Effects of Calcium Nitrate and Triisopropanolamine on the Setting and Strength Evolution of Portland Cement pastes

The purpose of this work is to investigate the effect of using the calcium nitrate alone of combined to the triispropanolamine on the setting and hardening process of cement pastes at 20C temperature. Testes were performed on specimens from various mixes considering two types of cements . the results obtained indicate that the calcium nitrate used alone acts mainly as a setting accelerator and may improve the compressive strength at 24hrs. However , in the long term, its strength increase is not significant so as to be considered as a hardening accelerator. In return , the use of calcium nitrate in combination with triisopropanolamine leads at very early age to significant results with respect to both setting and hardening acceleration , and to a continuous compressive strength increase with time.

Keywords:

Calcium nitrate , triisopropanolamine , cements paste , strength , setting time