Figure 1:
Images of traditional semi-dry cementitious screed (a) and self-leveling mortar (b) 55 A. Rego, “Calcium aluminate cement technology: advantages and benefits in construction chemistry”, ANAPRE, S. Paulo (2017)..
Figure 2:
Images of examples of self-leveling mortar applications: a) industrial floor; and b) decorative floor 55 A. Rego, “Calcium aluminate cement technology: advantages and benefits in construction chemistry”, ANAPRE, S. Paulo (2017)..
Figure 3:
Schematic of a floor system composed of concrete slab, self-leveling screed (SLS), self-leveling underlayment (SLU), and tile adhesive mortar with ceramic or porcelain 55 A. Rego, “Calcium aluminate cement technology: advantages and benefits in construction chemistry”, ANAPRE, S. Paulo (2017)..
Figure 4:
Images of examples of cracking found on self-leveling mortars.
Figure 5:
Scheme of interconnection between cause, type, and state for the shrinkage to which cementitious systems are subjected (adapted from 2323 O. Esping, “Early age properties of self-compacting concrete: effects of fine aggregate and limestone filler”, PhD Thesis, Chalmers Un. Technol., Göteborg (2007).).
Figure 6:
Diagram of properties, actions needed to achieve them, and consequences that can cause pathological manifestations in self-leveling mortars.
Figure 7:
Schematic of length changes of self-leveling cementitious mortars with and without shrinkage compensation by fast set and expansion at air conditions up to 160 days (adapted from 2424 T.A. Bier , F. Estienne , L. Amathieu , Int. Conf. Calcium Alumin. Cem., Edinburgh (2001).), (2525 A. Rego , C. Alt, S. Favier, 6th Latin Am. Drymix Mortar Conf., S. Paulo (2019).).
Figure 8:
Ternary system OPC-CAC-CaSO4 with a highlighted area for Portland cement rich systems (adapted from 55 A. Rego, “Calcium aluminate cement technology: advantages and benefits in construction chemistry”, ANAPRE, S. Paulo (2017).), (3939 T.A. Bier , L. Amathieu, CONCHEM Congr., Germany (1997).).
Figure 9:
Scheme of heat flow evolution during Portland cement and calcium aluminate cement hydration with highlighted reactions (adapted from 3131 J.W. Bullard, H.M. Jennings, R.A. Livingston, A. Nonat, G.W. Scherer, J.S. Schweitzer, K.L. Scrivener, J.J. Thomas, Cem. Concr. Res. 41 (2011) 1208.), (4949 A.F. Bentivegna, J.H. Ideker, K.J. Folliard, Calcium Alumin. Proc. Int. Conf., Avignon (2014) 383.).
Figure 10:
Phase diagram of calcium sulfate phases in water modeled using the mixed solvent electrolyte (MSE) design. The solid and dotted curves indicate the stable and metastable phases for each temperature, respectively. The highlighted area is the room temperature where the material usually is applied, 5 to 40 °C (adapted from 6565 G. Azimi, V.G. Papangelakis, J.E. Dutrizac, Fluid Phase Equilib. 260, 2 (2007) 300.).
Figure 11:
Schematic illustration of how the CAC/(CAC+OPC) ratio influences the binary system OPC/CAC setting time 6666 A. Rego , P. Evangelista, “Portland cement acceleration with calcium aluminate cement”, S. Gonçalo (2016)..
Figure 12:
Hydration heat and C-S-H and ettringite development in pastes with pure Portland cement, binary OPC/CAC (85/15), and ternary OPC/CAC/CaSO4 (80/13/7) (adapted from 6767 J. Nehring, J. Neubauer , S. Berger, F. Goetz-Neunhoeffer , Cem. Concr. Res. 107 (2018) 264.).
Figure 13:
Hydration heat for pure OPC and ternary OPC/CAC/CaSO4.½H2O with different dosages of calcium sulfate (hemihydrate): 75/25/0, 73/24/3, and 71/24/5 (adapted from 3535 D. Torréns-Martín, L. Fernández-Carrasco, M.T. Blanco-Varela, J. Therm. Anal. Calorim. 114 (2013) 799.).
Figure 14:
Rheological behavior demonstrated by torque versus rotation speed for some types of mortars: factory-produced Brazilian render mortars: render and/or masonry (render-A), one-coat decorative render (render-B), and internal render (render-C); cementitious tile adhesive mortars: ACI (CTA-A) and ACIII (CTA-B) types; and self-leveling calcium aluminate-containing mortars from BASF-Germany with different combinations of admixtures: SLM-A, SLM-B, and SLM-C. In (a), results for all mortars and table with yield torque and plastic viscosity (* equivalent to plastic viscosity based on torque vs. rotation curves 7474 P.F.G. Banfill, in “Rheology reviews 2006”, Br. Soc. Rheol. (2006) 61.); in (b), linear fits for CTA and SLM mortars with zoom in values of torque up to 0.5 N.m and rotation speed up to 100 rpm. All tests were performed in a rotational rheometer with planetary setup and attritor impeller, step-based shear cycle up to 190 rpm 7575 M.S. de França, B. Cazacliu, F.A. Cardoso , R.G. Pileggi , Constr. Build. Mater. 223 (2019) 81. (data from 7676 F.A. Cardoso , “Mix design method for rendering mortars based on particle size distribution and rheological behaviour”, Dr. Thesis, Un. S. Paulo (2009).)- (7878 F.A. Cardoso , R.G. Pileggi , “Rotational rheometry applied for the evaluation of mixing and rheological behavior of BASF-Germany self-leveling mortars with different combinations of admixtures”, Un. S. Paulo (2007).).
Figure 15:
Schematic illustration of rheological behavior in regions with different performances in self-leveling compositions according to yield stress and viscosity (adapted from 7979 P.S. Shah, 50th Brazil. Concr. Congr., Salvador (2008).).
Figure 16:
Comparison between maximum heat flow after 5 min of mixing and diameter of initial flow in self-leveling mortars with ternary system OPC/CAC/CaSO4.xH2O as 50/32/18 for different calcium sulfate types (data from 88 K. Onishi, T.A. Bier, Cem. Concr. Res. 40 (2010) 1034.).
Figure 17:
Accumulated heat flow by time in the first 10 h for compositions OPC/CAC/CaSO4.½H2O showing the influence of: a) CAC content in pure OPC and binaries 85/15/0 and 75/25/0; and b) CaSO4.½H2O content in compositions 75/25/0, 73/24/3, and 71/24/5 (adapted from 3535 D. Torréns-Martín, L. Fernández-Carrasco, M.T. Blanco-Varela, J. Therm. Anal. Calorim. 114 (2013) 799.).
Figure 18:
Polycarboxylate-based dispersant content as a function of CSA-based expansive additive content in order to remain constant the slump flow testing in high-performance self-compacting concretes (data from 8080 R. Pilar, R. Ferron, W. Repette, Rev. Matér. 23 (2018) e12150.).
Figure 19:
Apparent viscosity at a shear rate of 15 s-1 as a function of time (a) and accumulated heat flow (b) of self-leveling mortars, a CAC-rich formulation with binder composition OPC/CAC/CaSO4.½H2O of 4/20/7 comparing citric and tartaric acids (during 30 min) and two OPC-rich with binder compositions OPC/CAC/CaSO4 of 16/8/4 and 19/12/7 comparing citric acid contents (during 60 min) (adapted from 8181 T. Emoto, T.A. Bier , Cem. Concr. Res. 37 (2007) 647.).
Figure 20:
Compressive strength development in cementitious materials of the binary system OPC/CAC (92.5/7.25 and 80/20) (data from 6969 P. Gu , J.J. Beaudoin , E.G. Quinn, R.E. Myers, Adv. Cem. Based Mater. 6 (1997) 53.).
Figure 21:
Compressive strength at 24 h and 28 days for self-leveling mortars with increasing anhydrite content added in the ternary system OPC/CAC/CaSO4 in the ratios 72/28/0, 68/26/5, 65/25/10, 62/24/14, 59/23/18, 58/22/20, 57/22/22, 55/21/23, and 54/21/25 (adapted from 8282 S.B. Sun, J. W. Li , J.J. Li, L. Zhao, Appl. Mech. Mater. 863 (2017) 59.).
Figure 22:
Schematic illustration of length change of a binary system OPC/CAC and a ternary system OPC/CAC/CaSO4 at room temperature in a humid condition (adapted from 2424 T.A. Bier , F. Estienne , L. Amathieu , Int. Conf. Calcium Alumin. Cem., Edinburgh (2001).).
Figure 23:
Length change of self-leveling mortars with ternary system OPC/CAC/CaSO4 in dosages of 85/10/5, 80/10/10, and 75/10/15 at a relative humidity of 95%, 22 °C up to 24 h (adapted from 99 S. Zhang, X. Xu, S.A. Memon, Z. Dong, D. Li, H. Cui, Constr. Build. Mater. 167 (2018) 253.).
Figure 24:
Heat flow and early length change of the ternary system with limestone or quartz powder during the first 24 h of hydration (adapted from 8383 A. Qorllari, E. Qoku, T.A. Bier , T. Dilo, UBT Int. Conf., Un. Busin. Technol., Durres (2017).).
Figure 25:
Schematic illustration of length change and heat flow as a function of setting time of a cementitious material having shrinkage compensation by ettringite formation (adapted from 2424 T.A. Bier , F. Estienne , L. Amathieu , Int. Conf. Calcium Alumin. Cem., Edinburgh (2001)., 8686 M.J.C. Viecili, D. Hastenpflug, R. Girardi, Rev. Matér. 23, 3 (2018) e12172.).
Figure 26:
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of: a) fine/elongated ettringite needles; and b) massive ettringite 55 A. Rego, “Calcium aluminate cement technology: advantages and benefits in construction chemistry”, ANAPRE, S. Paulo (2017)..
Figure 27:
Length change and early compressive strength of self-leveling mortars with different types of calcium sulfate added in the proportion of binders in ternary system OPC/CAC/CaSO4 of 50/32/18 (adapted from 88 K. Onishi, T.A. Bier, Cem. Concr. Res. 40 (2010) 1034.).
Figure 28:
Length change of a conventional ‘SHCC - strain-hardening cement composite’ with 0.75% polyethylene fiber (FP) and 0.75% hooked steel fiber (FA) by volume, and another also with these fibers but with 10% of Portland cement replaced by CSA-based expansive additive, at 20 °C and 50% relative humidity (adapted from 9393 S.-J. Jang, J.-H. Kim, S.-W. Kim, W.-S. Park, H.-D. Yun, Sustainability 11, 5 (2019).).
Figure 29:
Length change of a cementitious system with 7% of polyacrylate superplasticizer (SRA+SP), which has water and drying shrinkage reducing effects, another with 7% SRA+SP plus 25% CaO expansion additive in kg/m³, and a pure OPC as control. Curing conditions: 20 °C with polyethylene foil for 1 day and then permanent exposure to air with 55% relative humidity (adapted from 9494 M. Collepardi, R. Troli, M. Bressan, F. Liberatore, G. Sforza, Cem. Concr. Compos. 30 (2008) 887.).
Figure 30:
Length change of cementitious systems: pure Portland cement; 15% of Portland cement replaced by CSA-based expansive additive; and 6% of Portland cement replaced by CaO-based expander additive. The samples were demolded after 6 h and immersed in saturated lime water for 7 days and thereafter exposed to room conditions of 23 °C and 50% RH (adapted from 9595 P. Chaunsali, S. Lim, P. Mondal, D. Foutch, D. Richardson, Y. Tung, “Bridge decks: mitigation of cracking and increased durability”, Rep. FHWA-ICT-13-023, Illinois Cent. Transport. (2013).).
Figure 31:
Number of articles published annually (a) and accumulated over time (b) for keyword combinations ‘self-leveling mortar, shrinkage, and Portland-calcium aluminate-anhydrite’ from the platform ScienceDirect through the article types ‘review articles, research articles, conference abstracts, conference info, mini reviews, data articles, and product reviews’ on May 19, 2020. Notes: * include self-leveling underlayment, self-leveling screed, and self-leveling compound; + does not consider the entire year 2020, only until May 19.