An Argument for Using Coarse Cements in High-Performance Concretes

Published

April 1, 1999

Author(s)

Dale P. Bentz, C J. Hacker

Abstract

The NIST cement hydration microstructural model and experimental studies are used to investigate the effects of particle size distribution and water-to-cement ratio on hydration kinetics. Cement hydration is limited by the availability of water at the cement particle surfaces. Because a reaction layer forms around each cement particle during hydration, this availability is controlled by two factors: the overall water-to-cement ratio and the particle size distribution of the cement. As the water-to-cement ratio is decreased, the effects of particle size distribution on ultimate degree of hydration become less significant. Thus, in the new generation high-performance concretes, more coarsely ground cements may provide good performance, resulting in substantial energy savings due to a reduction in grinding time. This implies that cement fineness should be optimized based on the mixture proportions of the concrete in which it will be used.

Citation

Cement and Concrete Research

Volume

29

Issue

No. 4

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

Local Download

Keywords

building technology, high-performance concrete, hydration, microstructure, modelling, particle size distribution

Citation

Bentz, D. and Hacker, C. (1999), An Argument for Using Coarse Cements in High-Performance Concretes, Cement and Concrete Research, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=860156 (Accessed May 11, 2026)

Additional citation formats