Mechanical performance and chloride penetration resistance of concretes with low cement contents

Abstract

abstract: The concern about the environment has been leading the construction industry to adopt more sustainable practices. The main environmental impact of concrete is related to CO2 emissions coming from cement, particularly from the cement content in concrete. For this reason, this research evaluates the performance of concretes with partial replacement of Portland cement by limestone filler and silica fume. These concretes were proportioned to improve particles’ packing and paste volume optimization. The compressive strength was determined to assess their mechanical performance. Their durability was investigated by capillary absorption and chloride penetration resistance. Results indicate that concretes showed a better efficiency in terms of binder intensity, with values close to the minimum found in literature (5 kg.m-3.MPa-1). It was also observed that even concretes with cement content lower than the minimum recommended by standards showed better performance than regular concretes regarding the chloride’s penetration.