Abstract
Poor workability is a common feature of calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement paste. Multiple chemical admixtures, such as set retarders and dispersants, are frequently employed to improve the workability and delay the setting of CSA cement paste. A quantitative assessment of the compatibility, efficiency, and the effects of the admixtures on cement paste workability is critical for the design of an appropriate paste formulation and admixture proportioning. Very limited studies are available on the quantitative rheology-based method for evaluating the workability of calcium sulfoaluminate cement pastes. This study presents a novel and robust time-dependent rheological method for quantifying the workability of CSA cement pastes modified with the incorporation of citric acid as a set retarder and a polycarboxylate ether (PCE)-based superplasticizer as a dispersant. The yield stress is measured as a function of time, and the resulting curve is applied to quantify three specific workability parameters: (i) the rate at which the paste loses flowability, (ii) the time limit for paste placement or pumping, marking the onset of acceleration to initial setting, and (iii) the rate at which the paste accelerates to final setting. The results of the tested CSA systems show that the rate of the loss of flowability and the rate of hardening decrease monotonously, while the time limit for casting decreases linearly with the increase in citric acid concentration. The dosage rate of PCE has a relatively small effect on the quantified workability parameters, partly due to the competitive adsorption of citrate ions. The method demonstrated here can characterize the interaction or co-influence of multiple admixtures on early-age properties of the cement paste, thus providing a quantitative rheological protocol for determining the workability and a novel approach to material selection and mixture design.
Recommended Citation
S. K. Mondal et al., "Quantifying the Workability of Calcium Sulfoaluminate Cement Paste using Time-Dependent Rheology," Materials, vol. 15, no. 16, article no. 5775, MDPI, Aug 2022.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15165775
Department(s)
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Second Department
Materials Science and Engineering
Third Department
Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
Keywords and Phrases
calcium sulfoaluminate cement; chemical admixture; retarder; rheology; workability
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
1996-1944
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Final Version
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2023 The Authors, All rights reserved.
Creative Commons Licensing
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Publication Date
01 Aug 2022
Included in
Architectural Engineering Commons, Biochemical and Biomolecular Engineering Commons, Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons, Materials Science and Engineering Commons
Comments
National Science Foundation, Grant 1932690