R-E-D Silica Fume
High Performance Concrete
R-E-D Silica Fume is widely used in concrete and fiber cement industries. In addition to its pozzolanic properties, it is also a very good filler due to its particle size. These combined properties lead to an extended life expectancy in corrosive environments (resistance to chlorides, acids, and sulphates) and improved strength.
R-E-D High-Performance Concrete containing silica fume is one of the more important advanced materials necessary to rebuild our nation's infrastructure. Silica fume delivers increased toughness and resistance to abrasion and corrosion, improving sustainability and life-cycle cost efficiency.
Some examples of Silica Fume include use for highway bridges, parking decks, marine structures, and bridge deck overlays, and other applications typically subject to deterioration caused by corrosion, abrasion, and chemical degradation. Silica fume improves concrete protection against deicing salts, seawater, traffic, and heavy impact, and other destructive environments.
Concrete Properties Containing Silica Fume
Pozzolanic Reaction
Silica Fume reacts with lime during cement hydration to form additional calcium silicate hydrates (C-S-H gel) which bond the components together creating a dense matrix.
Porosity/ Permeability/ Resistance to Corrosion
The addition of Silica Fume reduces porosity by decreasing pore size. Porosity and permeability reductions inhibit the penetration of aggressive agents. The use of Silica Fume is beneficial to prevent concrete from corrosion in difficult environments: harbors, airports, chemical areas, and coastal buildings are common examples.
Filler Effect
Silica Fume is 100 to 150 times smaller than a cement particle and can fill the interstitial voids. The packing effect reduces strongly the concretes porosity and permeability.
Alkali Reaction
Silica Fume protects the concrete against the alkali reaction. Its fine and amorphous particles react with cement alkalies and reduce their content in the concrete before hardening.
Strength
Silica Fume improves component packing and adhesion, which directly impacts the mechanical properties, especially on strength.
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Freeze-Thaw
Silica Fume reduces concrete permeability. A reduction in chloride and sulfate ingress has shown to significantly slows down irreversible degradation.
Silica Fume & Sustainability
R-E-D Industrial Products Silica Fume provides a premium in function and application sustainability. This is how our silica fume product line can make a difference in longevity and viability. See the information below to find out how silica fume can provide confidence that you are making the sustainable choice for your next project.
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Applicability for Sustainability:
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Increased strength in concrete structures
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Longer durability
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Resistance to alkali-silica reaction (ASR)
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Low permeability to intrusion from corrosives such as water, salt, chloride, and other natural elements
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Reduction of life cycle costs
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Abrasion and impact resistance
Implementations:
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Low permeability makes it well suited for structures that are immersed or near oceans, rivers, and water sources such as bridges, dams, and tunnels.
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The ability to protect from abrasion and impact resistance provides a boost in protection for rebar from deterioration and replacement.
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Increased strength for use in more wear-and-tear concrete structures that need to reach the standard life cycle span of 50 years.
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Why:
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Increase sustainability in concrete projects
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Lower life cycle costs of infrastructure and building projects
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An ethically sourced product that can boost your green initiatives
Sustainability Fact: 39% of infrastructure in America is older than its designed lifetimes, while nearly 10% are structurally deficient and 14% are characterized as functionally obsolete [1].
Creating structures with sustainable solutions such as silica fume are paramount to promoting your project's vitality into the future.
[1] “The State of U.S. Infrastructure.” Council on Foreign Relations, Council on Foreign Relations, https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/state-us-infrastructure