Portland - Limestone
Blended Cement
Karl Zipf
DelDOT - 2014
The following is an edited
presentation from the
Portland Cement Association
This is not an endorsement for the
PCA
DelDOT does not have any test data
to verify their claims.
Portland-Limestone Blended Cements
Portland-Limestone Cement
 What is a PLC?

Type IL blended cement in ASTM C595/AASHTO M240
 5% to 15% limestone by mass
 Ternary cements
 Why the proposal?

Option to implement proven technology to obtain desired
performance and improve sustainability of concrete
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
Increases plant capacity
Reduces carbon footprint
Saves energy
Energy to Produce Cement
Environmental Benefits - CO2
Portland cement
1.0
Portland-limestone cement
kg CO2/kg cement
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
Plant 1
Plant 2
Plant 3
History of Limestone in Cements











1965 Cement with 20% limestone in Germany for specialty applications
1979 French cement standards allows limestone additions.
1983 CSA A5 allows up to 5% limestone in portland cement
1990 15±5% limestone blended cements routinely used in Germany
1992 UK specs allows up to 20% in limestone cement
2000 EN 197-1 allows 5% MAC (typ. limestone) in all 27 common
cements, as was commonly practiced in various European cement
standards prior to that.
2000 EN 197-1 creates CEM II/A-L (6-20%) and CEM II/B-L (21-35%)
2004 ASTM C 150 allows 5% in Types I-V
2006 CSA A3001 allows 5% in other Types than GU
2007 AASHTO M85 allows 5% in Types I-V
2008 CSA A3001 includes PLC containing 5%-15% limestone
European Cement Use
100
90
6.1
3.2
4.0
1.7
3.4
5.0
2.1
1.5
5
5.5
6.5
1.8
1.9
9.5
4.8
5.6
2.1
2.9
5.4
2.2
1.8
5.7
5.1
5.6
14.3
12.5
16.8
14.5
9.6
16.8
Cement Types in Europe (%)
CEM V - Composite Cement
CEM IV - Pozzolanic
CEM III - Blast furnace slag
80
CEM II - Portland-composite
CEM II - Portland-limestone
70
60
Others
CEM II - Portland-fly ash
15.0
18.9
24.6
CEM II - Portland-pozzolana
24.0
24.5
31.4
CEM II - Portland-slag
CEM I - Portland
50
40
5.4
3.7
4.8
6.2
2.9
5.4
5.7
2.1
4.2
7.0
2.7
6.8
6.9
1.2
5.9
30
20
35.4
34.2
33.7
32.1
31.6
7.4
1.4
4.5
27.5
10
0
Cembureau data
Why 15%?
How Limestone Works
 Particle packing

Improved particle size distribution

The same effect with packing can be had be
be had with fly ash.
How Limestone Works
 Nucleation

Surfaces for precipitation

Any small particle will act
as nucleation sites.
Performance: Strength
Performance: RCPT T277/C1202 No change
Charge Passed (Coulombs)
3000
28 days
56 days
2000
PC
PLC
1000
0
No SCM No SCM
W/CM
= 0.40
35%
Slag
20% Fly No SCM No SCM 35% 20% Fly
Ash
Slag
Ash
W/CM
= 0.40
W/CM = 0.45
W/CM = 0.45
ASR Resistance
Expansion (%)
0.4
PC
0.3
PLC
0.2
0.1
0
AMBT
CPT
(14 days)
(1 Year)
ACPT
(3 months)
Test (age when expansion reported)
Field Trials – T277/C1202
AASHTO M240 & ASTM C595
Requirements
 Type IL—Portland-limestone blended cement

Example: Type IL(10) = 10% limestone
 Type IT—Ternary blended cement with limestone

Example 1: Type IT(L10)(P10) = 10% limestone
and 10% pozzolan

Example 2: Type IT(S15)(L10) = 15% slag and
10% limestone
 Limestone content 5% to 15%
AASHTO M240 & ASTM C595
Requirements
 Same physical requirement as existing C595/M240
cement types
 Chemical require changes– sulfate content, LOI
 Sulfate resistance – no MS or HS in initial ballot
 Limestone quality specs – %CaCO3, MBI, TOC
 Not all cement quarries will have limestone that
meets the standard.
Requirements for Limestone for Use
in Type IL – Cannot add agriculture
limestone to Portland cement
Test Method
Limit
C114/T105
Min. 70%
Methylene blue index
See Annex A2
Max. 1.2 g/100g
Total organic carbon
See Annex A3
Max.0.5%
CaCO3 content
Additional Information

Cement fineness is 480-500. Limestone is more
friable than clinker in grinding and particle size is
controlled to control set and strength.

PCA claims that higher fineness does not affect
water demand.

Limestone is inert and does not react.

Several states have already approved Type IL

There is no price benefit in using PLC.

PLC can be available in this area
Portland Limestone Blended Cement in
ASTMThank
C595you!
and AASHTO M240
Presented to ASTM C01.10 December 2010