Activation of fly ash cementitious systems in the presence of quicklime - Part I. Compressive strength and pozzolanic reaction rate

In the first part of this study, the effect of industrially produced quicklime on the strength development and pozzolanic reaction rates of different fly ash/cement (FC) systems was investigated. Two high calcium fly ashes, diversified on their active silica and calcium oxide contents, and one with moderate calcium content were used. Strength development, hydration evolution, and pozzolanic reaction rates of the quicklime-fly ash-cement (QFC) systems were monitored and presented. Moreover, new efficiency factors were calculated for the activated systems in an attempt to optimize the quicklime addition in each case, whilst correlations were attempted between the nonevaporable water contents (W-n) and the cementitious efficiency factor (k values) of the activated systems. The addition of quicklime increased both the early and later strengths of the high-calcium fly ash specimens. For the two high-lime ashes tested, a 3% addition of quicklime was found to be the optimum dosage both for short and longer curing periods. It is possible that such an offer of lime fully employed the available silica from the ashes to form additional cementitious compounds, principally pozzolanic C-S-H. In the case of lower-lime fly ash, a small quantity of added lime (5%) was found to be effective only during the initial stages of the hardening process. When quicklime additions increased, no accelerating. effect was detected, as a result of the diminished proportion of soluble silica in the pore solution. Identification of the generated hydration products, porosity of the activated mixtures and examination of their microstructure will be presented in Part 11 of the study. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.