Portland - Limestone Blended CementKarl ZipfDelDOT - 2014
The following is an edited presentation from the Portland Cement AssociationThis is not an endorsement for the PCA
DelDOT does not have any test data to verify their claims.
Portland-Limestone Blended Cements
Portland-Limestone Cement What is a PLC?
Type IL blended cement in ASTM C595/AASHTO M240 5% to 15% limestone by mass Ternary cements
Why the proposal? Option to implement proven technology to
obtain desired performance and improve sustainability of concrete
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
Increases plant capacity
Reduces carbon footprint
Saves energy
Energy to Produce Cement
Environmental Benefits - CO2
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
Plant 1 Plant 2 Plant 3
kg C
O2/
kg c
emen
t
Portland cement
Portland-limestone cement
History of Limestone in Cements 1965 Cement with 20% limestone in Germany for specialty
applications 1979 French cement standards allows limestone additions. 1983 CSA A5 allows up to 5% limestone in portland cement 1990 15±5% limestone blended cements routinely used in
Germany 1992 UK specs allows up to 20% in limestone cement 2000 EN 197-1 allows 5% MAC (typ. limestone) in all 27
common cements, as was commonly practiced in various European cement standards prior to that.
2000 EN 197-1 creates CEM II/A-L (6-20%) and CEM II/B-L (21-35%)
2004 ASTM C 150 allows 5% in Types I-V 2006 CSA A3001 allows 5% in other Types than GU 2007 AASHTO M85 allows 5% in Types I-V 2008 CSA A3001 includes PLC containing 5%-15% limestone
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
35.4 34.2 33.7 32.1 31.627.5
4.8 5.4 4.2 6.8 5.94.5
3.7 2.92.1 2.7
1.2
1.4
5.4 6.25.7
7.06.9
7.4
15.0 18.9 24.624.0
24.5 31.4
16.816.8 14.5 9.6 14.3 12.5
5.65.5 6.5
4.85.1 5.64.0
5.0 59.5 5.4 5.73.2
3.4 1.5 1.9 2.9 1.86.11.7 2.1 1.8 2.1 2.2
Cem
ent T
ypes
in E
urop
e (%
)
Others CEM V - Composite CementCEM IV - PozzolanicCEM III - Blast furnace slag CEM II - Portland-compositeCEM II - Portland-limestoneCEM II - Portland-fly ashCEM II - Portland-pozzolanaCEM II - Portland-slagCEM I - Portland
European Cement Use
Cembureau data
Why 15%?
How Limestone Works Particle packing
Improved particle size distribution The same effect with packing can be
had be be had with fly ash.
How Limestone Works Nucleation
Surfaces for precipitation Any small particle will actas nucleation sites.
Performance: Strength
Performance: RCPT T277/C1202 No change
0
1000
2000
3000
No SCM No SCM 35% Slag
20% Fly Ash
No SCM No SCM 35% Slag
20% Fly Ash
Cha
rge P
asse
d (C
oulo
mbs
)
PC
PLC
28 days 56 days
W/CM = 0.45 W/CM = 0.45
W/CM= 0.40
W/CM= 0.40
ASR Resistance
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
AMBT CPT ACPT
Expa
nsio
n (%
)
Test (age when expansion reported)
PC PLC
(14 days) (1 Year) (3 months)
Field Trials – T277/C1202
AASHTO M240 & ASTM C595 Requirements Type IL—Portland-limestone blended
cement Example: Type IL(10) = 10% limestone
Type IT—Ternary blended cement with limestone Example 1: Type IT(L10)(P10) = 10%
limestone and 10% pozzolan Example 2: Type IT(S15)(L10) = 15% slag
and 10% limestone Limestone content 5% to 15%
AASHTO M240 & ASTM C595 Requirements Same physical requirement as existing
C595/M240 cement types Chemical require changes– sulfate content,
LOI Sulfate resistance – no MS or HS in initial
ballot Limestone quality specs – %CaCO3, MBI,
TOC Not all cement quarries will have limestone
that meets the standard.
Requirements for Limestone for Use in Type IL – Cannot add agriculture limestone to Portland cement Test Method Limit
CaCO3 content C114/T105 Min. 70%
Methylene blue index See Annex A2 Max. 1.2 g/100g
Total organic carbon See Annex A3 Max.0.5%
Additional Information Cement fineness is 480-500. Limestone
is more friable than clinker in grinding and particle size is controlled to control set and strength.
PCA claims that higher fineness does not affect water demand.
Limestone is inert and does not react. Several states have already approved
Type IL There is no price benefit in using PLC. PLC can be available in this area
Portland Limestone Blended Cement in ASTM C595 and
AASHTO M240 Presented to ASTM C01.10 December 2010Thank you!