Environmental evaluation, hydration, pore structure, volume deformation and abrasion resistance of low heat Portland (LHP) cement-based materials

Abstract

Low heat Portland (LHP) cement is one type of low energy and emission cement. In this work, the abrasion resistance, heat releasing properties, shrinkage behavior and pore structures of LHP cement-based materials are comprehensively investigated, and compared with those of moderate heat Portland (MHP) cement and PC ones. The utilization of LHP cement instead of Portland cement (PC) can effectively reduce the energy consumption (14.1%–15.3%) and CO2 emission (14.9%–15.7%) of concrete. LHP concrete shows the highest final compressive strength among three types of concrete mixtures in this study, which consequently leads to the strongest abrasion resistance. The slow developments of autogenous and drying shrinkage of LHP concrete are exhibited. LHP cement paste possesses better early crack resistance than MHP and PC ones due to its lower shrinkage strain at early age. Besides, the hydration heat of LHP cement paste and adiabatic temperature rise of LHP cement concrete are lower than those of MHP cement and PC ones in all hydration ages. In addition, LHP cement paste has a more refined porous structure than MHP cement and PC ones at late ages, which makes the microstructure of LHP concrete denser and improves the final mechanical properties and abrasion resistance to some degree.