INFLUENCE OF STEAMING PARAMETERS ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND MICROSTRUCTURE OF REACTIVE POWDER CONCRETE

The paper presents test results of mechanical properties and microstructure of reactive powder concretes subjected to low pressure steam curing at different temperatures. Before application of the heat treatment, the material was stored under the conditions, which prevented evaporation of water in order to determine most favourable duration of preset time. Once this parameter was adopted, the target temperature was analysed in the range from 20 to 90 degrees C. The third section of presented studies is focused on duration of target temperature, which varied from 6 to 48 hours. The presented test results allowed establishing most favourable steaming parameters for RPC characterized by average composition and made from typical cement. Moreover, it turned out that the most significant factor, which influences mechanical properties of the composite is the target temperature. Steaming parameters have also an impact on microstructure of RPC as well as cement hydration degree.