Calcium sulfate hemihydrate activated low heat sulfate resistant cement

Investigations were undertaken to produce low heat sulfate resistant cement by activation of granulated slag obtained from the blast furnace process of iron making and phosphate industries with the calcium sulfate hemihydrate. Experimental data showed that cement gives fast setting characteristics in addition to high strength development. The setting time of cement was regulated with a small addition of set retarder without adversely affecting the strength development of cement. It is noted that beta hemihydrate plaster gives better strength results than the anhydrite activated cement. The results also confirm that granulated blast furnace slag can be replaced with phosphatic slag up to 10% by mass without loosing strength. DTA and X-ray diffraction analysis have been used to identify the hydration products formed in the hydrated cement. The heat of hydration data of cement is reported in the paper. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.