Improved Performance of Concrete in Rigid Pavements and Other Transportation Structures Through Modeling of Cement Hydration

The purpose of this interagency research project with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is to work cooperatively with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on cement hydration kinetics modeling research. The focus will be on clearly defining the causes of the onset and end of the induction period of alite, which controls set, strength, and subsequent microstructural development. The researchers will simulate the presence of mineral and chemical admixtures by introducing aluminate and sulfate ions and organic retarders at ratios known to perturb normal hydration. The researchers will also use new experimental methods capable of measuring chemical and microstructural changes on the nanometer to micron scale during hydration; the goal is to use this insight to improve the ability of NIST’s HydratiCA model to predict hydration kinetics and microstructure in the presence of supplementary cementing materials (SCMs), such as fly ash, slag and metakaolin, as well as in organic admixtures. This detailed understanding will also lead to the improvement of the boundary nucleation and growth (BNG) model to permit prediction of hydration kinetics and setting behavior, using a software tool that is powerful but simple enough to be used in the field.

• Record URL:
  http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/research/tfhrc/projects/projectsdb/projectdetails.cfm?projectid=FHWA-PROJ-10-0084
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Program Information: Exploratory Advanced Research

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Sponsor Organizations:

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Meininger, Richard

• Start Date: 20101001
• Expected Completion Date: 20150705
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Admixtures; Cement; Fly ash; Hydration; Kinetics; Microstructure; Pavement performance; Rigid pavements; Simulation; Slag
• Identifier Terms: National institute of Standards and Technology
• Subject Areas: Highways; Materials; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01576005
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Department of Transportation
• Files: RIP, USDOT
• Created Date: Sep 21 2015 3:59PM