Properties of binary and ternary mixes of cement, sugarcane bagasse ash and limestone

Cements with low clinker content are an important alternative for sustainable development of the cement industry. In this respect, the present study aimed the production and characterization of binary and ternary mixes of cement, sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) and limestone in order to assess the physical and chemical effects of these materials in cementitious systems. Pastes and mortars were produced using the different cements to assess their performance in rheology, isothermal calorimetry, chemical shrinkage, and compressive strength tests. All cements with SCBA were characterized as pozzolanic Portland cements, justifying the increase in chemical shrinkage in relation to the reference. Adding both materials changed the rheology of mixes, increasing rheological parameters, primarily in pastes with SCBA. Limestone accelerated hydration during the first few days due to the heterogeneous nucleation effect, but compressive strength declined at 7, 28, and 90 days owing to the dilution effect. SCBA initially delayed paste hydration, but increased compressive strength compared to the reference at all studied ages due to pozzolanic reactions. The performance of ternary mixes was intermediate in relation to binary SCBA-cement and limestone-cement, suggesting the joint effect of the additions on the properties assessed.