The calorimetric technique provides continuous, direct, and general measurements of the course of coexisting reactions and their interactions during hydration of blended cement at early age. In this article, this technique is used to analyze the influence of compositional and process variables on the early age hydration of Portland limestone cements (PLC) made by intergrinding in a full size-cement plant. Eight cements, the vertices of 23 factorial design, were made with a limestone filler content (LF) of 0 and 24%, a gypsum content (GC) of 2.5, and 5.0%; and a fineness, measured as that fraction retained on a 45 μm sieve (R45), of 5 and 18%, to study their effects on the heat released. In addition, a PLC with a composition nearly to the center point of 23 designs was analyzed. Measurements were performed on cement pastes (w/cm = 0.4) using a semiadiabatic differential calorimeter operating at 20 °C during 48 h. At different time, the heat released was determined and it was modeled using a linear mathematical model including the three variables (LF, R45, CG) and their interactions. The significance of the model, the variables and the interactions was judged using the analysis of variance. Results of model show that heat released is reduced by LF due to physically dilution phenomenon, which is directly proportional to LF content. The R45 exerts its major influence during the development of second peak (12–21 h) but later its effect declines to null contribution. GC retards and attenuates the hydration reactions moderately until 30 h, and then its increase contributes to Qt due to the formation of ettringite and its transformation. The only significant interaction was LF with R45 during the second peak development. Results present good correlation with the isolate measurement of compressive strength at 12, 24, and 48 h.
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