Structural Performance of An Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3) Concrete

Abstract

This thesis is on a breakthrough technology to reduce CO2 emissions from cementitious material that is limestone calcined clay cement (LC3). The use of SCMs to replace the part of clinker in cement is the most successful strategy to reduce CO2 emissions in global cement industry. The only type of material available in the quantities needed to meet the demand is clay containing kaolinite, which can be calcined to produce an effective SCM. As discussion proceeds workability, hydration and chemistry of LC3 is discussed followed by its durability properties. At the end suggestions for further research.LC3 is family of cement in which clinker content is replaced by calcined clay and lime stone with some proportion of CC : LS (2:1). In this paper kaolinite content of different clays were investigated and more than 40% kaolinitic clay were chosen in replacement of OPC along with Limestone. After that Kaolinite clay were grinded, passed from #200 sieve and heated at a temperature of 850 C0 for 1 hour. Hardened properties such as compressive strength, split tensile strength, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity of concrete using Limestone calcined cement were investigated by taking W/B ratio 0.5 constant. The experimental program were deal with mechanical properties of LC3 concrete with the following combination of LC3-30, LC3-50, LC3-65, and LC3-80 along with normal OPC. Based on the experimental results it was noted that replacement less than or equal to 50% with conventional cement we can get the ultimate strength approximately equal to OPC.After that best mechanical properties showing sample were taken into structural level testing like four point bending test along with expermimental results FEA were also carried out on same beams having OPC , LC3-50 , LC3-65 , LC3-80 beams. Load vs deflection , comparison of peak loads ,comparison of ultimate deflection both experimentally and FEA deflection , crack width , number of cracks , minimum spacing of cracks , maximum spacing of cracks , average spacing of crakcs these were the testes carried out on each beam and lastly comparison of carbon footprint were also carried out in a form of percentage differnce of CO2 emmision with respect to normal ordinary portland cement and percentage difference of energy consumed with respect to normal ordinary portland cement (OPC).