Protocol for prediction of durability of new cements: Application to LC3

Abstract

As Ordinary Portland Cement has been the most widely used binder till 1990s, its long term behaviour in concrete is well understood. However, environmental concerns and resource availability has driven cement industry to move to use of supplementary cementitious materials and developing new binders with less environmental footprint and more utilisation of locally available resources. As more such cements suiting local needs get developed, it will be critical to rapidly understand the durability of concretes containing these blends so as to reduce the typical period required to standardise cements. Since durability related tests are, by definition, time-consuming, this paper suggests a framework that can be used to gain a faster prediction of the performance of these cements when subjected to different deterioration processes. The application of this framework to Limestone Calcined Clay Portland Cement is also described. This framework promises to significantly reduce the time required for the standardisation of new cements, saving precious resources in the process.