Rheological characterization of the viscoelastic solid-like properties of fresh cement pastes with nanoclay addition

Abstract

At sufficiently low applied shear deformation or shear stress, fresh cement paste exhibits viscoelastic solid-like behavior. This solid-like state is particularly important for some applications, such as self-consolidating concrete formwork pressure and 3D concrete printing. In this study, the viscoelastic solid-like behavior of fresh cement pastes is probed using a rheometer. Static yield stress, storage modulus, and cohesion are measured by creep recovery and constant shear rate test, small amplitude oscillatory sweep (SAOS) test and tack test, respectively. The effect of nanoclay addition is studied in various aspects of viscoelastic performance of fresh cement pastes. It is found that nanoclay addition not only enhances yield stress and cohesion, but also stiffness in terms of storage and tangent modulus.