New predictive methodology for the apparent activation energy and strength of conventional and rapid hardening concretes

摘要

Cement concrete is one of the most used construction materials globally. Prediction of its mechanical performance during hydration contributes to reduced construction time and costs. In this sense, there are different predictive models based on the concept of apparent activation energy (E-a). However, although these methods are suitable for ordinary Portland cement (OPC), they are not appropriate for rapid hardening types, such as calcium aluminate (CAC) and calcium sulfoaluminate cement (CSA), as the hydration products of CAG are different depending on the curing temperature. Hence, this paper proposes a new model based on the composition of cement, curing temperature, finesses and water to cement ratio. The results showed that the proposed model fits the experimental data significantly better than current methods for the mentioned types of cement cured at a wide range of temperatures.