Cement-stabilized Macadam Research Articles

Durability of geopolymer stabilized domestic waste incineration slag blending macadam in pavement base

In order to achieve the high quality and large-scale utilization of domestic waste incineration slag (WIS) in pavement base, a geopolymer prepared using fly ash from domestic waste incineration was used to replace the cement to stabilized WIS blending macadam used in the pavement base. The durability of the geopolymer stabilized WIS blending macadam (called as GeoWIS) was investigated, including the water stability, freeze-thaw resistance and dry shrinkage. The strength formation was identified using SEM analyses. Furthermore, the durability of GeoWIS was investigated and compared with those of cement stabilized macadam (CSM). Results show that the 7 days compressive strength of GeoWIS meets the strength criterion of the asphalt pavement base (≥2 MPa), except for the combination of 8% geopolymer and 100% WIS. The water stability coefficient and residual compressive strength ratio of GeoWIS increase as the geopolymer increases and WIS decreases. The cumulative dry shrinkage and dry shrinkage coefficient decrease as the WIS increases, while the cumulative water loss rate of GeoWIS increases. SEM analysis shows that the geopolymer reaction generates C-S-H gels, N-A-S-H gels, and Aft, which is the source of the GeoWIS strengths. GeoWIS has better water stability than CSM, and its freeze-thaw resistance and average dry shrinkage coefficient are lower than the average values for CSM.

Modelling of physical and mechanical properties and adiabatic temperature rise of cement-stabilized macadam

Modelling of physical and mechanical properties and adiabatic temperature rise of cement-stabilized macadam

Properties of Macadam Stabilized with Cement and Asphalt Emulsion

The cracking of cement-stabilized macadam (CSM) reflects to the asphalt layer, which is one of the reasons for the failure of pavement performance and structure. Adding asphalt emulsion to CSM can effectively prevent the formation of cracks. The primary purpose of this article is to reveal the effect of asphalt emulsions on the performance of CSM by adding different contents of asphalt emulsion. For this purpose, tests of unconfined compressive strength (UCS), flexural tensile strength (FTS), elastic modulus, and frost resistance were performed on CSM with gradations of CSM-5 and CSM-10 (the maximum particle sizes of the macadam in the gradation composition are 5 mm and 10 mm), respectively. The test results showed that the UCS of CSM decreased with the increment of asphalt emulsion content. The FTS and elastic modulus of CSM increased with the content of asphalt emulsion. Based on the FTS test results, the frost resistance coefficient Km1, defined according to the CSM splitting strength prior to and subsequent to freeze–thaw, was used to evaluate the frost resistance. The test results showed that the frost resistance of CSM improved with the increase in asphalt emulsion content for the same cement content. In conclusion, adding asphalt emulsion to CSM has positive effects on the FTS, elastic modulus, and frost resistance. Therefore, for the purpose of maintaining the UCS value of CSM, the content of cement should be considered at the same time as the controlling of the content of asphalt emulsion.

Development of flexible grouting material for cement-stabilized macadam base using response surface and genetic algorithm optimization methodologies

To repair the voids and cracks in the Cement-stabilized macadam base (CSMB), a grouting material with lower elastic modulus, enhanced fluidity and slight expansion called Flexible Grouting Material (FGM) was developed using superfine cement, fly ash (FA), silica fume (SF), vinyl acetate-ethylene (VAE) copolymer emulsion, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber. After that, the study optimized the proportion of FGM using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II (NSGA-II) in Multi-Objective Optimization (MOO). Firstly, to determine the component contents for subsequent experiments, the fluidity, setting time, compressive/flexural strength (1d + 3d), and ratio of compressive strength to flexural strength (C/F, 1d + 3d) were tested. Subsequently, the Response Surface Methodology-Box Behnken Design (RSM-BBD) was employed using VAE content, PVA content, and water-to-cement ratio (W/C) as factors. Additionally, the fluidity, setting time, compressive/flexural strength and C/F (28d), elastic modulus (28d), and drying shrinkage (28d) were considered as responses in RSM-BBD. The VAE content and W/C significantly influenced the response values, while the PVA content had a relatively minor influence. Finally, the NSGA-II was utilized to determine the optimal proportion of FGM. Compared to the control group, the optimal FGM demonstrated 16.53 % increase in fluidity, 37.86 % decrease in elastic modulus (28d), 47.98 % decrease in C/F (28d), 22.22 % reduction in drying shrinkage (28d), and 54.07 % increase in final setting time.

Experimental study on rolling segregation of cement stabilized macadam

Indoor simulated mixing building storage bin unloading, forming conical piles. The effects of falling distance, mixing time and water content on rolling segregation of cement-stabilized macadam were analyzed by three indexes, including repose Angle of pile, key sieve passing rate and cement dosage. The results show that the segregation of mixture can be increased significantly with the increase of drop distance. The separation degree of the mixture can be effectively controlled by controlling the unloading distance within 70 cm. Mixing time has little effect on the Angle of rest and gradation segregation of the mixture, but has significant effect on the distribution uniformity of cement. Indoor mixing time should reach more than 45 s. When the mixing water content is less than the optimal water content, the segregation of the mixture is serious. When the moisture content increased to 1.5 %, the mixture showed obvious bleeding phenomenon. The mixture shall not be lower than the optimal moisture content before the crushing is completed, and the moisture content increase shall not exceed 1.5 % of the optimal moisture content as far as possible.

Influence of plastic aggregate geometry on strength properties of cement-stabilized macadam

In order to improve the toughness and flexibility of cement-stabilized macadam and inhibit crack formation and propagation, the influence of plastic aggregate geometry on the strength properties of cement-stabilized macadam is studied. The surface roughness of plastic aggregate was designed into Ra 12.5 and Ra 25. When the content of plastic coarse aggregate was gradually increased from 4 to 8%, 12%, 16%, 20%, and 24%, the compressive strength, splitting strength, and the tensile-compression ratio of the cement-stabilized macadam made of aggregate with rough surface texture were found higher than those of aggregate with smooth surface texture. The rough cylindrical, spherical, spindle, and dumbbell-shaped plastic coarse aggregates were designed and prepared for testing. The test results showed the maximum compressive strength, splitting strength, and tensile-compression ratio of cement-stabilized macadam with the dumbbell-shaped plastic coarse aggregate. The tensile-compression ratio increased by 15.2% compared to natural aggregate cement-stabilized macadam. The results show that under the same conditions, the plastic aggregate with different geometry can improve the compressive and splitting strengths of cement-stabilized macadam and significantly improve the toughness and flexibility, with dumbbell-shaped plastic coarse aggregate having the greatest improvement, especially compared with natural aggregate cement-stabilized crushed stone. This research provides insights for improving pavement engineering quality and new ideas for utilizing waste plastics.

Research on macro-microscopic mechanical evolution mechanism of cement-stabilized steel slag

In this paper, the chemical composition, phase composition, physical properties and expansibility of steel slag in Xinjiang, China are analyzed, and the feasibility of steel slag as pavement base material is demonstrated. At the same time, through the tests of unconfined compressive strength, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and nuclear magnetic resonance, the relationship between macroscopic strength and microstructure of cement-stabilized steel slag at different ages is discussed and compared with that of cement-stabilized macadam. The results show that the mechanical properties of steel slag aged more than one year can fully meet the requirements of relevant specifications for all kinds of pavement base. Compared with cement-stabilized macadam, the compressive strength of cement-stabilized steel slag at the age of 7 d, 14 d and 28 d increased by 15.4%, 22.0% and 23.7%, respectively. Due to hydration and pozzolanic action, the C–S–H content in the interfacial transition zone of cement-stabilized steel slag is higher, while the contents of Ca(OH)2 and AFt are lower. Due to the internal curing effect of steel slag, the interfacial transition zone width of cement-stabilized steel slag at the age of 7 d and 28 d decreased by 9.4% and 31.0% respectively compared with cement-stabilized macadam; with the increase of curing time, the adsorption porosity of cement-stabilized steel slag increased, while the amount of seepage pore and migration pore decreased significantly, and the pore span and total porosity decreased by 47.7% and 7.29%, respectively.

Identification of bending fracture characteristics of cement-stabilized coral aggregate in four-point bending tests based on acoustic emission

Cement-stabilized coral aggregate (CSCA) can be used as a base material for roads and airports, and it is a future direction for island engineering. In this study, four-point bending tests were conducted on notched CSCA beams with different notch depth ratios, and the specimens were monitored using acoustic emission (AE) technology. The ringing count, amplitude, RA value, frequency, and b-value were used to study the bending fracture characteristics of the CSCA material. The results of the study showed that the 28d flexural tensile strength of the CSCA beam was 0.922 MPa when the test loading rate was 0.1 mm/min. The CSCA materials exhibited brittleness during the bending fracture process. The CSCA originally had defects, internal pores, and large-diameter irregular coral aggregates, which caused beam fractures from the weak surface near the loading point. At the stage where the peak force was reduced to approximately 0.2 times the peak force, many cracks in the CSCA formed, extended, and connected, and the beams experienced dense damage. The damage to the CSCA material was dominated by tensile cracks. In the CSCA material, the combined effect of the aggregate and cement paste was enhanced, the strength of the interfacial transition zone was increased, and the strength of the aggregate was weakened compared with that of cement-stabilized macadam material. The fracture process of the CSCA material was accompanied by the destruction of the interface and fracture of the aggregate particles.

Load response and fatigue life of cement-stabilized macadam base structure considering dynamic and static load differences and tension-compression modulus differences

The conventional semi-rigid base asphalt pavement (SRBAP) construction is designed with the classical theory of linear elastic mechanics. There is a significant discrepancy between the calculation results of the pavement structure load response and the measured results, which leads to inaccurate structural resistance and load response calculations. For this reason, this work depended on the actual structure of the SRBAP, took the linear elasticity theory as a contrast, and considered the difference between dynamic and static loads or the difference between the compressive and tensile modulus of pavement materials. Thus, the pavement structure response to load under three conditions is calculated, and five mechanical indexes are selected for comparative analysis. Furthermore, based on the calculated mechanical response, the structural fatigue life of the cement-stabilized macadam (CSMB) was then calculated, replacing the design index in the fatigue cracking model with the underside tensile stress or equivalent stress. The results demonstrated 20–30% variations between the calculated mechanical responses to dynamic and static stresses. Additionally, there is a substantial discrepancy between the strain computed using the bimodulus theory and the traditional linear elasticity theory, with a maximum divergence of 40%. In the meantime, the fatigue life of the CSMB produced using various design indices is noticeably different, and the fatigue life achieved using equivalent stress as the design index is significantly higher than that obtained using underside course tensile stress. Following is a relationship between the CSMB's fatigue life calculated by underside course tensile stress: viscoelastic theory (dynamic load) > bimodulus theory (tension–compression modulus difference) > classical linear elastic theory; The relationship of fatigue life represented by equivalent stress is as follows: viscoelastic theory > classical linear elastic theory > bimodulus theory.

Effect of solution road RomixSoilfix on deformation performance of granular base material: A laboratory and field investigation

Granular base material (GBM) is widely used as a base course in flexible pavement, since it has good performances to disperse stress and resist deformation. However, due to the increasing cost of pavement construction resulted by the low stiffness of GBM, the application of flexible pavement was rarely reported in Chinese expressways. This paper aimed to investigate the effect of Solution Road RomixSoilfix (SRX) on deformation performance of GBM and to evaluate the feasibility of SRX modified GBM (SRX-GBM) as a flexible base in expressway structure. A series of experimental tests were performed to analyze the influence of SRX content on curing process, stability and deformation performance of SRX-GBM. Subsequently, a flexible pavement was constructed using the SRX-GBM base course at the field sections on Tengchong to Longchuan Expressway in Southwest China. Results show that the use of SRX improves the California bearing ratio (CBR) of GBM, which raises from 145% to 417%. The dry shrinkage resistance and water stability of SRX-GBM are obviously better than cement-stabilized macadam. The results of triaxial tests demonstrate that the resilient behavior of SRX-GBM is dependent on the stress characteristics and curing times. The existing stress-related model is available for evaluating the changes of stress contribution to the Mr with the increase of SRX content. Since the base course has a high residual moisture content in a humid climate, the CBR of 250% was proposed by field CBR and deflection tests as a criterion for controlling curing time.

Research on the road performance of self-adhesive basalt fiber geotextiles based on the background of long-life pavements

Achieving sustained asphalt pavements can minimize the structural damage brought on by minor pavement cracks, which will reduce the high repair and maintenance costs resulting from pavement distress. This study introduces a new composite geomaterial, self-adhesive basalt fiber geotextiles (SBFG) prepared by hot-melt lamination of basalt fiber cloth and modified asphalt, intended for the deterrence and control of reflection cracks in asphalt pavements. In this study, the self-adhesive geotextile was placed between the cement-stabilized macadam base and AC-20 surface layer to prepare composite samples, and the road performance was evaluated by a three-point bending test, Overlay Tester, dynamic shear rheology test, and the crack expansion time under different parameters of SBFG was simulated by ABAQUS finite element to predict the whole life cycle of the pavement structure. The results indicate that the fracture energy of the SBFG sample is the largest among all samples, and the structural design of fiber reinforcement disperses the concentrated stress at the crack tip, increases the stress area, and prolongs the time of crack expansion from the subgrade to the surface layer; Smooth and stable load loss curve of the sample in the reflection crack test, with slow crack expansion. This new geomaterial has an excellent rutting factor and maintains good resistance to permanent deformation at high temperatures; In the finite element prediction of fatigue cracking life of asphalt pavement, the structural life of the pavement with the addition of SBFG was improved by 78.3% compared to the control group. The application of basalt fibers in geosynthetics provides a new idea for achieving prolonged asphalt pavements.

Determination method of fatigue strength of cement-stabilized Macadam under three-dimensional stress state using equivalent stress as index

The cement-stabilized macadam (CSM) material is in a three-dimensional (3D) complex stress state in the pavement structure. It is difficult for the conventional test method to characterize the 3D fatigue strength characteristics of the CSM. In order to establish a 3D fatigue strength design criterion through simple strength methods, this work conducted the conventional unconfined compressive (UC), direct tensile (DT), and indirect tensile (IT) tests. The corresponding 3D strength model, including three parameters, was determined based on three strength testing methods. In addition, a normalized fatigue model including one parameter was obtained by three fatigue tests. Finally, the fatigue strength model under a 3D stress state was established by combining fatigue and the 3D strength model. The results indicate that the 3D strength model effectively characterized the CSM strength under any stress state, and the difference between the IT strengths predicted by the 3D strength model and obtained by the test is 18.43%. Moreover, the fatigue normalization model reflected the 3D fatigue failure of CSM in a complex stress state. The proposed fatigue strength of CSM based on the equivalent stress has clear physical meaning. This work provided a practical technology to obtain 3D fatigue strength resistance of CSM, which solved the technical problem of inaccurate measurement of pavement structure resistance.

Multiscale study of the effect of fly ash geopolymer on the fatigue cracking of cement stabilized macadam

Understanding of the correlation between the micro-composition and macro-mechanics of cement stabilized macadam (CSM) is crucial to an optimized design of cement-treated base (CTB) with improved crack resistance. In this study, acoustic emission (AE) technique was used to monitor the crack propagation of plain cement stabilized macadam (P-CSM) and fly ash geopolymer cement stabilized macadam (FAG-CSM) under cyclic loading. Experimental tests and characterizations, including such as nanoindentation, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), were further performed. The test results show that FAG-CSM has better fatigue performance than that of P-CSM; the AE counts, risetime/AE amplitude values (RA) and b-value can be used to assess the damage degree, cracking mode as well as the bulk modulus of cement composites. Interfacial transition zone (ITZ) is the weakest modulus area in CSM and the incorporation of fly FAG can effectively increase the indentation modulus of ITZ. The volcanic ash reaction of fly ash leads to the hydration of cement to produce more hydration products, which reduce the voidance within ITZ and thus improve the bonding between the aggregate and mortar, which supports the findings of the macro-mechanical analysis and AE monitoring of CSM.

Mechanical properties of the semi-rigid subgrade of roads for the replacement cement with pyrolysis residues of oil sludge

The pyrolysis residues of oil sludge, as the industrial solid waste of the oil extraction process, have a large output. There are also social and environmental problems of piling and pollution. Pyrolysis residues of oil sludge contain many active ingredients, which can partially replace cement and be added to road building materials for application. However, the mechanical properties are unknown for the replaced subgrade of roads. Through physicochemical and mechanical tests, the effect of the pyrolysis residues of oil sludge was studied based on the mechanical properties of road subgrade by replacing the proportion of the base cement of cement stabilized macadam (CSM) (10 %, 20 %, and 30 %). The recommended alternative ratio was proposed for replacing the cement of oil sludge stabilized macadam (COSM) base based on the correlation between mechanical indices and the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). The results suggest that an appropriate alternative ratio can optimally enhance the mechanical properties of the semi-rigid subgrade of conventional roads. Pyrolysis residues of oil sludge are easily excited in an alkaline environment, and its porous structure and carbon nanotube composition contribute to the combination with cementitious products to form a nail-carrying effect. Moreover, the hydration promotion effect on cementitious materials can increase the cleavage strength of materials. The replacement of cement with pyrolysis residues of oil sludge can enhance the mechanical properties of the material and increase the toughness of the material. The optimal moisture content of the material is positively correlated with the alternative ratio, and the maximal dry density is negatively correlated with the alternative ratio. The low alternative ratio is conducive to the increase of the early cementing effect of the material, and the high alternative ratio contributes to the increase of the later cementing impact of the material and the improvement of the later strength of the material. The range of alternative ratios to adjust the material to a reasonable range of the pressure-resistant resilience modulus was obtained as 12.6 %–31 %. The correlation analysis and technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution method suggest that the reasonable alternative ratio of the pyrolysis residues of oil sludge is 10 %–30 % for the cement of stabilized macadam base, and the comprehensive mechanical properties of the 10 % replacement ratio are better than those of the control group. The results of this study can provide a reference for applying the pyrolysis residues of oil sludge in roads.

Comparative Study of the Strength Properties and Frost Resistance of Cement Stabilized Macadam

Through a series of experimental studies on the unconfined compressive strength, indirect tensile strength (ITS) and freeze-thaw stability of cylindrical specimens, the feasibility of cement-stabilized iron tailings for semi-rigid bases in road construction is determined.Three variables, including the genesis of the materials from which cement stabilized macadam (CSM) are composed, the granulometric composition of the mineral part and the content of cement, were taken as influencing factors. The experimental study shows that with the increase of cement content, the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) , indirect tensile strength (ITS) and frost resistance all increase. Studies have shown that the content of coarse aggregate affects the strength properties and frost resistance of cement-stabilized macadam materials.

Exploring the Mechanical Properties, Shrinkage and Compensation Mechanism of Cement Stabilized Macadam-Steel Slag from Multiple Perspectives

Steel slag is characterized by high strength, good wear resistance and micro-expansion. This study aims at exploring the potential of steel slag in cement stabilized aggregates, mainly including mechanical properties, shrinkage and compensation mechanisms. For this purpose, the compressive strength and compressive resilient modulus of cement stabilized aggregates with different steel slag contents (CSMS) were initially investigated. Subsequently, the effects of steel slag and cement on dry shrinkage, temperature shrinkage, and total shrinkage were analyzed through a series of shrinkage test designs. Additionally, in combination with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning electron microscope (SEM), the characteristic peaks and microscopic images of cement, steel slag and cement-steel slag at different hydration ages were analyzed to identify the chemical substances causing the expansion volume of steel slag and reveal the compensation mechanism of CSMS. The results show that the introduction of 20% steel slag improved the mechanical properties of CSMS by 16.7%, reduced dry shrinkage by 21%, increased temperature shrinkage by 5.8% and reduced its total shrinkage by 19.2%. Compared with the hydration reaction of cement alone, the composite hydration reaction of steel slag with cement does not produce new hydrates. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that the volume expansion of the f-CaO hydration reaction in steel slag can compensate for the volume shrinkage of cement-stabilized macadam. This research can provide a solid theoretical basis for the application and promotion of steel slag in cement-stabilized macadam and reduce the possibility of shrinkage cracking.

Experimental Investigation of the Performance of Corn Straw Fiber Cement-Stabilized Macadam.

Recently, the application of plant fibers to improve the cementitious mix performance has attracted interest in the field of road materials owing to advantages of environmental protection and cost-effectiveness. As a planting crop, corn exhibits the advantages of being a more abundant resource with a wider distribution than those of other plant fibers. In this study, the effect of corn straw fiber on the properties of cement-stabilized macadam (5% cement) was investigated with the fiber length and content as variables. The test results revealed that the addition of a small amount of fiber marginally affects the compression density of cement-stabilized macadam. At a fiber length of 10 mm and a fiber content of 1%, the maximum increase in the compressive strength was 18.8%, and the maximum increase in the splitting strength was 35.4%. Moreover, at a fiber length of 15 mm and a fiber content of 1%, the shrinkage coefficient was reduced by 29%, and the crack resistance of cement-stabilized macadam was enhanced. In addition, the dry-wet cycle durability of cement-stabilized macadam was improved.

Durability Performance of PVA Fiber Cement-Stabilized Macadam

To further improve the durability of cement-stabilized macadam and guarantee the use quality and sustainability of a semi-rigid base, the current study was carried out. With the help of a dry shrinkage test, temperature shrinkage test, freeze–thaw bending test, and fatigue test, the effect of incorporating PVA fiber on the deformation characteristics of cement-stabilized macadam was analyzed, and the changes in low-temperature residual toughness of the mixture before and after modification were compared. The low-temperature toughness of PVA fiber cement-stabilized macadam was evaluated with the help of the standard toughness evaluation method. The fatigue life prediction equation of PVA fiber cement-stabilized macadam was established based on the Weibull distribution. The results showed that PVA fiber can effectively improve the deformation characteristics, low-temperature toughness, and fatigue performance of cement-stabilized macadam. The low-temperature residual flexural tensile strength and low-temperature bearing capacity were increased by 10.3% and 55.3%, respectively. The residual toughness indices were increased by 58.6%, 88.1%, and 98.3% and the residual strength index was increased by more than 100%. The fatigue life was improved by 178~368% under different stress intensity ratios. The fatigue life values obeyed the two-parameter Weibull distribution, and the correlation between the fatigue life prediction equation and the measured data was significant. The fatigue life prediction error was between 0.03 and 4.9% under different stress intensity ratios.

Research on Pavement Performance of Cement-Stabilized Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Bottom Ash Base.

In order to clarify the influence of the municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash (MSWI BA) content on the pavement performance of the cement-stabilized macadam, the MSWI BA with 0%, 25%, 38% and 50% content was used instead of fine aggregates. To explore the feasibility of building pavement base with cement stabilized MSWI BA, the cement-stabilized MSWI BA mixture was prepared by mixing the MSWI BA at the mass fraction of 50%, 75% and 100% with fine crushed stuff. Subsequently, the compaction test and 7 days unconfined compression test were conducted with 4%, 5% and 6% cement dosage. The compaction test, unconfined compressive strength test, splitting strength test, compressive resilient modulus test and frost resistance tests were carried out based on the long-age samples with an optimal cement dosage of 5%. Furthermore, the unconfined compressive constitutive model was established based on the test data. Afterwards, the test road was built to measure the practical effect of MSWI BA on road construction. Meanwhile, energy-saving and emission-reduction analyses were conducted on the MSWI BA road. The results showed that under 5% cement dosage, the mechanical properties and frost resistance of the mixture with different MSWI BA content both satisfied the specification requirements; during the construction, the appropriate MSWI BA content could be selected according to the requirements of different highway grades in the specification. The established segmented constitutive model could well simulate the stress-strain relationship of the mixture in the compressive process. Using cement-stabilized MSWI BA to build the pavement base was feasible, which provided not only an important reference for the engineering design but also had positive significance for promoting carbon peaking, carbon neutrality and sustainable development of highway engineering construction.

Sulfate-induced expansion of cement treated road base: Deterioration law of performance and air-void structure change under water-heat-salt coupling effect

The expansion and deterioration (E&D) of cement treated road base has become one of the common road problems in northwest and northern China, which seriously affected driving safety and increased road maintenance costs. In order to explore the influencing laws and mechanism of external salt on the expansion of cement treated road base in desert Gobi area with large temperature difference, based on the climate in Xinjiang and cement stabilized macadam (CSM) mixture, a laboratory accelerated simulation test under the coupling effect of water-heat-salt was designed to restore the working condition of the base course in Xinjiang. The expansion deformation and deterioration laws of CSM specimens under different gradation types, temperature, humidity and temperature-humidity cycle change were studied. Combined with MIP and computed tomography (CT), the air-void structure change, micro-pore morphology and accumulation of expansion products in the mixture were studied. The results showed that after 360-days’ coupling effect, the damage height of the specimen was SD (suspension-dense structure) > FP (frame-pore structure) > FD (frame-dense structure). The mass of the partially-immersed specimens increased first, and the mass loss began to appear at about day 120. After 360-days’ temperature and humidity cycle change, the mass loss rate of SD, FD and FP were 4.15 %, 2.4 % and 4.9 %, respectively, which were 2.75, 2.53 and 2.62 times of that at 25 °C. Moreover, the expansion rate increased by about 20 %, and the performance deterioration decreased by 24.9 %–30 %. Additionally, the MIP and CT test results indicated that the aggregate proportion had a significant effect on the spatial distribution of the air-voids and the change of pore structure with coupling ages. This study provides reference for the design of cement-based composites and the acknowledgement of cement-treated base expansion in desert Gobi area.