Performance of cements with several mainconstituents (blended cements)

The manufacture of cements with several main constituents (blended cements) is of particular importance with regard to reducing climatically relevant CO2 emissions in the cement industry. A wide variety of common cement products exists in the different EU Member States. They match local manufacturing conditions, throughout meeting particular climatic or other local conditions, including building practices. In general, all cements conforming to European Cement Standard EN 197-1 are suitable for the manufacture of concrete according to European Concrete Standard EN 206-1. Depending on the area of application, however, differences related to the cement type may possibly have to be taken into account to ensure the durability of the concretes manufactured with these cements. These regulations were laid down in National Application Documents (NADs) to EN 206-1 dependent upon the exposure classes that a structural element is assigned to. This paper gives an overview of the cement types used in Europe and the areas of application of cements conforming to EN 197-1 in concrete conforming to EN 206-1 and various national annexes. The option of combining several main constituents makes blended cements particularly well suited for combining the advantages of individual main constituents. This process requires an integrated assessment of all requirements to be met by cements during manufacture and application. From a technical perspective these include the strength formation potential as well as good workability of the concrete and, in particular, the durability of the concrete made from these cements. The effects that the main constituents have with regard to properties relevant to durability can be utilized in particular in cements made from a combination of limestone/blastfurnace slag or limestone/fly ash as main constituents. This is demonstrated using the parameters of density, carbonation, resistance to chloride penetration, resistance to freeze-thaw and resistance to freeze-thaw with de-icing salt.

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