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Q. What causes hardening of hydraulic cement (or concrete)? A. When hydraulic cement is mixed with water to form a paste, the phases of the cement react with the water (hydration) to form a slowly developing cementitious structure that adheres to and binds together the fine-and coarse-aggregate particles to form hardened concrete. The most abundant hydration product is calcium-silicate hydrate. As long as moisture and unhydrated cement particles are present, the hydration products continue to form, increasing the strength of the concrete. References: SP-1(02); E3-13 Topics in Concrete: Cementitious Material; Materials; Pozzolan
Q. What causes hardening of hydraulic cement (or concrete)?
A. When hydraulic cement is mixed with water to form a paste, the phases of the cement react with the water (hydration) to form a slowly developing cementitious structure that adheres to and binds together the fine-and coarse-aggregate particles to form hardened concrete. The most abundant hydration product is calcium-silicate hydrate. As long as moisture and unhydrated cement particles are present, the hydration products continue to form, increasing the strength of the concrete.
References: SP-1(02); E3-13
Topics in Concrete: Cementitious Material; Materials; Pozzolan