Cement Heavy Concretes for Highway Construction
Cement concretes with increased strength and resistance to external cyclic loads are used in highway construction. The paper presents investigation results on the influence of SP-1 and Glenium ACE 430 plasticizers and SP-1 + silica fume, Glenium ACE 430 + silica fume complex additives on the properties of cement concrete under various mechanical exposures including the cyclic load. Cyclic load tests show that the greatest increase in compressive strength, splitting and bending tension and also in the resistance to cyclic loads is achieved in cement concretes with Glenium ACE 430 + silica fume additive. Cyclic mechanical loads cause the crystallization of amorphized calcium hydrosilicates or recrystallization of primary hydrates with the release of portlandite. Glenium ACE 430 + silica fume additive facilitates the retention of the amorphized structure of calcium hydrosilicates.