Chemical shrinkage behavior of pastes made with different types of cements

The chemical shrinkage of pastes made with five different types of cement (Types I, I/II, II, IV, and IP) and a water-to-cementitious material ratio of 0.40 was tested according to ASTM C 1608. The results were compared with the chemical shrinkage estimated from using the molecular weight and densities of the cement compound. It was found that the chemical shrinkage of the pastes increased with the C3A + C4AF content and equivalent alkali content. The chemical shrinkage predicted from the molecular weight and densities of the cement compound was consistent with experimental results.

► Investigated chemical shrinkage behavior of commonly-used modern cements. ► Reevaluated the influence of the cement compositions on chemical shrinkage. ► Assessed the applicability of existing models for prediction of chemical shrinkage of pastes at early and later ages.