Sulfate Attack Resistance and Microstructural Evolution of Fly Ash and GGBS Modified High-Belite Calcium Sulfoaluminate Cement Composites

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-740-8_9How to use a DOI?

Keywords

high-belite calcium sulphoaluminate cement; sulfate attack; compressive strength

Abstract

The current approach of using ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and gypsum to enhance the sulfate attack resistance of high-belite calcium sulfoaluminate cement (HBCSA)-based materials remains inadequate, thereby limiting the application potential of this composite system in aggressive environments. To address this limitation, this study introduced supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) into the HBCSA-OPC-DG ternary system. The performance evolution and microstructural degradation mechanisms of the resulting composites were systematically investigated under full immersion conditions in sulfate solutions, with different incorporation levels of fly ash (FA), ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS), and their combinations. The results indicated that the FS10 group demonstrated superior sulfate attack resistance. At 240 d of corrosion, the compressive strength reached 58.1 MPa. During sulfate attack, the compound addition (FS) effectively consumed large amounts of Ca(OH)₂ within the specimens, thereby reducing gypsum formation through reaction between SO₄²⁻ and Ca(OH)₂. Furthermore, SO₄²⁻ and Ca(OH)₂ synergistically activated the Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ in FA and GGBS, promoting the formation of hydration gels and ettringite (AFt). These hydration products refined the pore structure and reduced SO₄²⁻ permeability, thereby significantly enhancing the sulfate attack resistance of the HBCSA-OPC-DG system. This study provides a basis for optimizing multifunctional cementitious systems to improve sulfate resistance, contributing to the development of sustainable cementitious materials for harsh environments.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Meng Gao
AU  - Yanzhe Guo
AU  - Mengge Xu
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/14
TI  - Sulfate Attack Resistance and Microstructural Evolution of Fly Ash and GGBS Modified High-Belite Calcium Sulfoaluminate Cement Composites
BT  - Proceedings of the 2026 9th International Symposium on Traffic Transportation and Civil Architecture (ISTTCA 2026)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 96
EP  - 105
SN  - 2589-4943
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-740-8_9
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-740-8_9
ID  - Gao2026
ER  -