D. Tech. Chemistry / The cement industry plays a major role in the world economy. Analytical techniques are central to its success. Many of the techniques currently in use, mainly wet classical methods, could be improved and optimized to increase economic benefits. The aim of this study was to identify and optimized selected analytical techniques. Four analytical methods were selected: the determination of available lime in lime, Cr(VI) in cement and cement-related materials, chloride in various cementitious materials as well as minor and trace elements in cement clinker and gypsum.

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Call number: LD2668 .T4 1958 S49

This thesis investigates the use of nanotechnology in an extensive literature search in the field of cement and concrete. A summary is presented. The research was divided into two categories: (1) nanoparticles and (2) nanofibers and nanotubes. The successes and challenges of each category is documented in this thesis. The data from the literature search is taken and analyzed using statistical prediction by the use of the Monte Carlo and Bayesian methods. It shows how statistical prediction can be used to analyze patterns and trends and also discover optimal additive dosages for concrete mixes. / by Jonathan Glenn. / Thesis (M.S.C.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.

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The search for a new environmentally friendly construction material that will match the durability of ancient concrete has stimulated interest in geopolymerisation in recent times. Despite extensive research that has been conducted on various aspects of geopolymerisation, especially in enhancing the properties of resultant binders and understanding the chemical mechanisms involved, a number of questions remain to be answered. The role of calcium in geopolymerisation is one of them. It is known that the presence of a moderate amount of calcium in a geopolymeric binder will improve the resultant compressive strength. However, it is still unclear whether calcium will play a charge-balancing role within the aluminosilicate structure (to maintain electro-neutrality in a similar way as alkali metal cations, Na+ or K+, or perhaps an alternative role). In addition, the role of calcium in geopolymerisation is of great interest because it is proposed for the first time that calcium links geopolymer chemistry to, and distinguishes it from, ordinary Portland cement (OPC). (For complete abstract open document)

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Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree MTech Degree in Civil Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology / Self-compacting concrete is very sensitive to variation in cement properties and to the interaction between cement paste and additives such as superplasticisers. The assessment of these interactions can be done rheologically but there is as yet no consensus on how to evaluate the rheological properties (yield stress and viscosity) of cementitious materials. In addition, there is no clear understanding of the dependency of these rheological properties on early hydration, evaluations which are recommended to be done at paste scale. The evolution of rheological parameters in the early stage of hydration, of four CEM I 52.5N cements manufactured at different factories in South Africa, and their interaction with two different commercial superplasticisers (SPs) were investigated using three different rheometric techniques: conventional flow curve from hysteresis loops, amplitude sweep in oscillation mode and construction of flow curve. Amplitude sweep, time sweep, viscosity-time sweep as well as thixotropy tests were conducted to investigate the effect of hydration and the rate of rebuilding of each cement in the presence and absence of SP. The experiments were done on a MCR51 rheometer with roughened parallel plates under controlled temperatures and relative humidity. / PPC Cement

Thesis (MTech (Civil Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. / The addition of certain fillers and additives in conventional concrete is imperative for improving its rheological properties. The effect of additives, namely limestone (LS) and superplasticisers (SP), on the hydration kinetics of self-compacting concrete (SCC) was investigated on cement paste scale. These additives interact mostly with cement paste, since aggregates are considered to be inert materials. An understanding of the effect of these additives on the hydration kinetics of cement paste is paramount to the design of an SCC with excellent properties. Four CEM I 52.5N Portland cements from one supplier but produced at different factories, LS and two types of SP, were used in this research. The hydration kinetics were evaluated by monitoring the elastic modulus growth of the cement pastes. Different coefficients of the self-acceleration kinetics equation – the self-acceleration constant, characteristic time and real time of hydration – were used to establish the effect of different concentrations of SP with and without the optimum concentration of limestone (30%) on the hydration kinetics of cement pastes. As far as can be ascertained, this is the first time the rheokinetic model has been used to describe the initial hydration of SCC paste.

Cement clinker production is a highly resource and energy intensive process and contributes substantially to annual global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. One potential pathway to reduce the environmental footprint of cement-based materials is through the reduction of clinker content in concrete by partial replacement of cement with fillers. In this investigation, the partial replacement of cement with chemically inert nano and microsized fillers of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and limestone was examined. The effects of nano and micro fillers on early-age properties, long-term properties, photocatalytic properties (for TiO₂-cement mixtures) and life cycle costs were measured and compared. Investigation of early-age properties shows that nanoparticles increase rate and degree of early cement hydration and chemical shrinkage due to heterogeneous nucleation effect. In contrast, coarser microparticles (>3µm in this research) maintain or marginally decrease the rate and degree of early cement hydration and decrease chemical shrinkage due to a dilution effect. In addition, temperature sensitivity of hydration reactions increases in the presence of nanoparticles. Investigation of long-term properties shows that pore size refinement is possible with the partial replacement of cement with nanoparticle fillers. But the long-term tests of filler-cement mixes also demonstrate that, compared to ordinary portland cement mix, the strength decreases and permeability increases. Analysis of photocatalytic properties of TiO₂-cement mixtures showed a lack of an appropriate testing procedure for nitrogen oxide (NOₓ) gas conversion by cement-based materials. Thus, a new standardized procedure and photocatalytic efficiency factor for characterizing photocatalytic NOₓ binding by cementitious materials is proposed. Life cycle analysis demonstrates that although inclusion of TiO₂ increases initial environmental impact of cementitious materials, the innovative photocatalytic properties of TiO₂ could improve sustainability. Life cycle analysis also shows that partial replacement of cement with limestone decreases environmental impact of cementitious mixtures due to lower processing “costs” of limestone compared to cement. Thus, the results from the current research demonstrate that variation of dosage and particle size of inert fillers can be used to tailor properties and structure of cement-based materials and that environmental sustainability can be improved by partial replacement of cement with inert fillers that introduce additional functionalities or fillers with lower embodied-energy and emissions.