The role of calcium aluminate cement in developing an efficient ultra-high performance concrete resistant to explosive spalling under high temperatures

Mehran Khan; Jiancong Lao; Muhammad Riaz Ahmad; Ming-Feng Kai; Jian-Guo Dai

doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.131469

The role of calcium aluminate cement in developing an efficient ultra-high performance concrete resistant to explosive spalling under high temperatures

Mehran Khan
, Jiancong Lao
, Muhammad Riaz Ahmad
, Ming-Feng Kai^*
, Jian-Guo Dai^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

96 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Conventional ordinary Portland cement (OPC)-based UHPC is vulnerable to explosive spalling under high temperatures. This study aims to classify the role of calcium aluminate cement (CAC) as the substitution for OPC in UHPC under high temperatures and finally develop an efficient UHPC without explosive spalling. It was found that CAC-based UHPC (UHPC-CAC) and OPC-based UHPC (UHPC-OPC) reached their peak strength both at 250 °C, but the peak strength (153.8 MPa) of UHPC-CAC was higher than that (137.5 MPa) of UHPC-OPC. Explosive spalling was found in UHPC-OPC after reaching 500 °C, while no spalling was observed in UHPC-CAC even at 1000 °C. The effectiveness of CAC in reducing the mechanical degradation and preventing the spalling of UHPC was attributed to three potential mechanisms: (1) CAC had less physically bound water to cause the vapor pressure in UHPC; (2) The main hydration product (i.e., calcium aluminosilicate hydrates) decomposed to a lesser extent, compared to the hydration product (i.e., calcium silicate hydrates) of OPC, as proved by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis; (3) there exists pores coarsening in UHPC-CAC, as evidenced by micro-XCT, which could release the water pressure in UHPC and thus prevent the spalling at elevated temperatures. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd

Original language	English
Article number	131469
Journal	Construction and Building Materials
Volume	384
Online published	20 Apr 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.131469
Publication status	Published - 27 Jun 2023
Externally published	Yes

Funding

The authors acknowledge the financial support received from The Postdoc Matching Fund Scheme (Project codes: P0014094 and P0005306), Guangdong Province R&D Plan for Key Areas with Grant No. 2019B111107002 and the NSFC/RGC Joint Research Scheme with Grant No. N_PolyU542/20, Start-up Fund for RAPs under the Strategic Hiring Scheme with Grant No. P0038964.

Research Keywords

Calcium aluminate cement
Compressive strength
Elevated temperatures
Spalling
UHPC

RGC Funding Information

RGC-funded

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10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.131469

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Cite this

@article{885e5b0e6b274a01b9d2d8fa6835bce2,

title = "The role of calcium aluminate cement in developing an efficient ultra-high performance concrete resistant to explosive spalling under high temperatures",

abstract = "Conventional ordinary Portland cement (OPC)-based UHPC is vulnerable to explosive spalling under high temperatures. This study aims to classify the role of calcium aluminate cement (CAC) as the substitution for OPC in UHPC under high temperatures and finally develop an efficient UHPC without explosive spalling. It was found that CAC-based UHPC (UHPC-CAC) and OPC-based UHPC (UHPC-OPC) reached their peak strength both at 250 °C, but the peak strength (153.8 MPa) of UHPC-CAC was higher than that (137.5 MPa) of UHPC-OPC. Explosive spalling was found in UHPC-OPC after reaching 500 °C, while no spalling was observed in UHPC-CAC even at 1000 °C. The effectiveness of CAC in reducing the mechanical degradation and preventing the spalling of UHPC was attributed to three potential mechanisms: (1) CAC had less physically bound water to cause the vapor pressure in UHPC; (2) The main hydration product (i.e., calcium aluminosilicate hydrates) decomposed to a lesser extent, compared to the hydration product (i.e., calcium silicate hydrates) of OPC, as proved by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis; (3) there exists pores coarsening in UHPC-CAC, as evidenced by micro-XCT, which could release the water pressure in UHPC and thus prevent the spalling at elevated temperatures. {\textcopyright} 2023 Elsevier Ltd",

keywords = "Calcium aluminate cement, Compressive strength, Elevated temperatures, Spalling, UHPC",

author = "Mehran Khan and Jiancong Lao and \{Riaz Ahmad\}, Muhammad and Ming-Feng Kai and Jian-Guo Dai",

year = "2023",

month = jun,

day = "27",

doi = "10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.131469",

language = "English",

volume = "384",

journal = "Construction and Building Materials",

issn = "0950-0618",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd.",

}

The role of calcium aluminate cement in developing an efficient ultra-high performance concrete resistant to explosive spalling under high temperatures. / Khan, Mehran; Lao, Jiancong; Riaz Ahmad, Muhammad et al.
In: Construction and Building Materials, Vol. 384, 131469, 27.06.2023.

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - The role of calcium aluminate cement in developing an efficient ultra-high performance concrete resistant to explosive spalling under high temperatures

AU - Khan, Mehran

AU - Lao, Jiancong

AU - Riaz Ahmad, Muhammad

AU - Kai, Ming-Feng

AU - Dai, Jian-Guo

PY - 2023/6/27

Y1 - 2023/6/27

N2 - Conventional ordinary Portland cement (OPC)-based UHPC is vulnerable to explosive spalling under high temperatures. This study aims to classify the role of calcium aluminate cement (CAC) as the substitution for OPC in UHPC under high temperatures and finally develop an efficient UHPC without explosive spalling. It was found that CAC-based UHPC (UHPC-CAC) and OPC-based UHPC (UHPC-OPC) reached their peak strength both at 250 °C, but the peak strength (153.8 MPa) of UHPC-CAC was higher than that (137.5 MPa) of UHPC-OPC. Explosive spalling was found in UHPC-OPC after reaching 500 °C, while no spalling was observed in UHPC-CAC even at 1000 °C. The effectiveness of CAC in reducing the mechanical degradation and preventing the spalling of UHPC was attributed to three potential mechanisms: (1) CAC had less physically bound water to cause the vapor pressure in UHPC; (2) The main hydration product (i.e., calcium aluminosilicate hydrates) decomposed to a lesser extent, compared to the hydration product (i.e., calcium silicate hydrates) of OPC, as proved by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis; (3) there exists pores coarsening in UHPC-CAC, as evidenced by micro-XCT, which could release the water pressure in UHPC and thus prevent the spalling at elevated temperatures. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd

AB - Conventional ordinary Portland cement (OPC)-based UHPC is vulnerable to explosive spalling under high temperatures. This study aims to classify the role of calcium aluminate cement (CAC) as the substitution for OPC in UHPC under high temperatures and finally develop an efficient UHPC without explosive spalling. It was found that CAC-based UHPC (UHPC-CAC) and OPC-based UHPC (UHPC-OPC) reached their peak strength both at 250 °C, but the peak strength (153.8 MPa) of UHPC-CAC was higher than that (137.5 MPa) of UHPC-OPC. Explosive spalling was found in UHPC-OPC after reaching 500 °C, while no spalling was observed in UHPC-CAC even at 1000 °C. The effectiveness of CAC in reducing the mechanical degradation and preventing the spalling of UHPC was attributed to three potential mechanisms: (1) CAC had less physically bound water to cause the vapor pressure in UHPC; (2) The main hydration product (i.e., calcium aluminosilicate hydrates) decomposed to a lesser extent, compared to the hydration product (i.e., calcium silicate hydrates) of OPC, as proved by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis; (3) there exists pores coarsening in UHPC-CAC, as evidenced by micro-XCT, which could release the water pressure in UHPC and thus prevent the spalling at elevated temperatures. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd

KW - Calcium aluminate cement

KW - Compressive strength

KW - Elevated temperatures

KW - Spalling

KW - UHPC

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85152920203

UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/pubmetrics.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85152920203&origin=recordpage

U2 - 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.131469

DO - 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.131469

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

AN - SCOPUS:85152920203

SN - 0950-0618

VL - 384

JO - Construction and Building Materials

JF - Construction and Building Materials

M1 - 131469

ER -

The role of calcium aluminate cement in developing an efficient ultra-high performance concrete resistant to explosive spalling under high temperatures

Abstract

Funding

Research Keywords

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NSFC: Research and Development on Waste Ash/Slag-based Artificial Aggregates for Applications in Concrete

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The role of calcium aluminate cement in developing an efficient ultra-high performance concrete resistant to explosive spalling under high temperatures

Abstract

Funding

Research Keywords

RGC Funding Information

Access Output

Other Access Options

Permanent Link

Other Files and Links

Fingerprint

Projects

NSFC: Research and Development on Waste Ash/Slag-based Artificial Aggregates for Applications in Concrete

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