Effect of lime- zeolite binder on compression strength and durability properties of concrete

Abstract

The international construction practice reports a remarkable use and development of high performance concretes, with excellent results in the durability properties, associated with a very dense cement matrix, defined from the use of high volumes of very fine minerals additions, such as, fly ash, silica fume, metakaolín and other fine powders. For the developing countries, among others Cuba, the use of these pozzolanic additions are relatively expensive, given for the high import prices of these pozzolanic materials, thus, the utility of using the national available pozzolanic sources with proven reactivity, as a partial substitute of the Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) contents in the concrete mixtures without its properties are affected. The present paper shows the results of the study on the influence of substitution level of Ordinary Portland Cement contents by lime – pozzolan binder in combination with chemical admixture, in the behavior of the compression strength and the durability properties of a concrete. Several levels of OPC substitution are evaluated, using zeolite as pozzolan. The results obtained prove the possibility to carry out the partial replacement of high volumes of OPC by lime – zeolite binder, without affecting the values of compression strength required and their behavior before action of the chloride ion penetration and the carbonation.