Fly ash is a byproduct from burning pulverized coal in electric power generating plants. During combustion, mineral impurities in the coal (clay, feldspar, quartz, and shale) fuse in suspension and float out of the combustion chamber with the exhaust gases. As the fused material rises, it cools and solidifies into spherical glassy particles called fly ash. Fly ash is collected from the exhaust gases by electrostatic precipitators or bag filters. The fine powder does resemble portland cement but it is chemically different. Fly ash chemically reacts with the byproduct calcium hydroxide released by the chemical reaction between cement and water to form additional cementitious products that improve many desirable properties of concrete. All fly ashes exhibit cementitious properties to varying degrees depending on the chemical and physical properties of both the fly ash and cement. Compared to cement and water, the chemical reaction between fly ash and calcium hydroxide typically is slower resulting in delayed hardening of the concrete. Delayed concrete hardening coupled with the variability of fly ash properties can create significant challenges for the concrete producer and finisher when placing steel-troweled floors.
Two types of fly ash are commonly used in concrete: Class C and Class F. Class C are often high-calcium fly ashes with carbon content less than 2%; whereas, Class F are generally low-calcium fly ashes with carbon contents less than 5% but sometimes as high as 10%. In general, Class C ashes are produced from burning sub-bituminous or lignite coals and Class F ashes bituminous or anthracite coals. Performance properties between Class C and F ashes vary depending on the chemical and physical properties of the ash and how the ash interacts with cement in the concrete. Many Class C ashes when exposed to water will react and become hard just like cement, but not Class F ashes. Most, if not all, Class F ashes will only react with the byproducts formed when cement reacts with water. Class C and F fly ashes were used in this research project.
Currently, more than 50% of the concrete placed in the U.S. contains fly ash. Dosage rates vary depending on the type of fly ash and its reactivity level. Typically, Class F fly ash is used at dosages of 15% to 25% by mass of cementitious material and Class C fly ash at 15% to 40%. However, fly ash has not been used in interior, steel-troweled slabs because of the inherent problems or challenges associated with fly ash variability and delayed concrete hardening. Rate and uniformity of concrete hardening are critical parameters in establishing the window-of-finishability and can influence directly the quality of final floor finish. Delayed or nonuniform concrete hardening significantly increases the risk of premature or improper finishing resulting in poor quality steel-troweled finishes. Until now, building owners, concrete suppliers, and finishers have been reluctant to replace cement with fly ash in steel-troweled floors because of the increased risks associated with the fly ash. These risks include surface stickiness, delayed concrete hardening, and early volume shrinkage cracking caused by delayed setting.
Back to main article "Adding Fly Ash to Concrete Floor Mixtures"
