Portland - Limestone Blended CementKarl Zipf

DelDOT - 2014

The following is an edited presentation from the Portland Cement AssociationThis is not an endorsement for the PCA

DelDOT does not have any test data to verify their claims.

Portland-Limestone Blended Cements

Portland-Limestone Cement What is a PLC?

Type IL blended cement in ASTM C595/AASHTO M240

5% to 15% limestone by mass

Ternary cements

Why the proposal? Option to implement proven technology to

obtain desired performance and improve sustainability of concrete

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

Increases plant capacity

Reduces carbon footprint

Saves energy

Energy to Produce Cement

Environmental Benefits - CO2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

Plant 1 Plant 2 Plant 3

kg C

O2/k

g c

em

ent

Portland cement

Portland-limestone cement

History of Limestone in Cements 1965 Cement with 20% limestone in Germany for specialty

applications 1979 French cement standards allows limestone additions. 1983 CSA A5 allows up to 5% limestone in portland cement 1990 15±5% limestone blended cements routinely used in

Germany 1992 UK specs allows up to 20% in limestone cement 2000 EN 197-1 allows 5% MAC (typ. limestone) in all 27

common cements, as was commonly practiced in various European cement standards prior to that.

2000 EN 197-1 creates CEM II/A-L (6-20%) and CEM II/B-L (21-35%)

2004 ASTM C 150 allows 5% in Types I-V 2006 CSA A3001 allows 5% in other Types than GU 2007 AASHTO M85 allows 5% in Types I-V 2008 CSA A3001 includes PLC containing 5%-15% limestone

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

35.4 34.2 33.7 32.1 31.627.5

4.8 5.4 4.2 6.8 5.9

4.5

3.7 2.92.1 2.7

1.2

1.4

5.4 6.25.7

7.06.9

7.4

15.0 18.9 24.624.0

24.5 31.4

16.816.8 14.5 9.6 14.3 12.5

5.65.5 6.5

4.85.1 5.64.0

5.0 59.5 5.4 5.73.2

3.4 1.5 1.9 2.9 1.86.11.7 2.1 1.8 2.1 2.2

Cem

ent T

ypes

in E

uro

pe

(%)

Others

CEM V - Composite Cement

CEM IV - Pozzolanic

CEM III - Blast furnace slag

CEM II - Portland-composite

CEM II - Portland-limestone

CEM II - Portland-fly ash

CEM II - Portland-pozzolana

CEM II - Portland-slag

CEM I - Portland

European Cement Use

Cembureau data

Why 15%?

How Limestone Works

Particle packing

Improved particle size distribution

The same effect with packing can be had be be had with fly ash.

How Limestone Works

Nucleation

Surfaces for precipitation

Any small particle will act

as nucleation sites.

Performance: Strength

Performance: RCPT T277/C1202 No change

0

1000

2000

3000

No SCM No SCM 35% Slag

20% Fly Ash

No SCM No SCM 35% Slag

20% Fly Ash

Cha

rge

Pas

sed

(Cou

lom

bs)

PC

PLC

28 days 56 days

W/CM = 0.45 W/CM = 0.45

W/CM= 0.40

W/CM= 0.40

ASR Resistance

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

AMBT CPT ACPT

Exp

ansi

on (

%)

Test (age when expansion reported)

PC PLC

(14 days) (1 Year) (3 months)

Field Trials – T277/C1202

AASHTO M240 & ASTM C595 Requirements Type IL—Portland-limestone blended

cement

Example: Type IL(10) = 10% limestone

Type IT—Ternary blended cement with limestone

Example 1: Type IT(L10)(P10) = 10% limestone and 10% pozzolan

Example 2: Type IT(S15)(L10) = 15% slag and 10% limestone

Limestone content 5% to 15%

AASHTO M240 & ASTM C595 Requirements Same physical requirement as existing

C595/M240 cement types

Chemical require changes– sulfate content, LOI

Sulfate resistance – no MS or HS in initial ballot

Limestone quality specs – %CaCO3, MBI, TOC

Not all cement quarries will have limestone that meets the standard.

Requirements for Limestone for Use in Type IL – Cannot add agriculture limestone to Portland cement Test Method Limit

CaCO3 content C114/T105 Min. 70%

Methylene blue index See Annex A2 Max. 1.2 g/100g

Total organic carbon See Annex A3 Max.0.5%

Additional Information Cement fineness is 480-500. Limestone

is more friable than clinker in grinding and particle size is controlled to control set and strength.

PCA claims that higher fineness does not affect water demand.

Limestone is inert and does not react.

Several states have already approved Type IL

There is no price benefit in using PLC.

PLC can be available in this area

Portland Limestone Blended Cement in ASTM C595 and

AASHTO M240 Presented to ASTM C01.10 December 2010

Thank you!