Pore Distribution and Water Uptake in a Cenosphere-Cement Paste Composite Material

Alumina silicate cenospheres (CS) is a significant waste material from power plants that use a coal. Use CS as Portland cement replacement material gives opportunity to control physical and mechanical properties and makes a product lighter and more cost-effective. In the frame of this study, Portland cement paste samples were produced by adding CS in the concentration range from 0 to 40 volume %. Water uptake of hardened samples was checked and pore size distribution by using the mercury porosimetry was determined. In a cold climate where the temperature often falls below 0 °C, it is important to avoid the amount of micrometer sized pores in the final structure and to decrease water absorption capacity of material. In winter conditions, water fills such pores and causes additional stresses to their walls by expansion while freezing. It was found that generally water uptake capacity for cement paste samples decreased up to 20% by increasing the concentration of CS up to 40 volume %, at the same time, the volume of micrometer sized opened pores increases.