Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kai Cui, Jun Chang, Mohanad Muayad Sabri Sabri, Jiandong Huang
Summary: This study investigated the effect of graphene nanoplates (GNPs) on the hydration process and products of sulfoaluminate cement (SAC). The results showed that GNPs can accelerate SAC hydration, promote the formation of hydration products, and improve the mechanical properties of the cement matrix.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Chenxin Ni, Qingyong Wu, Zhuqing Yu, Xiaodong Shen
Summary: The fineness of densified silica fume (DSF) significantly affects the hydration of cement, with larger agglomerations delaying the hydration process while finer particles contribute to improved compressive strength of cement mortar.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2021)
Review
Construction & Building Technology
Shaolun He, Junrui Chai, Yi Yang, Jing Cao, Yuan Qin, Zengguang Xu
Summary: Nanotechnology plays a significant role in modifying building materials from a microscopic to macroscopic scale. The early hydration mechanism of nano-reinforced phase composite cement pastes is crucial for the characteristics of cement-based materials. Different types of nanomaterials have varying effects on the hydration kinetics, composition, and structural distribution of hydration products. The key to exploiting the properties of nanomaterials lies in effective dispersion, which can be achieved through physical methods. The specific impact of chemical methods on hydration reactions depends on the type and dosage. This study integrates and discusses the mechanisms of hydration phenomena, experiments related to hydration products, and methods for quantifying the degree of hydration, aiming to provide a comprehensive review of the important effects of nano-reinforcing phases on early hydration kinetics and a theoretical basis for applying nanotechnology to modify smart building materials.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yingliang Zhao, Jingping Qiu, Zhengyu Ma
Summary: This research investigated the effects of particle size and curing temperature on cement paste blended with iron tailings (IT). It was found that IT accelerated the hydration of cement in the initial stage but led to low cumulative heat release after long curing. The presence of IT decreased yield stress and plastic viscosity of fresh cement paste, delayed initial setting, and resulted in reduced UCS, with properties being more temperature dependent.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Wei Liu, Hangyu Du, Peng Yi, Yongqiang Li, Yaoming Luo, Qian Chen, Feng Xing
Summary: This study investigates the early hydration and rheological characteristics of cement paste containing cocombustion fly ash (CCFA) and compared it with traditional binding systems made with coal fly ash (CFA). The results show that CCFA has a retarding effect on the early hydration of cement, with a more pronounced effect at higher fly ash dosages. Additionally, samples containing CCFA exhibit faster early hydration rates compared to samples with CFA, even when the same admixture is used. The research findings indicate that fly ashes primarily affect the early hydration characteristics by influencing the consumption of capillary water.
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Qianqian Zhang, Xin Shu, Yong Yang, Yonglin Mao, Xiumei Wang, Qianping Ran
Summary: In order to improve the understanding of the underlying mechanism of changes in concrete properties after pumping, the effect of pressure on the time-dependent rheological properties of cement paste was investigated. It was found that pressurization mainly affected the yield stress through cement hydration. Under high pressure, cement hydration was accelerated, resulting in a significantly increased specific surface area of hydrated cement. Additionally, the morphology of hydration products changed, forming longer rod-like precipitated gypsum, which negatively impacted the packing density and further increased the yield stress.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Xiuzhi Zhang, Hailong Sun, Haibo Yang, Ru Mu, Heng Chen
Summary: This study investigated the temperature-time evolution of the rheological properties of nanosilica-modified cement paste, finding that the yield stress and plastic viscosity increased with NS dosage, free water content, and temperature. The initial values of rheological parameters were significantly larger due to NS flocculation, with evolution rate of yield stress highest at 40 degrees C. Thixotropy showed a small initial value and rapid increase at 30 degrees C, serving as an ideal evaluation model.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Bao Liu, Xueke Lu, Haining Meng, Ganghua Pan, Dongxu Li
Summary: In situ-grown nano-SiO2 (INS), formed on the surface of iron tailings powder (ITP), can be uniformly dispersed in cement-based materials, effectively addressing the dispersion problem of nano-SiO2 in alkaline cement environments. INS shows better performance in promoting cement hydration and reducing agglomeration compared to commercial nano-SiO2. Additionally, INS can improve the early and long-term compressive strength of cement pastes.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Giovanni dos Santos Batista, Antonio Shigueaki Takimi, Eleani Maria da Costa
Summary: Core/shell TiO2@SiO2 nanoparticles (nTS) were added to cement class G and investigated with and without polycarboxylate (PC). Various analytical techniques were used to analyze the physical and chemical properties of the hardened cement pastes. The results showed that nTS exhibited self-dispersive behavior and improved the specific mass, matrix compacity, compressive strength, hydration degree, reduced portlandite content, and increased C-S-H main chain length.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Ahmed Saidi, Caitlin Purdy, Ayman Ali, Yusuf Mehta, Mohamed Elshaer, Christopher Decarlo
Summary: The study aimed to evaluate the rheological and mechanical properties of emulsion-cement paste (ECP) in cold recycled mixtures. Forty-five combinations of ECP specimens with varying emulsion, cement, and water content were prepared and tested using various methods. The results showed that the proportions of emulsion, cement, and water significantly affected the properties of ECPs, with higher cement and water contents improving high-temperature performance but reducing resistance to intermediate- and low-temperature cracking, while increasing emulsion content improved resistance to fatigue and low-temperature cracking but increased rutting susceptibility at high temperatures. This study provides valuable knowledge for designers of asphalt mixtures involving ECPs.
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH RECORD
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Zheng Fang, Chong Wang, Haoyue Hu, Shuai Zhou, Yaoling Luo
Summary: This study investigates the effects of electrical fields and aggressive liquid media on the stability of cement-based materials and hydration products using various techniques. The results show that the C-S-H structure remains stable under certain conditions but experiences severe degradation under low-pH liquid media when coupled with electrical fields.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Baoliang Li, Zhouyang Tang, Binbin Huo, Zejun Liu, Yongzhen Cheng, Baizhan Ding, Peng Zhang
Summary: The hydration products and strength of cement pastes incorporated with ground blast furnace slag (GBFS) were studied under different curing conditions. GBFS was found to participate in cement hydration during the initial steam curing process, resulting in the formation of various gel structures. Prolonging the steam curing time to 7 days favored the formation of low aluminum C-(A)-S-H gels. Additionally, the addition of 20% GBFS had a negligible influence on the strength of cement mortar under short-term steam curing, but increased the strength gap between 20% GBFS blended mortar and pure cement mortar after 7 days of steam curing.
Editorial Material
Construction & Building Technology
Xu Luo, Shujun Li, Zhenhai Xu, Zhaoheng Guo, Cheng Liu, Xuemei Chen, Jianming Gao
Summary: Using recycled brick powder (RBP) in blended cement is beneficial for energy saving and emission reduction. The hydration process of blended cement containing RBP significantly affects the mechanical property and durability of concrete. Results show that RBP reduces heat release, promotes cement hydration, and decreases the amount of Ca(OH)2, while also increasing the content of amorphous phase.
JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE CEMENT-BASED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Hanjie Qian, Ye Li, Jianfei Yang, Lihua Xie, Kang Hai Tan
Summary: In this paper, an automatic segmentation framework is proposed for the analysis of concrete micro structure using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. The PointRend algorithm is optimized to improve prediction accuracy, especially around boundaries. The results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms other segmentation methods.
CEMENT & CONCRETE COMPOSITES
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Gyeongryul Kim, Hyeongwon Suh, Seongmin Cho, Sumin Im, Erfan Zal Nezhad, Seungwook Seok, Changsik Choi, Sungchul Bae
Summary: This study investigates the synergistic strengthening mechanism of graphene oxide, functionalized carbon nanotubes, and nano-silica triple hybrid-reinforced Portland cement composite. The study found that an optimal amount of graphene oxide significantly improves the dispersion quality and positively influences the hydration degree and mechanical performance of the cement paste.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Chuang He, Peng Xu, Xuanhan Zhang, Wujian Long
Summary: Carbon dots, as a rising star in carbon nanomaterials, have attracted enormous attention for their excellent optical properties, biocompatibility, catalytic performance, small size, low toxicity, and environmental friendliness. Researchers have extensively studied and summarized the synthetic strategies, photoluminescence mechanisms, and promising applications of carbon dots, as well as discussed the prospects and challenges for further research in this field.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Lixiao Li, Yuejia Wan, Shangxin Chen, Weiwei Tian, Wujian Long, Jian Song
Summary: The study systematically investigated the effects of constituents on the rheological and mechanical properties of self-compacting mortars, with a focus on factors such as fly ash and sand-to-binder ratio. It was found that an optimal range of FA, SF, s/b, w/b between 10-20%, 6-10%, 1.1-1.2, 0.35-0.36 respectively resulted in better workability and greater compressive strength of SCMs.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Zhi-Lu Jiang, Zhi-Wei Qian, Xiang-Lin Gu, Ji-Hua Zhu, Wu-Jian Long, Feng Xing
Summary: This study investigates the probabilistic characteristics of chloride concentration distribution in concrete with irregular aggregates through numerical simulation, which shows that chloride diffusivity is related to the shape of aggregate particles. The results suggest that using more spherical and isotropic aggregates can reduce chloride concentration deviation and improve concrete durability. Therefore, spatial variability of aggregate distribution should be considered in concrete design to ensure structural durability and corrosion resistance.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Jingjie Wei, Wu-Jian Long, Kamal H. Khayat, Biqin Dong, Liu Mei, Feng Xing
Summary: This study investigates the dynamic properties of high-performance composite materials HPC-LC3 and proposes a method to enhance the dynamic properties of structures by improving the vibration absorption ability of cement-matrix materials. The results show that incorporating LC3 into traditional HPC can improve its dynamic properties and reduce energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and costs.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Wu-Jian Long, Zhuorui Wu, Kamal H. Khayat, Jingjie Wei, Biqin Dong, Feng Xing, Jinrui Zhang
Summary: This study compared the dynamic mechanical properties, ecological and economic efficiency of fiber-reinforced mortars (FRMs) made with different binder systems. The results showed that FRMs made with limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) exhibited higher loss factors, appropriate pore size distributions, and good fiber-matrix interfacial properties. Additionally, FRMs made with LC3 showed lower energy consumption and cost compared to other types of mortars.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yaocheng Wang, Xuelei Jiang, Zhenhao Zhong, Zhicheng Liu, Weiwen Li, Wujian Long, Feng Xing
Summary: Experimental work on calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) mixes has shown that the binding capacity of CSA cement on external chloride ions is influenced by the water/powder ratio and the presence of gypsum. The study also found that a substance called CAH(10) contributes to the binding of premixed chloride ions. The presence of premixed chloride ions in CSA cement affects the mineralogy and physical properties of the cement, leading to a more densified microstructure.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Wujian Long, Jing Xie, Xuanhan Zhang, Shicong Kou, Feng Xing, Chuang He
Summary: This work proposes a new method to overcome the slow setting and low early strength of cement-based composites with high-volume fly ash (HVFA). The effects of a binary system containing calcined hydrotalcite (CHT) and Na2SO4 (NS) on the early strength, hydration process, pore structure, and microstructural morphology of HVFA composites were investigated. Results showed that the CHT and NS co-doped system exhibited better performance in improving the mechanical properties and porosity of HVFA cement than the CHT or NS single system, due to the accelerated hydration process, increased hydration product content, and refined pore structure. These findings provide guidance for enhancing the early strength of HVFA concrete in practical engineering.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Wu-Jian Long, Xuanhan Zhang, Jing Xie, Shicong Kou, Qiling Luo, Jingjie Wei, Can Lin, Gan-Lin Feng
Summary: An effective method for recycling waste CRT glass is to use fly ash-slag geopolymer composite as fine aggregate. The silica modulus and alkali dosage have significant effects on the performance of the geopolymer. The optimal alkali dosage and silica modulus for recycling CRT glass with geopolymer are determined to be 6% and 1.5, respectively.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jinrui Zhang, Wenjun Niu, Zhen Liu, Youzhi Yang, Wujian Long, Yuanyuan Zhang, Biqin Dong
Summary: The hydration behavior of MKPC was investigated through various material characterization methods and thermodynamic modeling. The results showed that K-struvite is the main hydration product of MKPC, and the structure became denser with the increase in curing age. Additionally, thermodynamic modeling was effective in analyzing the hydration behavior of MKPC.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Jingjie Wei, Jianwei Liu, Kamal H. Khayat, Wu-Jian Long
Summary: This study aimed to improve the flexural and damping properties of fiber-reinforced alkali-activated slag composites (FR-AASC) by using organic phosphonates (HEDP.4Na) and different pouring methods. The results showed that using 0.3% HEDP.4Na combined with a 150 degrees-induced pouring angle significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of FR-AASC compared to the reference group. The compressive and flexural strength, damping energy consumption, and storage modulus of the FR-AASC sample cast using 0.3% HEDP.4Na and the 150 degrees-induced pouring angle increased by 20%, 60%, 78%, and 30%, respectively.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Boyuan Cheng, Liu Mei, Wu-Jian Long, Shicong Kou, Lixiao Li, Songyuan Geng
Summary: This study introduces a novel approach by utilizing a random forest algorithm to predict the rheology, workability, and mechanical properties of Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC). The models exhibit high accuracy and provide valuable insights for designing SCC mixtures tailored to specific requirements. The findings contribute to the advancement of SCC technology and have significant implications for the construction industry.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Wujian Long, Boyuan Cheng, Shengyu Luo, Lixiao Li, Liu Mei
Summary: The purpose of this study is to establish highly nonlinear relationships between SCC mix proportions and properties using machine learning techniques and providing interpretable models to guide SCC design. The proposed models exhibit high accuracy in predicting the key properties of SCC through careful feature engineering, model training, and hyper-parameter optimization. Experimental verification shows that the proposed models can accurately predict the properties of C45, C50, and C55 SCC.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Zhilu Jiang, Yingjie Pan, Chuanqing Fu, Weiwen Li, Yaocheng Wang, Wu-Jian Long
Summary: This paper aims to investigate the 3-D pore structure of cement paste at different scales using XCT and FIB/SEM. The results show that pore structures measured by FIB/SEM are more heterogeneous than those measured by XCT. Additionally, the pore connectivity decreases with decreasing water-cement ratio, increasing curing age, and the addition of fly ash/slag. The reduction in connectivity due to fly ash is more significant based on the observations by XCT compared to FIB/SEM. The transport-related tortuosity differs from geometric tortuosity, and the diffusional tortuosity exhibits a larger discrepancy from hydraulic tortuosity at lower porosity.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Boyuan Cheng, Liu Mei, Wu-Jian Long, Shicong Kou, Qiling Luo, Yanjin Feng
Summary: Self-compacting concrete (SCC) has gained popularity in modern engineering, but traditional design methods face challenges such as high material and labor costs, as well as elevated carbon emissions and energy consumption. To address these issues, this study proposes a novel approach that combines the compressible packing model with machine learning, enabling the intelligent design of low-carbon, high-packing-density SCC.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hongguang Zhang, Wenya Yang, Qiling Luo, Wu-Jian Long
Summary: This study systematically analyzed the influence of sintered silt ash (SSA) on magnesium potassium phosphate cement (MKPC). The results showed that blending SSA into MKPC can improve its compressive strength. Additionally, SSA can delay the hydration reaction of MKPC and increase its hydration degree.
