Hydration, Microstructure and Compressive Strength Development of Seawater-mixed Calcium Sulphoaluminate Cement-based Systems

In-depth understanding of the calcium sulphoaluminate (CSA) cement, a type of environment-friendly cement, is essential for its wide application in engineering practice. Partial replacement of CSA by alternative alumina-rich powders has significant potential in the production of cost-effective CSA cement. In this work various supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) including slag, metakaolin and silica fume with different replacement levels were added into CSA cement, and mixing with seawater, to prepare paste and concrete specimens. The development of hydration products in the paste specimens was characterized by X-ray diffraction and Thermogravimetric analysis. The pore structures of the seawater-mixed paste specimens obtained from mercury intrusion porosimetry tests, along with the pH value and free chloride content in the pore solution, were analyzed. Results show that various SCMs have significantly different effects on the pore solution chemistry, hydration and microstructural formation of the seawater-mixed CSA cement, resulting in different mechanical behavior and durability properties. The results of this work are helpful for the development of cost-effective CSA cement-based concrete used in marine constructions