Publisher's Synopsis
Strength and durability are the two key properties that owners look for in their concrete structures. But what makes concrete strong? How does it become durable? These properties are produced through the chemical reaction between hydraulic cement and water-hydration. In the presence of water, portland cement hydrates to form new solids that become the foundation of hardened cement paste in concrete. Calcium silicates hydrate to form calcium hydroxide and calcium-silicate-hydrate. The calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H) gel is the most important cementing component of concrete. It is responsible for the engineering properties of concrete including setting, hardening and strength development. The structure of the C-S-H at the microscopic scale is important for the durability of concrete. Cement manufacturing is energy intensive, due to the high temperature processing required. As with any industry burning fossil fuels, the cement industry also generates combustion by-products and other gaseous emissions. However, less than half of the emissions produced by the cement industry are attributable to the combustion of fuels. This book explains the fundamentals of the cement and concrete technology. -
