Abstracts Category : Other

Compressive strength variation due to cement source change

by Jared Lee Brown

Cementitious materials obtained from different sources, while evaluated and classified by the same methods and criteria, often produce concrete with compressive strength variance despite other inputs remaining constant. The focus of this thesis was to enumerate and illustrate the possible compressive strength variation when cementitious material sources are interchanged, and investigate the influence that aggregate can have on this variation. This was accomplished by compiling and analyzing compressive strength data from previous research initiatives, and concluded that coefficient of variation (COV) and range values at the 14-, 28-, and 56-day timeframes due to a cement source change varied between 15.3% and 18.1% and 1,988 psi and 2,728 psi in concrete, and 16.1% and 22.9% and 3,406 psi and 5,884 psi in paste or mortar. Concrete that included supplementary cementitious material (SCM) displayed up to 4.1% higher COV values versus non-SCM mixtures, and specific aggregate/cementitious material combinations influenced compressive strength variability. Advisors/Committee Members: Dr. Isaac L. Howard (chair), Dr. Seamus F. Freyne (committee member), Dr. John J. Ramirez-Avila (committee member).