Concrete - General Flashcards
What do these letters designate?:
C
S
H
A
S(bar)
C = CaO
S =SiO2
H = H2O
A = Al2O3
S(bar) = SO3
What do these chemical compounds designate?:
Tricalcium silicate
Dicalcium silicate
Tricalcium aluminate
Tetracalcium aluminoferrite
Gypsum
C3S
C2S
C3A
C4AF
CSH2
What is concrete and what are its 3 phases?
- Aggregates mixed with hydrated cement paste
- HCP (hydrated cement paste)
- ITZ (interfacial transition zone)
- Aggregates
What are these terms referring to:
Paste
Mortar
Concrete
- Cement + water
- Paste + fine aggregates (sand)
- Gravel + aggregates (gravel)
How do these chemical compounds affect concrete?
Tricalcium silicate
Dicalcium silicate
Tricalcium aluminate
Tetracalcium aluminoferrite
Gypsum
C3S = early strength
C2S = long-term strength (ulitmate strength)
C3A = flux, reduces temperature
C4AF = flux, reduces temperature
CSH2 = prevents concrete from setting too fast
How does C3S produce more early strength compared to C2S?
- C3S creates more CH which contributes to early strength
- C2S creates more CSH which contributes to ultimate strength
What is the reaction of calcium silicates?
CS + H2O = CSH + CH + Heat
What is the reaction of C3A?
- C3A + CSH2 (gypsum) + H2O = Ettringite + Heat
- Ettringite + C3A + H2O = Monosulfaluminate + Heat
What is a flux?
- Agent reducing temperature required to make concrete
- C3A, C4AF
Why can’t C3A react alone?
- C3A reacts too quickly
- Gypsum is combined with C3A to create ettringite and slow down the reaction
What is ettringite and what is its role?
- Ettringite is a byproduct from the reaction of C3A and CSH2
- Slows down the reaction
- Reacts with more C3A to create monosulfaluminate
What is the role of C4AF?
- Flux
- Iron (Fe) in C4AF makes concrete grey
What is the hydration process of cement paste?
- Dormant period
- Setting
- Hardening
How does concrete gain its strength (unrelated to early strength of ultimate strength)?
- Through hydration of the cement paste
What is the dormant period?
- Cement crystals are not set
- Cement crystals in suspension with water
- Adding water will affect w/c ratio
What is the initial set period?
- Cement crystals come into contact and form one big piece (matrix)
- Adding water will not affect w/c ratio
What is the curing or hardening period?
- Concrete continues to hydrate is there is water left
- Adding water will not affect w/c ratio
When can you add water to cement without affecting strength?
- After initial set when cement crystals form a matrix
When can you not add water without affecting strength and why?
- During the dormant period
- Cement crystals are not set yet
- Water will separate cement crystals even further
- More space between cement crystals reduces strength
What is porosity?
Overall proportion of void space in a material