Predicting Mortar Compressive Strength Using HYDCEM

The compressive strength of mortar is a significant property that will influence its performance in concrete or masonry. Being able to accurately model and predict the mortar compressive strength would be of great benefit to suppliers and end users alike that could possibly reduce the need for multiple physical testing. A section of the original HYDCEM cement hydration model (amoungst others) has been partitioned to focus on predicting the compressive strength of Portland cement and cement-limestone mortars, entitled HYDCEM_CompressiveStrength. The model uses the cement/binder oxide composition along with other inputs to predict the compressive strength development over time. This paper presents a study into how accurately the HYDCEM_CompressiveStrength model can predict the mortar’s compressive strength over time for European cements. Experimental results of mortar cube’s and bar’s compressive strength in accordance with ASTM C 109 for a CEM I + 10% limestone binder and EN196-1 for a CEM I and CEM II cement are presented along with predictions from the model following a parametric study. Comparisons have shown reasonably good agreement between measured and predicted values over time.