A comprehensive comparison between using silica fume in the forms of water slurry or blended cement in mortar/concrete

Silica fume (SF) is commonly used in concrete mixtures either in the form of water-based slurry or by using blended silica fume cement, each one having advantages and disadvantages. For instance, using SF blended cement has less issues regarding dispersion of SF particles, yet it limits the ration of SF content to the cementitious materials. Nevertheless, a holistic comparison between the effects of these two utilization forms on the properties of cementitious mixes is currently missing in the literature. In this research, a comprehensive comparison was performed between using SF in these two forms. For this purpose, the fresh properties, mechanical properties, dimensional stability, water permeability, and durability of mortar/concrete samples made with these two methods were assessed. The results showed that in general, SF blended cement samples had the same or slightly better performance compared to those made with SF slurry. Hence, utilization of SF blended cement could be a desirable alternative for SF slurry in construction projects.