AUTOGENOUS DEFORMATION AND CHANGE OF THE RELATIVE-HUMIDITY IN SILICA FUME-MODIFIED CEMENT PASTE

Even during sealed curing and at a constant temperature a hardening ce ment paste will deform and the relative humidity within its pores will lower: This autogenous deformation and autogenous relative humidity c hange may be so significant that the cement paste cracks if the deform ation is restrained. This article focuses on the influence of silica f ume addition on autogenous deformation and autogenous relative humidit y change. Continuous measurement of autogenous deformation and autogen ous relative humidity change for more than I and I 1/2 years, respecti vely, was performed. The investigations show that silica fume addition markedly increases autogenous shrinkage as well as the autogenous rel ative humidity change.