Retracción de pastas de cemento en estado plástico y en la primera etapa de endurecimiento

Abstract

A great deal of information exists on the retraction occurring in pastes, mortars and concrete, twenty-four hours after being mixed; we have very little information, however, concerning the volumetric changes which take place in a shorter period of time, this being mainly due to the difficulties which arise in measuring these volumetric variations. The authors of this experimental work have been concerned with measuring the short-term changes in volume which take place in cement pastes, that is to say, in periods of less than twenty-four hours, although they have taken measurements for periods of up to three days. Experiments have been carried out on microsamples of 10 X 10 X 40 mm manufactured using the pressing method and kept throughout the measuring period in an isothermic non-aggressive atmosphere. Research has been carried out on four types of cement made up of clinkers of different composition and admixtures of pozzolana or scoria for blast furnaces.