The Influence of Finely Ground Limestone in the Design of Concrete for White Boxes Regarding the Suppression of Shrinkage

Abstract

For concrete constructions built as underground spaces, basements or cellars, it is necessary for these constructions to be able to resist the influence of groundwater pressure that could disrupt the compactness of the entire construction by its action. For this reason, constructions of so-called white boxes are often used. White boxes are concrete constructions whose main capability is high water impermeability, exhibiting at the same time minimal volume changes. These properties could be accomplished by a series of several technological precautions, one of which is the composition of the concrete mixture itself. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the influence of finely ground limestone and the latent hydraulic addition of finely ground blast furnace slag on the properties of concrete composite such as water impermeability, water absorption, or volume changes. These properties are vital for the construction of white boxes. In this paper, the suitability of the mutual combination of active and internal additive will also be evaluated.