Assessment of the Impact of Inaccuracy and Variability of Material and Selected Technological Factors on Physical and Mechanical Properties of Fresh Masonry Mortars and Plasters

The article presented the analysis of the impact that various kinds of technological inaccuracies have on the properties of fresh masonry mortars and plasters. Analyzed were the inaccuracies in dosing of mortar components, namely, water, lime, and air-entraining plasticizing admixture (APA) (±10% of mass), and the effect of variable technological conditions, namely, different mixing intensity (fast, slow, normal) and temperature (5 °C, 20 °C, and 35 °C) during first 72 h after mixing. The impact of differences in the properties of cement and aerial (hydrated) lime originating from different manufacturers was also analyzed. The impact of these factors was determined for consistency, density, air content, compressive, and flexural strength. The sensitivity to changes in the analyzed properties was determined by the coefficient of variation. Changes in the dosing of constituents, mixing speed, and temperature adversely affected strength properties. For mortars with APA, these changes exceeded 20% and reached 40%. The greatest impact was evident in the consistency, especially with an excess of APA, where changes ranged from 6% to 80%. The results showed greater resistance of cement-lime mortars to changing selected technological conditions and errors in measuring the amount of ingredients than mortars with air-entraining plasticizing admixture (APA).

Possibilities of Using Plasticizers in Alkali-Activated Systems

The study deals with the preparation process and properties of alkali-activated blast furnace slag with different addition of lignosulphonate plasticizer. The goal of this study is to evaluate the suitability of plasticizer and find the convenient dose of this admixture, which improve the workability and mechanical properties of alkali-activated slag. The stability of plasticizing admixture in alkali environment was studied by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).

Biofuel Combustion Fly Ash Influence on the Properties of Concrete

Cement as the binding agent in the production of concrete can be replaced with active mineral admixtures. Biofuel combustion fly ash is one of such admixtures. Materials used for the study: Portland cement CEM I 42.5 R, sand of 0/4 fraction, gravel of 4/16 fraction, biofuel fly ash, superplasticizer, water. Six compositions of concrete were designed by replacing 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% 20%, and 25% of cement with biofuel fly ash. The article analyses the effect of biofuel fly ash content on the properties of concrete. The tests revealed that the increase of biofuel fly ash content up to 20% increases concrete density and compressive strength after 7 and 28 days of curing and decreases water absorption, with corrected water content by using plasticizing admixture. It was found that concrete where 20% of cement is replaced by biofuel ash has higher frost resistance.

POROSITY PARAMETERS OF CEMENT STONE CONTAINING CHEMICAL ADMIXTURES OF DIFFERENT PURPOSE / CEMENTINIO AKMENS SU SKIRTINGOS PASKIRTIES CHEMINIAIS PRIEDAIS PORINGUMO RODIKLIAI

The conducted research has established a complex influenceand the impact of separate chemical admixtures of differentpurpose on the parameters of the porosity of hardened cementpaste such as open and closed porosity, the average size of poresand the rates of pore inequality. According to the parametersof the porosity of hardened cement paste, on the basis of A. E.Sheikin’s methodology, the number of freezing-thawing cycleswas predicted. This research used plasticizing, viscosity modifyingand antifoaming admixtures. It has been found that, when theamount of plasticizing admixture in cement paste (W/C–0.45) isconstant and makes 1.1% of the cement mass, and the amountof viscosity modifying and antifoaming the admixture increasesfrom 0.1 to 0.6% and from 0.05 to 0.3% respectively, the openporosity of hardened cement paste varies between 30.21% and31.06%, while closed porosity varies between 5.39% and 6.22%.When the amount of the plasticizing admixture in cement paste(W/C–0.45) exceeds 1.1% of the cement mass, the open porosityof hardened cement paste increases by 1.4 times and closedporosity decreases by 2.5 times. While adding 0.1% of the viscositymodifying admixture to cement paste, the open porosityof hardened cement paste is increased by 1.5 times and closedporosity decreases by 2.4 times. The amount of 0.05% of thecement mass of the antifoaming admixture results in the increasedopen porosity of hardened cement paste by 1.5 times and reducedclosed porosity by 3.5 times. Santrauka Tyrimo metu nustatyta kompleksinė bei atskirų skirtingos paskirties cheminių priedų įtaka cementinio akmens poringumo rodikliams – atvirajam ir uždarajam poringumui, vidutinio porų dydžio ir porų vienodumo rodikliams. Tyrimuose naudoti cheminiai priedai: plastifikuojantis, klampą modifikuojantis ir mišinyje susiformavusias oro poras suardantis priedas. Nustatyta, kad cemento tešloje (V/C – 0,45) esant pastoviam plastifikuojančio priedo kiekiui – 1,0 % cemento masės, klampą modifikuojančio priedo kiekiui kintant nuo 0,1 iki 0,6 %, o mišinyje susiformavusias oro poras suardančio priedo kiekiui kintant nuo 0,05 iki 0,3 %, cementinio akmens atvirasis poringumas svyruoja nuo 30,21 iki 31,06 %, o uždarasis – nuo 5,39 iki 6,22 %. Cemento tešloje viršijus plastifikuojančio priedo 1,1 % cemento masės, cementinio akmens atvirasis poringumas padidėja apie 1,4 karto, o uždarasis poringumas sumažėja apie 2,5 karto. Pridėjus į tešlą 0,1 % cemento masės klampą modifikuojančio priedo, cementinio akmens atvirasis poringumas padidėja apie 1,5 karto, uždarasis poringumas sumažėja apie 2,4 karto. Oro poras suardančio priedo kiekis 0,05 % cemento masės cementinio akmens atvirąjį poringumą padidina apie 1,5 karto, uždarąjį poringumą sumažina apie 3,5 karto.

THE EFFECT OF A PLASTICIZING ADMIXTURE ON THE PROPERTIES OF HARDENED CONCRETE / PLASTIFIKATORIAUS POVEIKIS SUKIETĖJUSIO BETONO SAVYBĖMS

Concrete is material obtained mixing matrix material, coarse and small aggregates and water along with additives acquiring necessary properties of hardening. The quality and properties of raw material used for manufacturing concrete, V/C ratio and the uniformity of the compaction of the mixture lead to the fundamental properties of concrete. The compressive strength of concrete is one of the most important properties of concrete. The article deals with the impact of plasticizers on the structural properties of concrete choosing an optimal content of additives. Concrete plasticizers increasing the content of additive increase the strength of samples, the density and ultrasonic pulse of velocity and decrease absorption. Test results have revealed that a plasticizing admixture under dosing or overdosing can reduce the properties of concrete. Santrauka Betonas – medžiaga, kuri sumaišius rišamąją medžiagą, stambiuosius ir smulkiuosius užpildus, vandenį bei pridėjus priedų, reikiamų savybių įgyja kietėdama. Betonui gaminti naudojamų žaliavų kokybė ir savybės, V/C santykis, mišinio sutankinimo vienodumas lemia pagrindines betono savybes. Betono gniuždymo stipris yra viena iš svarbiausių betono savybių. Straipsnyje nagrinėjamas plastifikatoriaus poveikis betono savybėms, parenkamas optimalus jo kiekis. Atlikus betono savybių tyrimus su skirtingais kiekiais plastifikatoriaus, nustatyta, kad betone didinant plastifikatoriaus kiekį, didėja bandinių gniuždymo stipris, tankis ir ultragarso impulso sklidimo greitis, o įmirkis mažėja. Pagal gautus tyrimo rezultatus nustatyta, kad nepakankamas plastifikatoriaus kiekis arba jo perdozavimas gali pabloginti betono savybes.