Title:
Prepublished: Predicting Mortar Behavior via Intrinsic and Rheological Properties
Author(s):
Mouhcine Ben Aicha, Ayoub Aziz, Olivier Jalbaud, and Yves Burtschell
Publication:
Materials Journal
Volume:
Issue:
Appears on pages(s):
Keywords:
air-entrainment agents; mechanical characteristics; mortar; rheological parameters; ultrasonic velocity
DOI:
10.14359/51746715
Date:
3/24/2025
Abstract:
This study investigates the impact of air-entraining admixtures (AEA) on mortar performance, focusing on fresh-state and hardened-state properties critical to durability and engineering applications. Ten distinct mortar mixtures were analyzed, following guidelines established by EFNARC (European Federation of National Associations Representing Producers and Applicators of Specialist Building Products for Concrete). AEAs were introduced at varying proportions (0.01–0.5% of cement weight) to evaluate their effects on intrinsic properties (density, void ratio, water absorption), rheological parameters (plastic viscosity, yield stress), and mechanical characteristics (compressive strength, ultrasonic velocity, modulus of elasticity).
Regression models were developed, yielding high predictive accuracy with R² values exceeding 0.98. Notably, ultrasonic velocity and modulus of elasticity demonstrated strong correlations with intrinsic properties across all curing ages. Similarly, compressive strength showed significant associations with rheological parameters, highlighting the influence of air content and flow behavior on structural performance. These findings offer precise quantitative models for predicting mortar behavior and optimizing formulations for enhanced performance.