[Silica risk in construction industry: an investigation on raw materials]

M Bottai1, A Cini, D Talini

  • 1UF. PSLL, Dipartimento della Prevenzione, ASL 5 di Pisa.

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Deleterious Substances in Aggregate01:25

Deleterious Substances in Aggregate

Deleterious substances in aggregates can be detrimental to the quality and durability of concrete. These substances include organic impurities like loam, which interfere with cement hydration and are usually present in the sand. These prevent a good bond between aggregate and cement paste. Organic impurities can be detected using the colorimetric test, where the darkness of a solution after agitation indicates the level of organic content.
Another type of impurity is clay and fine material that...
Pozzolans01:21

Pozzolans

Pozzolans are siliceous or aluminous materials blended with Portland cement. They interact with the calcium hydroxide produced during the hydration of Portland cement and contribute to improved strength and durability of concrete. The pozzolanic activity, a measure of a pozzolan's effectiveness, is typically assessed using the strength activity index, as defined in ASTM C 618-93, which calculates the ratio of the compressive strength of cement mixtures with and without pozzolan.
Fly ash is a...
Alkali Aggregate Reaction in Concrete01:26

Alkali Aggregate Reaction in Concrete

The alkali-aggregate reaction in concrete involves natural siliceous minerals in aggregates reacting with alkaline hydroxides derived from cement alkalis. This reaction forms an alkali-silica gel that absorbs water, swells, and increases in volume, which is confined by the surrounding cement paste, creating internal pressures that crack and disrupt the concrete. The extent of expansion and damage can be partly attributed to the alkali-silica reaction's osmotic hydraulic pressure and the...
Aggregate Cement Ratio01:21

Aggregate Cement Ratio

The Aggregate Cement ratio refers to the weight of aggregate divided by the weight of cement in a concrete mix. Altering this ratio has profound effects on the concrete's properties. This ratio plays a pivotal role in determining the strength, workability, and durability of concrete. When the Aggregate Cement ratio is higher, the mix is leaner, meaning it has less cement paste to lubricate the aggregate, potentially making the concrete less workable. Such mixes, known as lean, enhance the...
Design Example: Managing Concrete Workability01:14

Design Example: Managing Concrete Workability

This example deals with managing the workability of concrete for a raft foundation project under hot weather conditions. Workability is crucial for ensuring the concrete is easy to place, compact, and finish. In this scenario, a slump test — a common method to measure the workability of fresh concrete — initially indicated low workability. This was attributed to the rapid water loss from the concrete mix, exacerbated by the high temperatures causing the course aggregates to heat up.
To address...
Sieve Analysis and Grading Curves01:19

Sieve Analysis and Grading Curves

Sieve analysis is a method used to determine the particle size distribution of aggregate materials. This process involves the following steps: