The effect of supplementary cementitious materials on transport properties of cementitious materials - state-of-the-art

The supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) have recognized many of the beneficial influences on concrete ability to resist the penetration of chloride ions, such as fly ash, slag, silica fume, metakaolin, and other natural pozzolans; this benefit has primarily been ascribed to the refined pore structure that results from the appropriate use of SCMs, which, in turn, results in reduced permeability and ionic diffusivity. The paper illustrates the state-of-the-art research findings on; (1) the classification of the SCMs and physicochemical properties; (2) the influences of SCMs on cement binder and the pore structure under chloride ion permeability; (3) the influences of the SCMs on the carbonation process of the cement binder that aims to determine the optimum relationship between SCMs and concrete transport properties. The interesting experimental investigations of the combined influence of chloride and carbonate permeation in cement binder that implement the latest methods in different curing conditions, types, and level contents of the SCMs will yield new scientific results and proposals for the industrial applications auxiliary materials.