ASTM C150 vs. C595 cement

[jgailla]

I recently learned that the largest cement manufacturer in my state (Florida) is now producing only C595 cement. This has been coming for a while, but only in the past six months has it become an issue.
Has there been any discussion of this on this thread? I don't recall seeing it.

What, if any, changes are you making to your plans and specifications for this development?

 

[JedClampett]

There was a thread a while back, thread507-496785, which really fizzled. This seems to be one of the larger issues concerning structural engineers, yet it seems to be flying under the radar.

 

[le99]

ASTM C150 and C595 are two specifications of the cement. Per PCA article:

"To ensure a level of consistency between cement-producing plants, certain chemical and physical limits are placed on cements. These chemical limits are defined by a variety of standards and specifications. For instance, portland cements and blended hydraulic cements for concrete in the U.S. conform to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) C150 (Standard Specification for Portland Cement), C595 (Standard Specification for Blended Hydraulic Cement) or C1157 (Performance Specification for Hydraulic Cements)."

See the linked article for more details on the differences. I encourage doing more research on the properties and performances of hydraulic cement before using it.

 

[masonrygeek]

Structure Magazine just had representatives from NRMCA to present on specifying sustainable concrete. Here is a link to the webinar that discusses a lot of the issues:

https://www.structuremag.org/?p=20832.

I don't think going to C595 cements is anything earthshattering, but there are some nuances you should be aware of.

 

[JedClampett]

I'm only worried that after 10, 20 or 30 years there might be some issues. We're putting structures up for the long term, but can't test long term.
Example: Back when I got Popular Science (the 60's), aluminum wiring was the bomb. Cheaper, lighter, better in every way. And what's a few house fires between friends?