Review: Improving cement-based materials by using silica fume

The effects of silica fume as an admixture in cement-based materials are reviewed in terms of the mechanical properties, vibration damping capacity, freeze-thaw durability, abrasion resistance, shrinkage, air void content, density, permeability, steel rebar corrosion resistance, alkali-silica reactivity reduction, chemical attack resistance, bond strength to steel rebar, creep rate, coefficient of thermal expansion, specific heat, thermal conductivity, fiber dispersion, defect dynamics, dielectric constant and workability. The effects of silane treatment of the silica fume and of the use of silane as an additional admixture are also addressed. (C) 2002 Kluwer Academic Publishers.