale resolution. Additionally, water absorption, bulk electrical resistivity, and porosity measurements along with microstructure characterization were performed to relate the freeze-thaw performance to the microstructural and mass transport properties of CSA systems.