Reaction degree of silica fume and its effect on compressive strength of cement-silica fume blends

The compressive strength of the cement-silica fume blends with 5mass%, 10mass%, 20mass% and 30mass% of silica fume and water to binder ratio of 0.28, 0.32 and 0.36 from three days to ninety days were investigated. The reaction degree of silica fume was calculated from the Q₄ silica tetrahedron, which was used as a probe obtained from 29Si solid state nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. The flat of compressive strength after 28 days disappeared for blended cement with inereasing reaction degree of silica fume. The compressive strength of the blended cement pastes approached that of P.I. cement pastes after 56 days and exceeded that after 90 days. The addition of silica fume and the w/b ratio of blends are both critical to the reaction degree of silica fume. The appropriate addition of silica fume, high silica fume reaction degree and low w/b ratio are beneficial to the compressive strength of the cement-silica fume blends.