Program for Sustainable Pavement Engineering and Research

About the research

This research project is a comprehensive study of how supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) can be used to improve the performance of concrete mixtures. This report summarizes the findings of the Laboratory Study on Concrete phase of this work.

The earlier “paste and mortar phase” of this work considered several sources of each type of SCM (fly ash, slag, and silica fume) so that the material variability issues could be addressed. Several different sources of portland cement and blended cement were also used in the experimental program. This phase of the research used an experimental matrix of 48 different mortar and concrete mixtures, which were identified in the earlier work as potential ternary mixtures that could benefit department of transportation (DOT) goals for long-lasting transportation bridges and pavements.

This report contains test results from durability testing on mortar and concrete containing ternary cementitious materials and standard coarse and fine aggregates. Limited testing was also conducted on select mixtures for performance in hot and cold climates, to determine the potential to design ternary mixtures in adverse conditions.