Long-term hydration behavior and pore structure development of cement–limestone binary system

This study concerns the long-term hydration behavior and pore structure of cement paste incorporated with limestone powder. The cement paste specimens are investigated by isothermal calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and mercury intrusion porosimetry. The dosages of limestone powder are 5, 15 and 25%, respectively. The experimental results are collected within 180 days. From the obtained results, 25% limestone powder accelerates the transformation of hemicarboaluminate to monocarboaluminate. The ettringite stably exists in cement paste incorporated with limestone powder at all curing ages. The presence of limestone powder does not significantly influence the value of the critical pore width (D_cr) of cement pastes at later curing ages.