Construction and Building Materials 35 (2012) 97–100

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Construction and Building Materials

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The effect of high temperature on the compressive strength of mortars

Sß emsi Yazıcı ⇑, Gözde Inan
_ Sezer, Hakan Sß engül
_
Civil Engineering Department, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: In this study, the effect of elevated temperature on the compressive strength of mortars containing fly
Received 15 July 2008 ash, silica fume and pumice was investigated. Thirteen mortar mixtures were produced by replacing
Received in revised form 6 February 2012 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% of cement with a fly ash, silica fume and pumice. Totally, 3900 cube
Accepted 25 February 2012
(50  50  50 mm) mortar specimens were prepared from these mortar mixtures and cured at 7, 28
Available online 12 April 2012
and 90 days. After standard curing period, specimens were dried in a room temperature for 7 days and
then exposed to temperature of 20, 150, 300, 450, 600 and 750 °C for 1 h in ceramic furnace. Afterwards,
Keywords:
the compressive strengths of the specimens were determined. It was concluded that, compressive
Elevated temperature
Fly ash
strengths of mortars containing pozzolan were less affected high temperature than that of control
Silica fume mortars.
Pumice Ó 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Compressive strength

1. Introduction Thermal cracks can be developed during postcooling. This can

Subjecting concrete to high temperature leads to loss in com-
pressive strength, cracking and spalling of concrete. It causes
reduction of the bond between the cement paste and the aggre-
gates and progressive breakdown of cement gel structure and con-
sequent loss in its load-bearing capacity, reduced durability, and
increased tendency of drying shrinkage, structural cracking [1,2].
Deterioration of concrete which was exposed to elevated
temperatures may be affected from several mechanical and envi-
ronmental factors: humidity, rate of heating, temperature level,
heating time, cooling method after heating, applied load, type of
aggregate, type of mineral admixture and inclusion levels [3–5].
Thus, concrete is a poor conductor, when it is rapidly heated, a
thermal gradient develops between the outer and inner layers of
concrete and consequently cause cracking. High internal steam
pressure may built up when it is exposed to high temperatures
and this steam pressure may also cause cracking [3,6,7]. The pore
pressure induces tensile stresses which generally exceeds the ten-
sile strength of the concrete. Thus, it results in dramatic cracking of
concrete [6,7]. Thermal microcracks can be induced by hydrated
cement paste, especially around the calcium hydroxide crystals
and then they progress. Concrete damage is limited by localized
boundary cracking between aggregates and cement paste up to
300 °C. Beyond this temperature level, cracking is markedly
increased [3,6].
⇑ Corresponding author. Tel.: +90 232 3886026; fax: +90 232 3425629.
E-mail address: semsiyazici@gmail.com (S
ß . Yazıcı).
be attributed to the rehydration of calcium oxide and resulting
volume increase. Use of pozzolanic materials such as fly ash can
help to reduce cracking due to post cooling because pozzolanic
materials consume calcium hydroxide in cement paste by pozzola-
nic reaction between calcium hydroxide in hydrated cement and
reactive SiO2 in mineral admixtures [3,6]. Besides, additional
tobermorite gel occurred as a result of this reaction. This gel is
two or three times powerful than the calcium silicate hydrates.
Because of this formation, pozzolanic concretes are less affected
to high temperature [8,9].
Although silica fume is also a pozzolanic material, performance
of heated concrete including silica fume is poor especially above
10% replacement level and above 350 °C temperature level. It is
known that silica fume increases the density of matrix and internal
steam pressure at elevated temperature. So silica fume concretes
rapidly lose their strength, where a more cracked and fragmented
structure occurs at elevated temperatures [9,10].
In this study, the effect of elevated temperature on the com-
pressive strength of mortars containing fly ash, silica fume and
pumice were investigated. Obtained test results were compara-
tively evaluated with control mortars.
2. Experimental study
In this study, an ordinary portland cement (PC), a fly ash (FA), a silica fume (SF)
and a pumice (P) with specific gravity of 3.10, 2.45, 2.24 and 2.45 were used as a
cementitious materials, respectively. The chemical composition of PC, FA, SF and
P are given in Table 1. P was grounded to a Blaine of 3500 cm2/g. Thirteen mortars
produced by replacing 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% of cement with a fly ash, silica
fume and pumice. The description of the mortar mixtures are summarized in
Table 2.

0950-0618/$ - see front matter Ó 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2012.02.082
98 Sß. Yazıcı et al. / Construction and Building Materials 35 (2012) 97–100

Table 1 strength loss increased from 26% to 65% at 7 days, from 18% to
Chemical compositions of cements and mineral admixtures. 69% at 28 days and from 15% to 66% at 90 days. In general, pumice
(%) PC FA SF P mortars have a lowest compressive strength values whereas silica
SiO2 18.59 40.89 90.26 63.79 fume mortars have a highest compressive strength values at all
Al2O3 4.75 23.14 0.63 13.44 temperature levels.
Fe2O3 3.41 4.61 0.33 4.66 Analyzing the results in Table 3, compressive strength losses of
CaO 63.59 22.49 3.18 2.24 specimens containing fly ash cured at 150 °C for 7, 28 and 90 days
MgO 1.11 1.57 0.33 2.57
Na2O 0.49 0.52 0.59 4.52
were calculated between 7–18%, 8–18% and 5–14%, respectively.
K2O 0.77 0.97 2.27 3.97 The losses for specimens cured at 750 °C for 7, 28 and 90 days were
Loss of ignition 3.03 1.72 4.4 2.72 determined between 49–59%, 47–58% and 50–59%, respectively.
SO3 3.39 2.33 – 0.33 As shown in Table 4, compressive strength losses of mortar
Insoluble residue 0.40 – – –
specimens containing silica fume ranged between 8–36%, 11–34%
Free CaO 1.56 3.53 – –
and 6–15% for specimens cured at 150 °C for 7, 28 and 90 days,
respectively. These losses were determined as 59–74%, 59–74%
and 58–75% for specimens cured at 750 °C for 7, 28 and 90 days
Table 2 curing periods, respectively.
Description of mortar mixtures.
As shown in Table 5, maximum compressive strength losses for
Mixture code (%) specimens containing pumice were on the order of 6% and 61% for
PC FA SF P 7 days cured specimen at 150 °C and 750 °C temperatures, respec-
CM 100 0 0 0
tively. Compressive strength loss values of 28 day cured pumice
M5FA 95 5 0 0 specimens were experience as 6% and 61% at 150 and 750 °C,
M10FA 90 10 0 0 whereas these values were 3% and 64% for 90 days curing period.
M15FA 85 15 0 0 Consequently, compressive strength losses of pozzolanic mor-
M20FA 80 20 0 0
tars were increased with increasing temperature level. On the
M5SF 95 0 5 0
M10SF 90 0 10 0 other hand, compressive strength losses of mortars containing poz-
M15SF 85 0 15 0 zolan under high temperature were not significantly change with
M20SF 80 0 20 0 remaining curing time.
M5P 95 0 0 5 In addition, performances of the admixtures from compressive
M10P 90 0 0 10
M15P 85 0 0 15
strength level point of view are summarized in Table 6. As shown
M20P 80 0 0 20 in Table 6, performance of P mortars were higher than the other
mortars at 150 °C temperature level at all curing days. It is attrib-
uted to the different surface texture and interior pore structure
Totally 3900 mortar mixtures (50  50  50 mm) were prepared according to
corresponds to the SF and FA. P particles are more porous and have
ASTM C109 standard for uniaxial compressive strength test. After removal from more rough surface texture. These pores in P mortars create a path-
the molds, they were cured in water at 20 ± 2 °C for 7, 28 and 90 days, and then way for reduction of pore pressure occurring as a result of thermal
dried in a room temperature for 7 days. The specimens were exposed to five tem- effect after exposed to high temperature. Hence, matrix structures
perature conditions (150, 300, 450, 600 and 750 °C) in a ceramic furnace. The spec-
of P mortars are less decomposed and compressive strength reduc-
imens were exposed to heating–cooling period during about 1 day. Heating–cooling
regime of tested mortar specimens was shown in Fig. 1. The uniaxial compressive tions are lower.
strength test was performed on heated and unheated specimens according to ASTM With some exceptions, performance of SF mortars were higher
C109. than the other mortars at 300, 450 and 600 °C temperature levels
at all curing days. When temperature was elevated to 300, 450
3. Results and discussion and 600 °C as well as above 5% utilization, P was lost its effect as
mentioned above. Therefore strength of P grains are low, matrix
The compressive strength at elevated temperatures (fcht), com- structures of P mortars are weaker than SF and FA mortars. Conse-
pressive strength at unheated condition (fc) and relative compres- quently, P mortars do not compensate the pore pressure occurring
sive strength (RCS) values of FA, SF and P mortars are shown in as a result of thermal effect after exposed to high temperature.
Tables 3–5, respectively. The RCS is expressed as the fcht/fc ratio. Therefore, matrix structures of SF mortars are stronger; their usage
As it was shown in Tables 3–5, compressive strength loss was gets advantage up to 600 °C. However this advantage was return
occurred in control mortars which not contain any mineral admix- disadvantage upon 600 °C. SF mortars have strong matrix structure
tures. These strength losses increased with increasing temperature and less porous, so result of this increase in pore pressure and
level. As applied temperature increased from 150 to 750 °C, higher compressive strength reductions. Excessive increase in pore
pressure was not compensating the strong matrix structure. So, FA
mortars were get advantage upon 600 °C due to the having rela-
Temperature tively more porous structure than SF mortars.

1 hour
Peak Heating rate=5°C/min
temperature
4. Conclusions

It is concluded that, compressive strengths of mortars contain-

ing pozzolan were less affected by high temperature, in compari-
20°C Time son with control mortars. In general, pumice mortars have a
Heating Treatment Cooling lowest compressive strength values whereas silica fume mortars
duration duration duration have a highest compressive strength values at all temperature
∼ 24 hour
levels.
Consequently, compressive strength losses of pozzolanic mor-
Fig. 1. Heating regime of tested mortar specimens. tars were increased with increasing temperature level. On the
 Sß. Yazıcı et al. / Construction and Building Materials 35 (2012) 97–100 99

Table 3
Compressive strengths of FA mortars.

Mixture code FA (%) 7 days 28 days 90 days

* * *
fcht (MPa) fc (MPa) RCS (%) fcht (MPa) fc* (MPa) RCS (%) fcht *
(MPa) fc* (MPa) RCS (%)
150 °C
CM 0 24.5 33.2 74 37.3 45.3 82 39.9 47.2 85
M5FA 5 20.7 25.1 82 38.1 46.2 82 42.9 48.6 88
M10FA 10 22.5 24.1 93 43.1 46.8 92 46.7 49.2 95
M15FA 15 22.5 26.8 84 36.7 44.2 83 35.1 40.8 86
M20FA 20 20.9 25.2 83 33.7 38.7 87 36.4 41.8 87
300 °C
CM 0 23.8 33.5 71 36.0 45.8 79 36.4 46.9 78
M5FA 5 23.7 24.2 98 41.6 46.0 90 44.0 48.2 91
M10FA 10 19.3 26.1 74 33.9 46.5 73 36.3 49.1 74
M15FA 15 25.0 26.3 95 36.5 42.0 87 43.9 45.3 97
M20FA 20 24.7 25.7 96 35.0 41.2 85 40.8 42.9 95
450 °C
CM 0 19.9 32.1 62 31.7 45.3 70 34.1 47.6 72
M5FA 5 14.0 26.8 52 22.3 47.5 47 36.6 47.9 76
M10FA 10 14.6 26.1 56 25.1 46.5 54 27.1 49.2 55
M15FA 15 18.9 25.9 73 30.9 44.2 70 29.9 44.6 67
M20FA 20 15.2 25.3 60 27.1 40.5 67 26.8 41.8 64
600 °C
CM 0 17.0 35.4 48 21.2 45.0 47 22.6 46.2 49
M5FA 5 17.2 28.1 61 27.1 45.2 60 30.4 48.5 63
M10FA 10 16.6 25.6 65 30.5 46.9 65 29.8 47.3 63
M15FA 15 15.2 26.7 57 26.2 46.0 57 23.8 44.9 53
M20FA 20 15.4 25.2 61 24.9 40.8 61 24.1 41.6 58
750 °C
CM 0 12.0 34.3 35 13.9 44.8 31 15.8 46.5 34
M5FA 5 10.9 26.7 41 18.7 44.6 42 21.6 49.1 44
M10FA 10 12.9 25.2 51 25.0 47.2 53 23.8 47.6 50
M15FA 15 12.5 28.5 44 20.3 45.1 45 19.1 43.5 44
M20FA 20 10.5 24.9 42 16.5 39.3 42 17.3 42.2 41
*
Each value is the average of ten specimens.

Table 4
Compressive strengths of SF mortars.

Mixture code SF (%) 7 days 28 days 90 days

fcht* (MPa) fc* (MPa) RCS (%) fcht* (MPa) fc* (MPa) RCS (%) fcht* (MPa) fc* (MPa) RCS (%)
150 °C
CM 0 24.5 33.2 74 37.3 45.3 82 39.9 47.2 85
M5SF 5 23.3 30.3 77 39.8 45.8 87 43.8 49.2 89
M10SF 10 28.7 31.2 92 42.9 48.2 89 51.0 54.3 94
M15SF 15 25.8 31.8 81 39.5 48.8 81 49.4 58.1 85
M20SF 20 21.2 33.2 64 31.4 47.6 66 48.3 56.2 86
300 °C
CM 0 23.8 33.5 71 36.0 45.8 79 36.4 46.9 78
M5SF 5 35.0 31.8 110 51.3 46.6 110 52.9 48.5 109
M10SF 10 33.7 30.6 110 50.2 49.2 102 61.2 57.2 107
M15SF 15 33.8 32.8 103 47.7 48.7 98 62.0 55.4 112
M20SF 20 38.4 33.4 115 59.3 49.8 119 65.6 55.6 118
450 °C
CM 0 19.9 32.1 62 31.7 45.3 70 34.1 47.6 72
M5SF 5 20.1 31.9 63 28.5 46.8 61 32.4 47.0 69
M10SF 10 25.4 33.0 77 33.5 47.9 70 38.7 53.8 72
M15SF 15 30.0 34.1 88 38.3 48.5 79 43.5 57.2 76
M20SF 20 34.8 33.8 103 43.6 47.9 91 56.7 55.0 103
600 °C
CM 0 17.0 35.4 48 21.2 45.0 47 22.6 46.2 49
M5SF 5 22.4 32.5 69 33.3 47.5 70 38.7 55.3 70
M10SF 10 21.4 32.0 67 33.0 49.2 67 38.3 58.1 66
M15SF 15 21.9 34.2 64 31.1 48.6 64 35.3 57.0 62
M20SF 20 22.8 35.1 65 32.3 48.2 67 36.6 55.4 66
750 °C
CM 0 12.0 34.3 35 13.9 44.8 31 15.8 46.5 34
M5SF 5 12.3 30.1 41 19.4 47.3 41 22.6 53.8 42
M10SF 10 10.3 34.2 30 13.9 47.9 29 16.6 57.1 29
M15SF 15 8.8 33.8 26 12.9 49.6 26 14.8 56.8 26
M20SF 20 9.4 34.8 27 13.3 49.1 27 13.8 55.1 25
*
Each value is the average of ten specimens.
100 Sß. Yazıcı et al. / Construction and Building Materials 35 (2012) 97–100

Table 5
Compressive strengths of P mortars.

Mixture code P (%) 7 days 28 days 90 days

* * *
fcht (MPa) fc (MPa) RCS (%) fcht (MPa) fc* (MPa) RCS (%) fcht *
(MPa) fc* (MPa) RCS (%)
150 °C
CM 0 24.5 33.2 74 37.3 45.3 82 39.9 47.2 85
M5P 5 26.6 25.1 106 39.6 37.0 107 33.2 34.2 97
M10P 10 20.7 22.0 94 34.0 36.2 94 30.7 31.3 98
M15P 15 24.0 21.8 110 32.7 31.4 104 36.0 32.7 110
M20P 20 19.6 20.2 97 27.6 29.0 95 28.3 29.2 97
300 °C
CM 0 23.8 33.5 71 36 45.8 79 36.4 46.9 78
M5P 5 21.8 25.7 85 31.9 35.8 89 28.8 33.9 85
M10P 10 14.1 22.4 63 19.7 31.2 63 22.5 35.1 64
M15P 15 17.9 22.9 78 24.0 30.8 78 24.6 31.6 78
M20P 20 16.5 19.9 83 24.8 30.6 81 24.1 28.3 85
450 °C
CM 0 19.9 32.1 62 31.7 45.3 70 34.1 47.6 72
M5P 5 18.3 25.8 71 25.8 34.9 74 29.7 35.8 83
M10P 10 12.8 23.3 55 20.4 35.2 58 17.7 30.6 58
M15P 15 15.5 22.4 69 20.8 31.0 67 23.1 31.6 73
M20P 20 12.9 19.3 67 20.2 29.3 69 19.8 30.5 65
600 °C
CM 0 17.0 35.4 48 21.2 45 47 22.6 46.2 49
M5P 5 13.9 26.2 53 17.7 34.0 52 25.8 36.4 71
M10P 10 13.6 22.0 62 20.7 33.4 62 17.7 32.1 55
M15P 15 12.0 23.5 51 14.9 29.3 51 18.5 32.6 57
M20P 20 10.5 19.0 55 15.6 28.3 55 15.5 28.7 64
750 °C
CM 0 12.0 34.3 35 13.9 44.8 31 15.8 46.5 34
M5P 5 12.0 26.7 45 14.9 33.2 45 17.0 36.1 47
M10P 10 8.5 21.9 39 12.7 31.8 40 14.3 34.8 41
M15P 15 9.7 23.0 42 11.2 28.8 39 14.2 33.0 43
M20P 20 7.6 19.6 39 11.2 28.1 40 11.2 31.2 36
*
Each value is the average of ten specimens.

Table 6 600 °C, compressive strength losses of fly ash mortars were lower
Performances of admixtures at different inclusion levels, temperature and curing than the other pozzolanic mortars due to effect of high tempera-
days.
ture. As a result of this study, it is concluded that the partial usage
Curing period Admixture inclusion Temperature (°C) of pumice, silica fume and fly ash in cement mortars were useful
(days) (%) with respect to the 7, 28 and 90 days compressive strength losses
150 300 450 600 750
exposed to temperature of 150, 300–600, and 750 °C, respectively.
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