Effects of Zeolite Incorporation and Inert Fillers on the Curing of Cement Mortars

One of the main approaches to reducing the environmental impacts of the construction industry is the use of mineral additives reducing the use of cement in mortars and concretes for construction. The objects of this research are different cement composites with high content of inert mineral fillers (marble and quartz sand), the influence of zeolite incorporation on the microstructure, and low water-cement ratio, obtained after the hydration of white portland cement.In this study, the evolution of the curing processes and the crystal formation during up to 120 days of water-curing are investigated. Moreover, the effects of replacing up to 10 wt. % of white cement with natural zeolite are studied. Attention was focused on the general microstructural development during curing with special attention on the evolution and morphology of pore space and the observed calcium silicate hydrates (C–S–H), portlandite, and carbonate-containing phases.The phase composition (newly formed phases as well as the formation of C-S-H gel) is defined by using powder X-Ray diffraction and SEM. The experimental data shows that the cement composites with the inert marble filler as an additive lead to the creation of carbo-aluminates. The incorporation of up to 10 percent of clinoptilolite in concrete mixtures by mass of the total cementitious components is more efficient when used in lower strength mixes. A significant reduction in the workability of the fresh mortars is not observed, but the high surface area of zeolite reduces bleeding and accelerates setting without any strong effects on the other physical and technological properties of fresh mortars.