MC RTN NANOCEM

Project #'02'

Availability of Al2O3 in Blended Cements

Description of the Transversal project themes including deterioration of cement matrices, verification of performance and innovation

Date
This project started on 01 March 2006 and ended on 30 June 2009

Status
This project is Finished

Authors
Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland
Heidelberg Cement AG, Germany
Verein Deutscher Zementwerke e.V., Germany

Objectives
State of the Art : Many SCMs (particularly fly ashes, slags and natural pozzolans) contain alumina. The extent to which this alumina forms hydrates and reacts with incoming sulfate ions is not well understood and there is no methodology to characterise the effective alumina content.
Objectives and innovation : This project will use methods of quantitative phase analysis based on scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction newly developed at EPFL , to determine the relationship between the mineralogy of the starting materials and the hydrates formed ? their sulfate resistance and impact on the development of mechanical properties. The range of materials to be studied will be aligned with project 1. Collaboration with Industrials will provide the means to set up of new method using primarily X-ray diffraction Rietveld and scanning electron microscopy (VDZ) and validate these on a range of industrial cements (Heidelberg), in order to determine the impact of SCMs particularly in regards to sulfate resistance.

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Read the Publications & Conference Papers