Microstructural investigations on the skinning of ultra-high performance concrete

A skinning phenomenon occurring in the first seconds to minutes on ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) was analysed by microstructural investigations. The low water content and the resulting high content of superplasticizers, i.e. polycarboxylate ethers, lead to differences in rheological behavio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inCement & concrete composites Vol. 57; pp. 27 - 33
Main Authors Wetzel, Alexander, Glotzbach, Christoph, Maryamh, Kasem, Middendorf, Bernhard
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2015
Subjects
Cements
Concretes
Cross sections
Elephant skin
Enrichment
Ethers
FITC
Laser scanning microscopy
Microstructure
Moisture content
Polycarboxylate ether
Silica fume
Superplasticizers
UHPC
UHPC
FITC
Elephant skin
Polycarboxylate ether
Laser scanning microscopy
Silica fume
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Summary:A skinning phenomenon occurring in the first seconds to minutes on ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) was analysed by microstructural investigations. The low water content and the resulting high content of superplasticizers, i.e. polycarboxylate ethers, lead to differences in rheological behaviour of fine grained UHPC containing silica fume. A visco-elastic surface layer impedes the deaeration and constrains smoothing of the concrete surface. A detailed multi-method characterization of the microstructure of the layered cross-section revealed enrichments of polycarboxylate ether superplasticizers (PCE) on the surface of the UHPC. FITC-staining of the PCE made a localisation and relative quantification possible. A hypothesis for the formation of the skin comprising PCE enrichment driven by evaporation is derived from this microstructural study.
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ISSN:0958-9465
1873-393X
DOI:10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2014.11.010