Masters Theses

Abstract

Cement production is a major source of global CO₂ emissions creating an urgent need for carbon-negative fillers and functional additives that lower clinker use while maintaining cement performance. This thesis investigates the effects of organic mineral salts as fillers and additives on cement hydration, fresh properties, compressive strength and pore structure. In the first study, ordinary Portland cement (OPC) was partially replaced with calcium carbonate or calcium oxalate to enable a direct comparison under controlled particle size distribution (PSD). Rheology, flowability, hydration kinetics, phase evolution, mechanical performance and water absorption were evaluated. Calcium carbonate promoted early hydration through nucleation and filler effects, though its benefits weakened as replacement increased. In contrast, calcium oxalate suppressed early heat release and improved flowability while delivering stronger later-age performance; however, it also increased capillary absorption, suggesting a more permeable pore structure. In the second study, Portland limestone cement (PLC) was modified with organic calcium salts to evaluate their ability to tune hydration and performance. Calcium acetate and calcium formate function mainly as accelerators, whereas calcium citrate acts as a retarder, and all three improve flowability. Strength development varies strongly with dosage, with calcium formate providing the most consistently favorable later-age outcome and calcium citrate enabling later-age strength recovery despite early-age reductions.

Advisor(s)

Ma, Hongyan

Committee Member(s)

Liu, Jenny
Okoronkwo, Monday Uchenna

Department(s)

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering

Degree Name

M.S. in Civil Engineering

Publisher

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Publication Date

Spring 2026

Journal article titles appearing in thesis/dissertation

Paper I, found on pages 3 – 37, submitted to Journal of the American Ceramic Society.

Paper II, found on pages 38 – 75, submitted to Construction and building materials.

Pagination

xiv, 78 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes_bibliographical_references_(pages 34 & 71)

Rights

© 2026 Smita Bhowmick Shithi , All Rights Reserved

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Thesis Number

T 12607

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