Effects of Portland Limestone Cement on Expansion Due to Alkali-Aggregate Reactions

The chapter delves into the effects of Portland Limestone Cement (PLC) on expansion due to alkali-aggregate reactions, focusing on alkali-silica reaction (ASR) and alkali-carbonate reaction (ACR). It begins by introducing the mechanisms of ASR and ACR, highlighting the damaging expansion caused by these reactions. The study then investigates the use of supplementary cementing materials (SCMs) to mitigate expansion, with a particular focus on PLC. The chapter presents a detailed analysis of the expansion of mortar bars using different reactive aggregates and cement sources, comparing the performance of PLC with general-use Portland cement. The results show that the type of cement has little impact on expansion, with both PLC and general-use cement exhibiting similar expansion values. The study also highlights the limitations of the accelerated mortar bar test (AMBT) in evaluating alkali-carbonate reactive aggregates. Overall, the chapter provides valuable insights into the behavior of PLC in mitigating expansion due to alkali-aggregate reactions, contributing to the understanding of concrete durability.