Effects of calcium nitrate and triisopropanolamine on the setting and strength evolution of Portland cement pastes

The purpose of this work is to study the effect of using some admixtures such as calcium nitrate and triisopropanolamine on the setting and hardening process of cement pastes at 20°C temperature. Tests were performed on specimens cast from various mixtures prepared with two types of cements. The results indicate that calcium nitrate alone acts as a setting accelerator, but has relatively little beneficial effect on the long term period development of mechanical resistances. Regardless of the cement type used, triisopropanolamine used alone performed well as a hardening accelerator at all ages. The combined addition of calcium nitrate and triisopropanolamine produced at very early age significant and promising results with respect to both setting and hardening acceleration. Continuous compressive strength increase was observed with time.