Performance characteristics of cementitious composites modified with silica fume: A systematic review

The intention of this study was to examine the use of the most prevalent industrial byproduct, silica fume, as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM). Along with the typical review, this study used the scientometric review technique to statistically examine the various features of the existing literature. A scientometric-based study can deal with the massive literature data using the applicable software tool. The bibliometric data on silica fume in concrete was gathered using the Scopus search engine between 2001 and July 2022. The top publication sources, co-occurrence of keywords, highly cited authors, and active contributing countries were all examined using scientometric analysis. Additionally, the properties of composites using silica fume as the SCM were discussed. The effect of silica fume addition on compressive, split-tensile, and flexural strength, as well as the durability and microstructure of cementitious composites, were described. It was concluded that the inclusion of silica fume as an SCM improved the material's properties while also providing environmental benefits. However, there is a limit beyond which silica fume addition showed an unfavorable effect on the performance of cementitious composites. The optimum proportion of silica fume in concrete was found to be in the range of 15–25 % by mass of cement. Moreover, literature data were utilized to develop prediction models for the strengths of cementitious composites containing silica fume, and the prediction models agreed with the actual results. These prediction models could be used to test the material strength, saving both time and cost