The dissertation was defended at the public meeting of the Dissertation Defence Council of the Scientific Field of Materials Engineering in the SRA-I Meeting Hall of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University at 10 a.m. on 6 June 2024.
The dissertation analyses a modified cement-based composite containing natural zeolite and waste glass (hereinafter a mixture of active mineral additives (AMA)). The combined effect of AMA on the composition and microstructure of cement hydration products enhances the resistance of cement-based composites to aggressive environments without deteriorating the mechanical properties of the composite. Cement-based composite modified with AMA can be used in structures exposed to humid chloride-laden environments, where freezing/thawing processes occur simultaneously or separately and thus intensify the destructive effect on the structure of cement-based composite. The doctoral dissertation consists of three chapters, general conclusions, and lists of literature references and the author’s publications on the thesis topic. The introduction chapter discusses the research topic, and the relevance of the research, describes the object of the research, states the aim and objectives of the research, describes the research methodology, the scientific novelty of the research, the practical value of research results and thesis statements. The introduction chapter ends with a list of the author’s publications and conference presentations on the topic of the doctoral thesis and the structure of the thesis. The first chapter covers literature review and analysis. It presents the influence of natural zeolite and ground glass on the hydration reaction, hydration products, porosity, durability and mechanical properties of Portland cement. The chapter ends with the formulation of conclusions and specified objectives of the thesis. The second chapter describes the characteristics of the materials used for the tests, the methods and equipment used, the compositions of the modified cement-based composites and specimen preparation techniques. The chapter ends with conclusions. The third chapter presents the results of the tests on the effect of mineral additives and their mixture. The effect of mineral additives on the progress of cement hydration, hydration products and their structure, compressive strength of concrete, the depth of water penetration under pressure, resistance to freeze-thaw cycles and chloride diffusion when the active additives are used separately and in combination. The chapter ends with conclusions. The third chapter is followed by general conclusions. The results of the research covered by the doctoral dissertation were published in four research articles and presented at seven scientific conferences in Lithuania and abroad.
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