Influence of Grain Size Distribution (GSD) on GGBFS-Based Binary Cement

Increasing demand due to excessive consumption of pure Ordinary Portland Cement over a couple of decades has resulted in the over-exploitation of natural raw materials in cement manufacturing. This has led to increased carbon dioxide emission levels in the air during cement production and concrete making. To counter the fresh air imbalance, it is the necessity of the epoch to shift toward the use of alternate burning fuels and primarily maximize the usage of Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs) either in its natural or artificial form in replacing pure Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). One of the major factors in maximizing SCM with OPC is the grain size distribution (GSD) of all primary elements. Microstructure, grain packing density, water requirement, rate of hydration, initial and final sets, strength, permeability, workability, and durability of cement and its allied by-products are significantly affected by grain size distribution in the cement medium. This paper deals with the influence of the distribution of grain size on certain major mechanical properties of Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS) supplemented binary cement.