Properties of blastfurnace cements (CEM III/A, B, C) based on Portland cement clinker, blastfurnace slag and cement kiln dusts

Abstract

This study has examined the effectiveness of characteristically different cement kiln dusts (CKDs) as a partial replacement for the ground granulated blastfurnace slag (GGBFS) in the development and production of three types of blastfurnace cements (CEM III/A, B, C) according to the standard EN 197-1.27 CEM III cement blends, 9 blends per type of cement, i.e., CEM III/A, CEM III/B and CEM III/C, were prepared in the laboratory mill from industrial starting materials (Portland cement clinker, gypsum, GGBFS, CKDs). The addition of gypsum as the setting regulator was fixed at 4 mass % in all blends studied. The content of both CKDs (cement clinker dust and cement filter dust) as slag replacements was 4 mass % in all CKD blends studied. The ordinary Portland cement (OPC) type CEM I 42.5N was used as the control cement. The results have shown that the chemical composition and chemical and physical properties of prepared CEM III/A, B, C cement blends meet the EN 197-1 requirements. Strength development in these cement blends is obviously related to the Portland cement clinker-to-GGBFS ratio. When compared to OPC, the blastfurnace cement developed lower compressive strength at early ages, but equal or higher at later ages in more cases, i.e., all 9 CEM III/A and 7 CEM III/B cement blends meet, while no CEM III/C cement blend meets the EN 197-1 requirements for standard compressive strength Class 42.5N. From the perspective of strength, the presence of the cement clinker dust is more effective than that of the cement filter dust due to their different chemical and mineralogical compositions.