Improving the dispersion of silica fume in cement pastes and mortars

Abstract

There are many possibilities how to improve concrete properties such as compressive strength, flexural strength, durability, and others. The change in the composition of ordinary Portland concrete (OPC) is one possible way. This change may result in the formation of concrete with added properties known as high-performance concrete (HPC). Traditional methods used to receive high-performance concrete design and manufacture emphasize the removal of coarse aggregates. This is achieved by using the specially sorted fine aggregates at relatively low doses along with super-plasticizers and silica fume. Problem with fine reactive aggregates is their agglomeration which causes reduction of the reactive surface. This work is focused on evaluation of the ultrasound technology for the dispersion of silica fume. For comparison, different cement mixtures were prepared to study the effects of the treatment of silica fume prior to its use in HPC applications.