STATEOFCALIFORNIA

DEPARTMENTOFTRANSPORTATION

DIVISIONOF

ENGINEERINGSERVICES

MATERIALSENGINEERING

ANDTESTINGSERVICES

OFFICEOFRIGIDPAVEMENTMATERIALS

ANDSTRUCTURALCONCRETE

5900FolsomBoulevard
Sacramento,California95819

INTERIMREPORT

USEOFRAWLIMESTONEINPORTLANDCEMENT

January,2008

USE OF RAW LIMESTONE IN PORTLAND CEMENT

This report reflects the observations, findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the
authors.
This report docs not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. The Office of
Rigid Pavement Materials and Structural Concrete is responsible for the accuracy of the
information and data presented in this report.

Report prepared by . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . Richard Stubstad

Doran Glauz
Dulce Rufino

RICHARD STUBSTAD

Principal Engineer

Applied Research Associates, Inc

~ p__g
TOM PYLE ?

Office of Rigid Pavement and Structural Concrete

Materials Engineering and Testing Services

TableofContents

Summary........................................................................................................................................ 1

DesignMatrix................................................................................................................................ 2

TheThreePillarsofConcreteDurability .................................................................................. 4

Strength...................................................................................................................................... 5

Shrinkage................................................................................................................................... 5

Permeability .............................................................................................................................. 5

TestMatrixVariables ................................................................................................................... 5

InterimTestResults...................................................................................................................... 6

CompressiveStrength ............................................................................................................. 6

Shrinkage................................................................................................................................... 9

Permeability ............................................................................................................................ 11

SecondaryParameters ........................................................................................................... 12

InterimConclusions ................................................................................................................... 13

AppendixADryingShrinkageofConcreteandMortars.................................................. 15

AppendixBWater/CementitiousRatioandFlow .............................................................. 17

AppendixCModulusofElasticity........................................................................................ 19

AppendixDMeasuredLimestoneContents ....................................................................... 20

ListofFigures

Figure1.Meancompressivestrengthsratios(91days)asafunctionoftesting

laboratory.............................................................................................................................. 7

Figure2.Compressivestrengthsratios(91days)asafunctionofageoftest. ................ 8

Figure3.Compressivestrengthsratios(91days)asafunctionofcementsourceand

limestonepercentage........................................................................................................... 8

Figure4.Concretedryingshrinkageratios(91days)asafunctionoftesting

laboratory.............................................................................................................................. 9

Figure5.Concretedryingshrinkageratiosasafunctionofcementsourceandlimestone

percentage........................................................................................................................... 10

Figure6.Rapidchloridepermeabilityasafunctionofcementsourceandlimestone

percentage........................................................................................................................... 11

Figure7.Depictionofphantomlimestoneinintergroundportlandcements.ASTMC

150determinedlimestonecontentisplottedonthexaxisseeFigure5forthe

sameplotofactuallimestonecontentvs.dryingshrinkageofconcretes.................. 13

FigureA.1.28dayconcretedryingshrinkagevaluesasafunctionofcementsourceand

limestonepercentagefromASTMTestMethodC157................................................. 15

FigureA.2.4daymortardryingshrinkagevaluesasafunctionofcementsourceand

limestonepercentagefromCaliforniaTestMethodCT527. ....................................... 15


FigureA.3.Shrinkageratiosofmortarswithflyashasafunctionofcementsourceand

limestonepercentagefromCaliforniaTestMethodCT527. ....................................... 16

FigureA.4.Shrinkageratiosofmortarswithoutflyashasafunctionofcementsource

andlimestonepercentagefromCaliforniaTestMethodCT527. ............................... 16

FigureB.1.Water/cementitiousratiosasafunctionofcementsourceandlimestone

percentage........................................................................................................................... 17

FigureB.2.Flowratiosofmortarswithflyashasafunctionofcementsourceand

limestonepercentage......................................................................................................... 17

FigureB.3.Flowratiosofmortarswithoutflyashasafunctionofcementsourceand

limestonepercentage......................................................................................................... 18

FigureC.1.Modulusofelasticityratiosasafunctionofcementsourceandlimestone

percentage........................................................................................................................... 19

ListofTables

Table1.Targetdesigntestmatrix ............................................................................................. 2

Table2.Actualdesignmatrix .................................................................................................... 3

Table3.Limestonecontentdeterminations(averagevalues) ............................................... 4

TableD.1.Targetversusactualamountsoflimestone......................................................... 20

ii

UseofRawLimestoneinPortlandCement

InterimReport

January2008

Summary
InMay2004,ASTMadoptedrevisionstotheC150Standardthatallowsforupto
5percentrawlimestoneasaningredientinportlandcement.Caltranshasperformeda
literaturestudyanddeterminedthatnosufficientlylargescaletestprogramhasbeen
carriedouttoindicatewhethercementswithandwithoutrawlimestoneareinfact
statisticallyequivalenttooneanotherwithrespecttoperformanceanddurability.This
conclusionisespeciallytruewithrespecttothemedium tolongtermperformanceof
concretesusingtypicalCaliforniaTypeII/Vportlandcementswith25percentClassFfly
ashthestandardCaliforniamixdesignforpavementsandstructures.

InAugustof2007,Caltranslaunchedastatisticallydesignedstudytoevaluatetheeffect
ofrawlimestoneincorporatedintoportlandcementonconcreteperformanceindicators.
ThisstudyisbeingperformedwiththecooperationoftheboththeCaliforniaNevada
CementAssociation(CNCA)andthePortlandCementAssociation(PCA).In
accordancewiththedesiresofCNCAmembersandthePCA,onlyrawlimestonesthat
havebeenintergroundwithcementareincludedinthestudy,ratherthanseparately
groundandblendedinthelaboratory.Thestudyisdesignedtocoverthethreeprimary
pillarsofmedium tolongtermconcreteperformanceanddurability:strength,drying
shrinkage,andpermeability.Otherfactorsarealsoexamined,includingmodulusof
elasticity,workability(waterdemand),andactual(baselinecorrected)versusASTMC
150determinedlimestonecontent.

Atthistime,onlydataupto91daysinageareavailable.Theinterimresultsofthis
studyindicatethatwiththeadditionoflimestone:a)theshorttermcompressive
strengths(through91days)aremildlyimproved;b)permeability,asmeasuredby
electricalconductivity,isimproved;andc)dryingshrinkageisaffectednegatively.

Itisanticipatedthatthepotentiallydetrimentaleffectofincreaseddryingshrinkagecan
bemitigatedbyappropriateperformancebasedspecificationsorchangestodesign
practices.Forexample,aperformancebasedspecificationmightspecifyamaximumor
rangeofdryingshrinkagethatispermittedintrialbatchedconcretemixtures.Examples
ofmodifieddesignpracticesincludereducingslablengthsonpavementsandadjusting
forincreasedmomentsincolumnsofcastinplacestructures.

DesignMatrix
Table1showsthetargetdesigntestmatrix.Eachcellinthematrixrepresentsa
sufficientnumberofrepeatedlaboratoryteststoascertainstatisticallysignificant(p
value0.05)testparameterdifferencesof2percentormore,ineitherdirection,witha
probabilityof95%orbetter.OutofadozenorsoexistingCaliforniacementplants,it
wasanticipatedthatsixormorewouldbeabletoparticipateinthisstudy,withatleast
threeoftheseintergrindingaround4percentlimestoneandtheotherthreeproducing
cementscontainingroughly3,2,and1percentintergroundlimestonelevels.

Inordertoascertainwhetherthedesiredpropertiesareafunctionofthelevelofraw
limestoneinthecement,thethreeplantsproducingthecementswithabout4percent
intergroundrawlimestoneweretobedilutedwithlimestonefreeportlandcementfrom
thesameplant.Thisaimedtoachievethedesiredrangeoflimestonepercentagesshown
forcementsA,B,andCinTable1,whiletheremainingthreeplantsweretobetested
onlyattheiroptimal1percentageandwithoutanyintergroundrawlimestone.The
controlmixtureinallcaseswasthelimestonefreeportlandcementprovidedbythe
sameplants,usingthesameclinker.

Accordingly,eachplantwasaskedtoproducetwocements,onewithandonewithout
limestone,fromthesameclinker.Additionally,threeoftheparticipatingplantswere
askedtotargetthehighendofwhattheyconsideredwouldbetheiroperatingrangefor
limestonecontent.Naturally,itwasnotexpectedthatthetargetdesignmatrixwould
bepreciselyachievedintermsoftheintergroundlimestonepercentagesshowninTable
1.

Table1.Targetdesigntestmatrix
Cement
source
A
B
C

D
E
F

Limestonepercentage
1.5
2.5
3.5

4.5

Notes:
:targetlimestonepercentage
:optimumlimestonepercentage

Optimallimestonecontentistheamountoflimestonethataproducerofcementconsiderstobe
theproperamounttoincludeinthecementgivingconsiderationtoallaspectsofcement
productionandconformancewithspecificationrequirements.

Sinceonlyfivecementsourceswerefinallyabletoparticipateinthestudy,anewdesign
matrixwasestablishedusingthereportedlimestonepercentagesfromthesefiveplants
showninTable2.

Table2.Actualdesignmatrix
Cement
source
E
I
A

M
G

1.6

Limestonepercentage
2.2
2.85
3.5

4.2

Notes:
:targetlimestonepercentage
:optimumlimestonepercentage

Subsequenttestingwascarriedoutblindbythreeparticipatinglaboratories:Translab
(Caltrans)inSacramento,TwiningLabsofSouthernCaliforniainLongBeach,andCTL
Group,Inc,inSkokie,Illinois.Alltestingisbeingconductedinarandomandunknown
order,andallmixdesignswereidenticalforalltestedcements.Thediffering
identifyinglettersrepresentingthecementsourcesinTable2arearesultoftheblind
testingprogram.

TheadvantagesofthealtereddesignmatrixshowninTable2arethatagreaternumber
ofrepetitionscouldbeconductedwithineachcellinthematrixforthesamecostand
thatoneadditionallimestonepercentage(fivelimestonelevelsinsteadoftheoriginal
four)forcements,E,I,andAcouldbetested.Thedisadvantagesarethatonlyfive
cementssourcescouldbetestedandonlyoneofthesefivecementshasanactual
(baselinecorrected)limestonecontentgreaterthan~3percent(CementE).Thusthe
subsequentdataanalysesshowninthefollowingsectionsarenotwellrepresentedfor
rawlimestonecontentsgreaterthan3percent.Itisthereforedifficulttodrawgeneral
conclusionsaboutactualintergroundlimestonelevelsgreaterthan3percentbasedon
thisstudy.2Itisnoteworthythat,asapracticalmatter,notmanyplantscanaddmore
than3percentactual(raw)limestone.Thelimestonecontentsdeterminedinaccordance
withSpecificationASTMC150willalwaysbehigherthantheactualrawlimestone
contentbecausetheCO2inthebasecementisalsocountedaslimestone.SeeTable3for

Throughoutthisreport(exceptFigure7),dataarepresentedasafunctionofactual,raw
limestonecontentinthecementratherthanthevaluesdeterminedusingASTMspecification
procedureswhichcurrentlyincludethesocalledphantomlimestoneasshowninFigure7.


thedifferencesinthecementsusedinthisstudy.Alsorefertothediscussionbelow,
underthereportheadingSecondaryParameters.

Table3.Limestonecontentdeterminations(averagevalues)
Cement
source
A
E
G
I
M
Mean

Limestonecontent,percent
Apparentlimestone
Determinedlimestone
inbaselinecement
incementwithlimestone
(withoutlimestone)
(perASTMC150)
1.24
0.91
2.00
1.02
2.93
1.62

3.75
5.13
3.43
3.95
4.36
4.13

Actualraw
limestonecontent
(difference)
2.52
4.22
1.43
2.93
1.43
2.51

TheThreePillarsofConcreteDurability
Caltransisespeciallyconcernedaboutmedium tolongtermconcretepropertiesthat
canaffectthedurabilityandlongtermperformanceofconcreteintheStateof
California.Dryingshrinkageisanequallyimportantconcernatanyage.Accordingly,
sincethisisastudyoftheeffectofupto5percentrawlimestoneincementondurability
andlongevityinourpublicpavementsandstructures,allothermixdesignvariables
wereheldconstant.

ForCaltrans,thethreemajorpillarsofconcretedurabilityare:
1) Strengthlongtermcompressivestrength,alsorelatedtoflexuralstrengthand
designlife.
2) Shrinkagedryingshrinkage,relatedtoprematurecrackingandcrackwidth.
3) Permeabilitylongtermaccesstomoistureandchlorideingress,relatedtorebar
corrosionandprematurefailure.

Inordertoascertainwhethertheabovepropertiesareafunctionofthelevelofraw
limestone,thethreeplants(E,IandA)producingthehighestintergroundpercentages
oflimestoneweredilutedwithlimestonefreeportlandcement(fromthesameclinker).
ThisaimedtoachievethetestmatrixdesignpercentagesshowninTable2,whilethe
tworemainingplants(MandG)wereusedonlyattheirmanufacturedrawlimestone
levelandwithoutanylimestone,alsoasshowninTable2.


Strength
Caltranstraditionallyusesflexuralstrengthteststoascertainthestrengthofpavement
concreteand6in.12in.cylindersforstrengthofstructuralconcrete.Inordertomake
thetestprogramfeasibleusinglaboratorysizedconcretebatches,compressivestrength
testswereperformedusingthree4in.8in.cylinders,eachatavarietyoftestagesfrom
7daysto2years.ModulusofelasticitytestsusingASTMC469wererunonlyonselect
cylinderstoconfirmstiffnessproperties.

Todate,compressivestrengthtestinghasbeencompletedthrough91days,withthe6,
12 and24monthtestsstillremaining.
Shrinkage
Dryingshrinkageisbeingmeasuredbyvarioustestmethodsandmixtures,asfollows:
ConcreteunrestraineddryingshrinkageusingAASHTOT160on3in.3in.
11in.prismscuredat100percentrelativehumidity(RH)for7dayspriorto
initiationofdrying.
ConcreterestraineddryingshrinkageusingASTMC1581theRingTest.
MortardryingshrinkageusingCaliforniaTest527with25percentflyash.
MortardryingshrinkageusingCaliforniaTest527withoutflyash.

NearlyalldryingshrinkagetestsapartfromASTMC1581(theRingTest)havebeen
completedtodate.Meanwhile,veryfewRingTestshavebeencompleted.
Permeability
Permeabilityisbeingmeasuredbythetwofollowingtestmethods:
ChloridediffusionusingASTMC1556at1 and2yeartestages.
RapidchloridepenetrationusingASTMC1202at28dayand1yeartestages.

Specimensforthesetwotestswerecuredfor7daysat23C&100percentRHfollowed
by21days@38C&100percentRHpriortotestingorchlorideexposure.The1yearC
1202specimensarebeingstoredat23C&100percentRH.

All28dayrapidchloridetestshavebeencompleted.Meanwhile,the1yeartestsare
morethan6monthsaway,whilethepondingsamplesbynecessityallremainuntested.

TestMatrixVariables
Inanefforttolimitthenumberoftestvariables,thefollowingmixdesignproperties
wereheldconstant:
Identicalmixdesigns(samemixtureingredientsandproportions).
Constantslumpforconcretes;constantwater/cementitiousratioformortars.


Constantflyashtypeandpercentage(25percent),exceptonesetofmortars
(withnoflyash).

Theinputvariablesstudiedconsistof:
Limestonepercentage(arange).
Cementsource(five).
Testinglaboratory(three).

Theoutputvariablesstudiedconsistof:

Compressivestrength.
Concretedryingshrinkage(freeandrestrained).
Dryingshrinkageofmortars(withandwithoutlimestone).
Water/cementitiousratioofconcretes(ataconstantslump).
Flowofmortars(ataconstantwater/cementitiousratio).
Modulusofelasticity.
Chloridepermeability(bothpondingandrapid).

InterimTestResults
CompressiveStrength
Thecompressivestrengthsthrough91daysappeartobebetterformostofthecements
containingrawlimestonecomparedtothecontrolmixtures.Sincethelongtermtests
havenotbeencompleted,noconclusionscanyetbereachedonlongtermstrengths.

ThelaboratoryeffectonthecompressivestrengthtestresultsisdepictedinFigure1.
Largedatapointsindicatethattheratiobetweenthecementcontainingrawlimestone
andthelimestonefreecementarestatisticallydifferentfromunity.Inotherwords,the
averagestrengthratioofcementscontainingrawlimestoneisstrongerbyroughly5
percentthanthelimestonefreecementsat7,28,56and91daysoftesting.Furthermore,
thereisverylittledifferenceinthesetestresultsbetweenthethreetestinglabs.

Inallgraphsthatfollowinthisreport,anyratiogreaterthanunityindicatesthatcements
containingrawlimestonearesuperiortolimestonefreeportlandcementsforthevariable
indicatedineachgraph.Conversely,ratioslessthanunityindicatethatcementscontainingraw
limestoneareinferiortolimestonefreeportlandcements.

Ratio(Limestonecement/Control)

1.20
1.15
1.10
1.05

1.00
0.95
0.90
0.85
0.80
CTL

Translab

Twining

Laboratory

Figure1.Meancompressivestrengthsratios(91days)asafunctionoftesting
laboratory.

Figure2indicatesthatcementscontainingrawlimestonehavehighercompressive
strengthsatallfourtestagesthrough91days.Cementscontainingrawlimestoneare
morefinelygroundthantheirlimestonefreeportlandcementcounterparts,since
limestoneismuchsofterthanclinkerthusasomewhatfinerpowderwithabroader
sizerangeresultsfromthesamegrindingenergythanwhenlimestoneisnotpresent.
Thiscanassistinearlydevelopmentofstrengthsduetoimprovedparticlesize
distributionandpacking.

Figure3showstheaveragestrengthratiosforthefivecementsourcesplottedasa
functionoflimestonepercentage;alltestagesandthedatafromallthreelaboratoriesare
combined.Asshown,themediumtermcompressivestrengthsactuallyincreaseasa
functionoflimestonecontent.WhilecementMincreasesslightly,thedifference
betweenthecementMcontainingrawlimestoneandthelimestonefreeportlandcement
fromthatsourceisnotstatisticallysignificant,asindicatedbythesmallersizeofthe
datapoint.

Thispillarofconcretedurabilityandlongevityindicatesthatthereisnoproblemwith
theuseofupto5percentlimestone,forallfivecementsources,through91daysof
compressivestrengthtests.Nothingmorecanbeconcludedforlatertestingagesuntil
thethreeremainingages(6,12,and24months)havebeentested.

Ratio(Limestonecement/Control)

1.20
1.15
1.10
1.05

1.00
0.95
0.90
0.85
0.80
7

28

56

91

Age,days

Figure2.Compressivestrengthsratios(91days)asafunctionofageoftest.

Ratio(Limestonecement/Control)

1.20
1.15

Cementsource:

1.10
1.05
1.00
0.95
0.90
0.85
0.80
0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

Limestone,percent

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

Figure3.Compressivestrengthsratios(91days)asafunctionofcementsourceand
limestonepercentage.


Shrinkage
Concretedryingshrinkageratiosafter28daysofdryingaresignificantlybetterfroma
statisticalviewpointformostofthelimestonefreeportlandcementcontrolmixtures
comparedtotheirlimestonecementcounterparts.Allconcretedryingshrinkagetests
usingASTMC157prismshavebeencompleted.

ThelaboratoryeffectontheconcretedryingshrinkagetestresultsisshowninFigure4.
Ascanbeseen,theaverageshrinkageratiofromtwoofthethreelaboratoriesisnearly
thesame,whileoneofthelaboratoriesindicatesasmalldifference.Sinceonlyoneofthe
nineroundsofrepeatedtestingwasperformedbythelaboratorywiththisdifference,
alldatawascombinedforthefollowinganalyseswithlittleoveralleffectontheresults.

Ratio(Control/Limestonecement)

1.20
1.15
1.10
1.05
1.00
0.95
0.90
0.85
0.80
CTL

Translab

Twining

Laboratory

Figure4.Concretedryingshrinkageratios(91days)asafunctionoftesting
laboratory.

Figure5showstheaverageshrinkageratiosforthefivecementsourcesplottedasa
functionoflimestonepercentage;alltestagesandthedatafromallthreelaboratoriesare
combined.

Toreiterate,largedatapointsindicatethattheratiosarestatisticallysignificantwithapvalue
of<0.05.Thismeansthattheresultisnotlikelyduetorandomvariationsinthedata.

Ratio(Control/Limestonecement)

1.20
1.15
Cementsource:

1.10
1.05
1.00
0.95
0.90
0.85
0.80
0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

Limestone,percent

Figure5.Concretedryingshrinkageratiosasafunctionofcementsourceand
limestonepercentage.

Figure5indicatesquiteclearlythatforfourofthefivecementsources,whencementis
madecontainingrawlimestone,thesecementsperformedpoorerthanwhenlimestone
isleftout.Oneexceptionindicatestheoppositethatcement,fromsourceM,
performedbetterindryingshrinkagewhenrawlimestonewasintergroundwiththe
plainportlandcementclinker.

Itisnotknown,however,whetherthesestatisticallysignificantdifferencesinconcrete
dryingshrinkagearemeaningfulintermsoftheirabsolutevaluesofshrinkage.Agraph
oftheactualshrinkagevaluesfromthedatashowninFigure5ispresentedinAppendix
A.WhenreviewingthedryingshrinkagelevelsshowninAppendixA,however,it
shouldbekeptinmindthatonlyasinglemixdesignwasinvolvedinthistestprogram.
Othermixdesignsand/orcementswillproducedifferingresults.Ifdryingshrinkageis
anissueforaparticularapplication,concreteshrinkageshouldbemeasuredthrough
trialbatchesusingtheactualmixdesign,cement,andothermaterialsourcesintended
foruseintheproject.

AnewerASTMtestmethod,calledtheRingTest(ASTMC1581),iscurrently
underway.However,insufficientdatahasbeengeneratedtoreportontheRingTest
resultsatthistime.TheRingTestisaconstraineddryingshrinkagetestconductedin
suchamannersothatcrackingduetoshrinkageisinducedwheneverthemixtures
tensilestrengthisexceededbytheshrinkageoftheconcretearoundastiff,steelring.

10


Boththerateofstressdevelopmentandthetimetocrackingaremeasuredandrecorded
bythistestmethod.

Thetestresultsresultingfromdryingshrinkageofmortarsmadewithandwithout
limestoneadditionsarealsoreportedinAppendixA,aswellastheactualshrinkage
valuesof4daymortarswithoutflyash.
Permeability

Ratio(Control/Limestonecement)

Planned,longtermpermeabilitytestsarebynecessityincomplete.OnlyASTMC1202
(StandardTestMethodforElectricalIndicationofConcretesAbilitytoResistChloride
IonPenetration)atatestingageof28dayshasbeencompleted,byoneofthethree
testinglaboratoriesinvolvedinthisstudy.Figure6showstheresultsofthesetests,
whichindicatethatcementscontainingrawlimestonearelessconductivethan
limestonefreecements.Theimplicationisthattheconcretewillbemoreresistantto
chloridepenetrationanddamagetotherebarusedinconcrete.Alloftheconcretes
madeinthisstudyhavepermeabilityratingsaccordingtotestmethodASTMC1202of
lowandverylow;thisisexpectedfromconcretecontaining25percentClassFfly
ash.Evidently,basedonthedatashowninFigure6,resistanceincreaseswithincreasing
limestonecontent.Itisnotknownifthesechangesinresistanceareduetodecreased
permeabilityortochangesinporewaterionconcentration.Diffusioncoefficienttesting
usingASTMC1556thePondingTestwilldirectlymeasuretheabilityofchloride
ionstopenetratetheconcrete,whichistheissueofconcerncurrentlyunderevaluation.
DiffusioncoefficienttestingwillbecompletedbeforeDecember2009,withtheearliest
testresultsavailableinDecember2008.

1.8
1.7
1.6
1.5
1.4
1.3
1.2
1.1
1.0
0.9

Cementsource:

0.8
0.0

0.5

1.0

A
1.5

2.0
2.5
3.0
Limestone,percent

M
3.5

4.0

4.5

Figure6.Rapidchloridepermeabilityasafunctionofcementsourceandlimestone
percentage.

11

SecondaryParameters
Secondaryparametersevaluatedincludemodulusofelasticity(MOE),workability
(waterdemand),aswellasactualversusASTMC150determinedlimestonecontent.

Thewaterdemandtoachieveacertainslumprangeforconcreteandtheflowofmortars
whenthewater/cementitiousratioisfixedindicatednostatisticallysignificant
differencesbetweenlimestonefreeportlandcementsandcementscontainingraw
limestone.AppendixBprovidesthenecessarydetailonthisaspectoftheblindtesting
program.

NostatisticallysignificantdifferenceswerenotedfromtheMOEtestsconducted
betweenthelimestonefreeportlandcementsandcementscontainingrawlimestone
tested.AppendixCprovidesthenecessarydetailofthelimitedMOEtestsconducted.

Aspreviouslystated,theASTMC150valuesforlimestonecontentarebasedonthetotal
CO2contentofthecement,withtheassumptionthatallCO2inthecementisduetothe
presenceoflimestone.Aswasconfirmedinthisstudy,baselinecementswithout
limestonecontainmeasurableamountsofCO2.TheASTMstandardincludesthisso
calledbaselineCO2aspartoftheapparentlimestoneincementswithlimestone3.

Thedifferencesbetweenthetwo(baselinecorrectedlimestoneandapparentlimestone)
aresignificant.Testssplitlossofignition(SLOI)wererunoncementsamplesthat
hadbeenhomogenized,blended,sampled,andshipped.Processing,handling,and
shippingexposecementstoCO2intheair,someofwhichreactswiththecement
whetheritcontainslimestoneornot.ASTMC114teststhatdeterminetheCO2content
ofportlandcementmeasuresallCO2inthecement,whichisthenusedincalculations
providedinASTMC150todeterminethelimestonecontentasappliedinthe
specification.Figure7showstheimpactofthebaselineCO2onthecalculatedlimestone
content,asitappearsasphantomlimestonewhentheCO2contentisconvertedto
apparentlimestonecontent.

AppendixDcontainsanadditionaltableshowingthedifferencesnotedbetweenthe
actualandtargetedlimestonecontentsofthefivecementsusedinthisstudy.Ascanbe
seen,thedifferencebetweentheselimestonepercentagescanbeashighas0.5percent.
Additionally,thelimestonecontentdeterminedusingtheSLOItestmethodwasatleast
0.9percentgreaterthantheactuallimestonecontentshowninTable3.

SourcesofbaselineCO2inportlandcementsincludetheCO2absorbedfromtheatmosphere
duringstorageofclinkerortransportationofcementaswellasfromimpuritiesinthegypsum
addedtocontrolsettingtime.

12

Ratio(Control/Limestonecement)

1.20
1.15
Cementsource:

1.10

1.05
1.00

PhantomLimestone

0.95
0.90
0.85
0.80
0.0

1.0

2.0
3.0
Limestone,percent

4.0

5.0

Figure7.Depictionofphantomlimestoneinintergroundportlandcements.
ASTMC150determinedlimestonecontentisplottedonthexaxisseeFigure5for
thesameplotofactuallimestonecontentvs.dryingshrinkageofconcretes.

InterimConclusions
Astatisticallyvalid,blindtestingprogramwaslaunchedbytheCaliforniaDepartment
ofTransportation(Caltrans)inAugustof2007todeterminetheeffectofintergrinding
rawlimestoneintoportlandcementsascurrentlyallowedbytheASTMC150portland
cementstandard.OnlyCaliforniasTypeII/Vcementswereusedinthisstudy.Atotal
offivecementswereidentifiedandblendedwith25percentflyashinordertoisolate
theeffectofrawlimestoneonthedurabilityandlongtermperformanceofconcretes
usedbytheStateofCaliforniainstructuresandpavements.Threepillarsofconcrete
durabilityandperformancewereidentifiedandinvestigated:strength,shrinkage,and
permeability.

PortlandcementcontainingrawlimestoneconformingtoASTMC150performsbetter
thanthecomparablelimestonefreecementfromthesamesourceincompressive
strength,upto91daysage,andinelectricalconductivityusingarapidchloride
penetrationtestmethod.

Concretedryingshrinkageincreaseswhenrawlimestoneisincludedinthecement.The
practicalimpacts,however,areminorandcanbeaddressedbyotherengineering

13


measures.Caltrans,aswellasotheragencies,hasusedlimitsonconcretedrying
shrinkageincaseswhereitwasbelievedtobeimportant.Itmaybeappropriateto
considerdryingshrinkageasakeyparameterinaperformancebasedspecificationin
lieuoflimitinglimestonecontentatadifferentlevelthanthosecurrentlyallowedunder
theASTMC150standardspecification.

Restraineddryingshrinkagetestshavenotyetbeencompleted.Therestraineddrying
shrinkagetestresultsmayshedmorelightonamixturespropensitytoprematurely
crackduetodryingshrinkage.However,insufficientdataexistatthistimetoreporton
theresultsoftherestraineddryingshrinkagetests.

14

AppendixADryingShrinkageofConcreteandMortars
600
Dryingshrinkage,microstrain

Cementsource:

550
500

Current A23.1-04 Canadian

StandardSpecificationLimit

450
400
350
300
0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

Limestone,percent

FigureA.1.28dayconcretedryingshrinkagevaluesasafunctionofcementsource
andlimestonepercentagefromASTMTestMethodC157.

600
Dryingshrinkage,microstrain

Cementsource:

550
500
CurrentCaltransCement
SpecificationLimitFor
MortarsWithoutFlyAsh

450
400
350
300
0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

Limestone,percent

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

FigureA.2.4daymortardryingshrinkagevaluesasafunctionofcementsourceand
limestonepercentagefromCaliforniaTestMethodCT527.

15

Ratio(Control/Limestonecement)

1.20
1.15
Cementsource:

1.10

1.05
1.00
0.95
0.90
0.85
0.80
0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

Limestone,percent

FigureA.3.Shrinkageratiosofmortarswithflyashasafunctionofcementsource
andlimestonepercentagefromCaliforniaTestMethodCT527.

Ratio(Control/Limestonecement)

1.20
1.15
Cementsource:

1.10

1.05
1.00
0.95
0.90
0.85
0.80
0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

Limestone,percent

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

FigureA.4.Shrinkageratiosofmortarswithoutflyashasafunctionofcementsource
andlimestonepercentagefromCaliforniaTestMethodCT527.

16

AppendixBWater/CementitiousRatioandFlow

Ratio(Control/Limestonecement)

1.20
1.15
A

Cementsource:

1.10

1.05
1.00
0.95
0.90
0.85
0.80
0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

Limestone,percent

FigureB.1.Water/cementitiousratiosasafunctionofcementsourceandlimestone
percentage.

Ratio(Limestonecement/Control)

1.20
1.15
A

Cementtype:

1.10

1.05
1.00
0.95
0.90
0.85
0.80
0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0
2.5
3.0
Limestone,percent

3.5

4.0

4.5

FigureB.2.Flowratiosofmortarswithflyashasafunctionofcementsourceand
limestonepercentage.

17

Ratio(Limestonecement/Control)

1.20
1.15
A

Cementsource:

1.10

1.05
1.00
0.95
0.90
0.85
0.80
0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

Limestone,percent

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

FigureB.3.Flowratiosofmortarswithoutflyashasafunctionofcementsourceand
limestonepercentage.

18

AppendixCModulusofElasticity

Ratio(Control/Limestonecement)

1.20
1.15
A

Cementsource:

1.10

1.05
1.00
0.95
0.90
0.85
0.80
0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

Limestone,percent

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

FigureC.1.Modulusofelasticityratiosasafunctionofcementsourceandlimestone
percentage.

19

AppendixDMeasuredLimestoneContents
TableD.1.Targetversusactualamountsoflimestone

Cement
type

Targetlimestone, Actuallimestone,
percent
percent
1.60

1.70

0.10

2.20

2.20

0.00

2.85

2.42

0.43

1.60

1.57

0.03

2.20

2.53

0.33

2.85

3.18

0.33

3.50

3.88

0.38

4.20

4.20

0.00

1.60

1.83

0.23

2.20

2.28

0.08

2.85

2.90

0.05

1.35

1.46

0.11

2.80

1.25

1.55

Limestonedifference
(target actual),percent

20