Title: Using belitic calcium sulfoaluminate cement for precast, prestressed concrete beams
Date Published: March - April 2019
Volume: 64
Issue: 2
Page Numbers: 55 - 67
Authors: Cameron D. Murray, Royce W. Floyd, and Christopher C. E. Ramseyer
https://doi.org/10.15554/pcij64.2-03
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Abstract
Belitic calcium sulfoaluminate (BCSA) cement is a
fast-setting, hydraulic cement that can produce concrete
with high early strength and excellent durability.
Its fast setting time makes it a promising material for
precast, prestressed concrete applications. Although
this material has been in use in China for years, there
is little to no published information about its structural
performance in the United States. This study is one of
the first published papers on the use of BCSA cement
for prestressed concrete in the United States. More
information is needed on the structural performance of
members cast with this material, but this work demonstrates
that BCSA cement can produce prestressed
concrete beams in as little as two hours in an industrial
facility. The results also show that prestressed concrete
beams produced with BCSA cement have very low
prestress losses compared with the equations in the
American Concrete Institute’s (ACI’s) Building Code
Requirements for Structural Concrete (ACI 318-14) and
Commentary (ACI 318R-14) and the American Association
of State Highway and Transportation Officials’
AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications, and that
bond lengths can be reasonably predicted using current
design methods.