Early longitudinal dimensional changes of fresh fly ash mortar exposed to drying conditions

Abstract

The present work examines the effect of fly ash (ASTM Class F) on early longitudinal dimensional changes in fresh cement-fly ash (10, 25 and 40 percent cement replacement) mortar mixes exposed to drying conditions immediately after casting at elevated temperature (30 C, 86 F).It was found that the fly ash affects expansion in the fresh mortar mix: the larger the cement replacement percentage (i.e. increased amount of fly ash in the mix), the higher the expansion values and the longer its duration. However, the effect of the fly ash on plastic shrinkage during drying has no clear trend, as it is governed both by the preceding expansion and by the duration of the shrinkage phase (both influenced in turn by the specific chemical composition and physical properties of the fly ash and the cement).