Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 25, 2026

Two-way Valorization of Blast Furnace Slag: Synthesis of Precipitated Calcium Carbonate and Zeolitic Heavy Metal Adsorbent
Published on: February 21, 2017
Studies on the Alkali-Silica Reaction Rim in a Simplified Calcium-Alkali-Silicate System
Kunpeng Zheng1, Peter Adriaensens2, Geert De Schutter3
1Magnel Laboratory for Concrete Research, Department of Structural Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium. kunpeng.zheng@ugent.be.
Abstract:
This work is intended to provide a better understanding about the properties and roles of the reaction rim in an alkali-silica reaction. A simplified calcium-alkali-silicate system was created to simulate the multiple interactions among reactive silica, alkaline solution and portlandite near the aggregate surface during the formation and evolution of the reaction rim in an alkali-silica reaction. A transport barrier preventing the migration of calcium and silicate through itself was found on the interface between the alkali silicate and the calcium hydroxide. The barrier was mainly composed of calcium alkali silicate with silicon-oxygen organizations of Q² and Q³ according to the results of 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance, the calcium to silica mole ratio ranging from 0.22 to 0.53 and the alkali to silica ratio ranging from 0.20 to 0.26 based the location of the elemental compositional analysis and the storage period of the system.
Related Concept Videos
Alkali Aggregate Reaction in Concrete
Hydration of Cement
Silica Gel Column Chromatography: Overview
Polar components tend to bind strongly to the silica gel, causing them to move slowly through the column. In contrast, nonpolar compounds...
Sulfate Attack on Concrete
Sulfates from sources like soil, groundwater, or industrial effluents...
Alkali Metals
Table 1: Properties of the alkali metals
Strength and Heat of Hydration
The heat of hydration for each cement compound is significant; for instance, tricalcium aluminate (C3A) and...

