Mechanical activation of granitic powders
AssigneeGranite Rock Company
InventorsPaul C. Lessard, Michael Havens-Cook
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mechanically activated pozzolan prepared from granitic quarry fines. Quarry fines are milled by a high-energy milling process to convert the essentially inert raw granitic fines into a chemically reactive state. When added to a portland cement mortar mixture, mechanically activated fines combined with calcium hydroxide to improve the strength of the cured mortar compared to a similar mixture prepared with raw fines. Mortars prepared with mechanically activated granitic fines typically show strength values comparable to or exceeding similar mortars made using fly ash as a pozzolan. In some instances, the strength of a mortar prepared with mechanically activated granitic quarry fines exceeded a mortar prepared using 100% portland cement as the cementitious component.
Claims26
A granitic pozzolan comprising mechanically activated particles wherein the particles have a size distribution wherein over 80% of the particles have a maximum dimension less than 1 micron.
A pozzolan comprising activated particles derived from granitic materials, the pozzolan having a particle size distribution wherein over 80% of the particles in a sample population have a maximum dimension less than 1 micron, and wherein particles having a maximum dimension of about 10 microns comprise agglomerations of smaller particles.
A cement-based material comprising a Portland cement paste which includes activated granitic-based pozzolan in an amount sufficient to increase the strength of the cement-based material.
A method of converting granitic quarry fines into a pozzolan, the method comprising:
- placing the granitic quarry fines into an attritor mill;
- and
- applying mechanical energy to the granitic quarry fines sufficient to chemically activate the granitic quarry fines.
A method of forming a concrete structure, the method comprising:
- mixing at least cement, water, and mechanically activated granitic quarry fines into a pourable mixture, the pourable mixture comprising at least about 20% by weight quarry fines;
- and
- pouring the pourable mixture into a form.
A granitic pozzolan which comprises mechanically activated quarry fines.
A granitic pozzolan comprising mechanically activated particles having a size distribution wherein over 80% of the particles have a maximum dimension less than 1 micron.
A cement-based material comprising a Portland cement paste which includes activated granitic-based pozzolan in an amount of at least about 20% by weight and wherein the pozzolan particles have a size distribution wherein over 80% of the particles have a maximum dimension less than 1 micron.
A method of converting granitic quarry fines into a pozzolan, the method comprising:
- placing the granitic quarry fines into a mill;
- and
- applying mechanical energy to the granitic quarry fines sufficient to chemically activate the granitic quarry fines wherein the pozzolan has a size distribution wherein over 80% of the particles have a maximum dimension less than 1 micron.
A method of forming a concrete structure, the method comprising:
- mixing at least cement, water, and mechanically activated granitic quarry fines, the fines having a size distribution wherein over 80% of the particles have a maximum dimension less than 1 micron, into a pourable mixture, the pourable mixture comprising at least about 20% by weight quarry fines;
- and
- pouring the pourable mixture into a form.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.