I am doing a small study for shrinkage reduction in Grout(mortars).
A grout is used (for example) as a ‘concrete’ base floor for putting under heavy machinery. To keep the heavy equipment in contact with the grout after hardening of the material, the grout should show no shrinkage.
You can read a very little more about the background of this at:
http://stinet.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0806962
Normally a metal like Aluminum is added to the grout to compensate for shrinkage (Al produces gas that compensates for the shrinkage). This is a very old method.
Later, epoxy grouts were developed. These are NOT the ones I am interested in.
But I would like to know more on non-metallic, high-strength structural cementeous grouts. These are based on 'petroleum coke' type additives (added to normal sand/cement mixtures). Can somebody tell me more on the mechanisms (chemical / physical) that are involved in this. The system is not based on gas-generating but on ‘an air release system’ (as one manufacturer describes it).
Any info or links on this?
Thanks,
Ron