Mechanical and Durability Properties of Portland Limestone Cement (PLC) Incorporated with Nano Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3)

Abstract

Despite lower environmental impacts, the use of Portland Limestone Cement (PLC) concrete has been limited due to its reduced later age strength and compromised durability properties. This research evaluates the effects of nano calcium carbonate (CaCO3) on the performance of PLC concrete. The study follows a series of experiments on the fresh, hardened, and durability properties of PLC concrete with different replacement rates of nano CaCO3. Incorporation of 1% nano CaCO3 into PLC concrete provided the optimal performance, where the 56 days compressive strength was increased by approximately 7%, and the permeability was reduced by approximately 13% as compared to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) concrete. Further, improvements were observed in other durability aspects such as Alkali-Silica Reaction (ASR) and scaling resistance. Additionally, nano CaCO3 has the potential to be produced within the cement plant while utilizing the CO2 emissions from the cement industries. The integration of nanotechnology in PLC concrete thus will help produce a more environment-friendly concrete with enhanced performance. More in-depth study on commercial production of nano CaCO3 thus has the potential to offer a new generation cement—sustainable, economical, and durable cement—leading towards green infrastructure and global environmental sustainability.