Discussion of the paper “Microstructure and strength of hydrated cements” by R.F. Feldman and J.J. Beaudoin

✍ Scribed by H.F.W. Taylor

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1977
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 232 KB
• Volume: 7
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0008-8846
• DOI: 10.1016/0008-8846(77)90077-1

✦ Synopsis

In my opinion, Feldman and Beaudoin have made a most important contribution to our understanding of the mechanical properties of cement pastes.

They have suggested that, for any given porosity, there is an optimum blend within the gel of relatively dense, well-crystallized material and less dense, poorly crystallized material that will give the highest strength, and that the proportion of the first type of material that is required increases as the porosity becomes less.

They explain this situation by supposing that the strength depends partly on the bonding properties of the particles, and partly on their intrinsic strengths.

At high porosities, the first factor is more important and a high proportion of poorly crystallized material is needed, but at low porosities this factor is less important, and the intrinsically higher strengths of the denser particles can be reflected in that of the material.