Cement-SCM blends employ particle packing principles to increase particle packing density and reduce interstitial spacing between the cement and SCM particles. Particle packing reduces the amount of water required to obtain a cement paste having a desired flow, lowers the water-cementitious material ratio (w/cm), and increases early and long-term strengths. This may be accomplished by providing a hydraulic cement fraction having a narrow PSD and at least one SCM fraction having a mean particle size that differs from the mean particle size of the narrow PSD cement by a multiple of 3.0 or more to yield a cement-SCM blend having a particle packing density of at least 57.0%.

Cement-SCM blends employ particle packing principles to increase particle packing density and reduce interstitial spacing between the cement and SCM particles. Particle packing reduces the amount of water required to obtain a cement paste having a desired flow, lowers the water-cementitious material ratio (w/cm), and increases early and long-term strengths. This may be accomplished by providing a hydraulic cement fraction having a narrow PSD and at least one SCM fraction having a mean particle size that differs from the mean particle size of the narrow PSD cement by a multiple of 3.0 or more to yield a cement-SCM blend having a particle packing density of at least 57.0%.

A low-density, high-strength concrete composition that is lightweight and self-compacting or non-self-compacting, with a low weight-fraction of aggregate to total dry raw materials, and a highly-homogenous distribution of a non-absorptive and closed-cell lightweight aggregate such as glass microspheres or copolymer polymer beads or a combination thereof, and the steps of providing the composition or components. Lightweight concretes formed therefrom have low density, high strength-to-weight ratios, and high R-value. The concrete has strength similar to that ordinarily found in structural lightweight concrete but at a lower density, such as an oven-dried density as low as 40 lbs./cu.ft. Such strength-to-density ratios range approximately from above 30 cu.ft/sq.in. to above 110 cu.ft/sq.in., with a 28-day compressive strength ranging from about 3400 to 8000 psi.

A low-density, high-strength concrete composition that is lightweight and self-compacting or non-self-compacting, with a low weight-fraction of aggregate to total dry raw materials, and a highly-homogenous distribution of a non-absorptive and closed-cell lightweight aggregate such as glass microspheres or copolymer polymer beads or a combination thereof, and the steps of providing the composition or components. Lightweight concretes formed therefrom have low density, high strength-to-weight ratios, and high R-value. The concrete has strength similar to that ordinarily found in structural lightweight concrete but at a lower density, such as an oven-dried density as low as 40 lbs./cu.ft. Such strength-to-density ratios range approximately from above 30 cu.ft/sq.in. to above 110 cu.ft/sq.in., with a 28-day compressive strength ranging from about 3400 to 8000 psi.

A structure for manufacturing castings, containing an inorganic fiber, a layered clay mineral, and an inorganic particle other than the layered clay mineral and having an organic content of 5 mass % or lower or having a mass loss of 5 mass % or lower when heated at 1000° C. for 30 minutes. The inorganic particle preferably contains one or more selected from obsidian, graphite, and mullite. The inorganic fiber preferably contains carbon fiber. The inorganic fiber preferably has an average length of 0.5 to 15 mm. The layered clay mineral preferably contains one or more selected from bentonite and montmorillonite.

A structure for manufacturing castings, containing an inorganic fiber, a layered clay mineral, and an inorganic particle other than the layered clay mineral and having an organic content of 5 mass % or lower or having a mass loss of 5 mass % or lower when heated at 1000° C. for 30 minutes. The inorganic particle preferably contains one or more selected from obsidian, graphite, and mullite. The inorganic fiber preferably contains carbon fiber. The inorganic fiber preferably has an average length of 0.5 to 15 mm. The layered clay mineral preferably contains one or more selected from bentonite and montmorillonite.

The invention relates to mortar or concrete produced with a hydraulic binder, comprising aggregates from cinders from the bottom of municipal waste incinerators and/or from slurry from wastewater treatment plants, or other natural or artificial aggregates, of different particle sizes depending of the use thereof as mortar or concrete, and a binder consisting of: glass and/or other pozzolans; pure Portland clinker with gypsum or plaster of Paris, or the resulting cements following the grinding thereof; and/or optionally lime, depending on the quantity of glass and/or pozzolans; all of the materials forming the base of the binder being ground and mixed together until a binder is obtained, together with the aggregates, with cementing mineral neoformations and a strong pozzolanic character.

The invention relates to mortar or concrete produced with a hydraulic binder, comprising aggregates from cinders from the bottom of municipal waste incinerators and/or from slurry from wastewater treatment plants, or other natural or artificial aggregates, of different particle sizes depending of the use thereof as mortar or concrete, and a binder consisting of: glass and/or other pozzolans; pure Portland clinker with gypsum or plaster of Paris, or the resulting cements following the grinding thereof; and/or optionally lime, depending on the quantity of glass and/or pozzolans; all of the materials forming the base of the binder being ground and mixed together until a binder is obtained, together with the aggregates, with cementing mineral neoformations and a strong pozzolanic character.

A liquid accelerator composition for accelerating the setting reaction of calcium sulfate hemihydrate and water and methods of forming a liquid gypsum accelerator are provided. The liquid accelerator composition includes a liquid media in which calcium sulfate dihydrate is less than fully soluble and a ground product of a mill grinding of a mixture comprising calcium sulfate dihydrate.

A liquid accelerator composition for accelerating the setting reaction of calcium sulfate hemihydrate and water and methods of forming a liquid gypsum accelerator are provided. The liquid accelerator composition includes a liquid media in which calcium sulfate dihydrate is less than fully soluble and a ground product of a mill grinding of a mixture comprising calcium sulfate dihydrate.