Mechanical strength and microstructure evolution of fly ash cement mortar submerged in pig slurry

This paper studies the behaviour of mechanical strength and porosity of mortars made with three types of cement with different fly ash content. The trials were carried out under real conditions with natural pig slurry. The three mortars were submerged at depths of 1 and 3 m in slurry in an experimental lagoon. Control samples were situated in the open air in the natural environment. The total duration of the experiment was 24 months. The variation in the flexural and compressive strength in the specimens was checked at 3, 12 and 24 months by carrying out standardised tests. An increase in flexural and compressive strength in all cements was noted in the two submerged environments, which is explained as a result of a decrease of pore size produced in the external part of specimens.