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Effect of nano-SiO2/CaSO4 whisker–silica fume on the strength, drying shrinkage, and capillary water absorption of cement mortar

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Abstract

To compensate for the defects of silica fume (SF), which aggravates drying shrinkage, and increase the strength and durability of cement mortar, it was modified using 1 wt% nanosilica (NS) or calcium sulfate whisker (CSW) compounded with 2 wt% SF. The strength, volume stability, and durability of the cement mortar were characterized using the compressive strength, drying shrinkage, and capillary water absorption. The physical composition and microstructure of the samples are discussed in detail based on thermogravimetry, mercury intrusion porosimetry, and scanning electron microscopy measurements. The combination of SF and NS increased the generation of C–S–H gels and reduced the total porosity, thus increasing the early strength of the cement mortar and decreasing the capillary water absorption. Notably, on combining SF and CSW, additional calcium aluminate hydrates (AFts) were generated, and the mesoporosity (10–50 nm) was reduced. The fibrous AFt phase increased the later strength of the cement mortar, and the presence of additional AFt increased the solid phase volume, which compensated for the drying shrinkage.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 52078490].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China

    Han Wang, Xiaohui Zeng, Zhuo Tang, Guangcheng Long, Haixu Wang, Suihu Liu, Xin Ren, Gang Ma & Xuli Lan

  2. China Railway No. 3 Engineering Group Co., Ltd., Taiyuan, Shanxi, People’s Republic of China

    Zhiru Liu & Shuoxing Luan

  3. China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Co., Ltd., Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China

    Qingquan Tan

  4. Department of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China

    Xuli Lan

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  1. Han Wang
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Contributions

HW: designing the experiments, Carrying on the experiments, Writing the manuscript, Revising the manuscript. XZ and ZT: designing the experiments, Revising the manuscript. ZL, SL, GL, and QT: designing the experiments, Giving many suggestions during the experiments. HW, SL, XR, GM, and XL: assisting the experiment.

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Correspondence to Xiaohui Zeng or Zhuo Tang.

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Wang, H., Zeng, X., Liu, Z. et al. Effect of nano-SiO2/CaSO4 whisker–silica fume on the strength, drying shrinkage, and capillary water absorption of cement mortar. Archiv.Civ.Mech.Eng 24, 13 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43452-023-00806-4

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