Slag cement and concrete

الملخص EN

The present overview of slag cement and concrete addresses the properties and behaviour of these materials, as well as the characteristics required of blast furnace slag for use as an addition.

The hydraulic behaviour of blast furnace slags depends on the chemical composition, vitreous content and slag finesses.

The hydration of this material in cement systems and the structure and composition of the reaction products formed are also explained.

The nature of hydration products formed in these cement pastes is quite different of the cement no blended.

The C-S-H gel formed in slag cements are characterized by more Al content and a more polymerized structure.

The strength and durability of slag cements and concretes are described in some depth, and the review ends with a discussion of recent findings on the fluidizing effect of polycarboxylate and polyether admixtures in slag cements.

The slag cement and concrete are characterized by a low hydration heat, high chemical resistant to sulphates and sea water media and an aggregatealkali reactions.

In short, owing to the characteristics and properties of slag cements, the mortars and concretes prepared with these materials have very specific and widely varying applications, ranging from typical OPC uses, providing high initial strength is not required, to other more specific applications, such as coastal construction, foundations and other structures not in contact with the air, as well as in reinforced and precast concrete.