Effect of particle size distribution of fly ash–cement system on the fluidity of cement pastes

This paper investigates the effect of particle size distribution of fly ash–cement system on the fluidity of the cement pastes using class F fly ash collected from the hopper attached to an electrostatic precipitator when the burning conditions and types of coal are changed at a coal-fired power plant. The unburned carbon content of fly ashes used in the experiment is less than 1.5%. To prevent the unburned carbon in fly ashes from affecting the fluidity of the pastes, polycarboxylic acid plasticizer with more saturation amount is added into the pastes for experimentation. The particle size distribution of fly ash–cement system is analyzed using n value of Rosin–Rammler function and the n value is derived with a nonlinear least squares fitting method. As the result, it is shown that the fluidity increases as the particle size distribution becomes wider, i.e., as n value gets smaller.