Physical and mechanical characteristics of cement mortars and concretes with addition of clinoptilolite from Beli Plast deposit (Bulgaria), silica fume and fly ash

Abstract

AbstractCement mortars and concretes incorporating clinoptilolite, silica fume and fly ash were investigated for changes in their physical and mechanical properties. It was found that additions of 10% clinoptilolite and 10% Pozzolite (1:1 mixture of silica fume and fly ash) were optimal for improvement of the quality of the hardened products, giving 8% and 13% increases in flexural and compressive strength respectively. The specific pore volume of the mortars incorporating zeolite decreased between the 28th and 180th day to levels below the values for the control composition due to the fact that clinoptilolite exhibits its pozzolanic activity later in the hydration. In these later stages, pores with radii below 500 nm increased at the expense of larger pores. The change in the pore-size distribution between the first and sixth months of hydration occurs mostly in the mortars with added zeolite.