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4 Conclusions

The effects of cement particle size distribution on self-desiccation in cement pastes have been examined using computer simulations. Coarser cements influence self-desiccation in these systems by:

1. increasing the hydration needed to depercolate the capillary pore network,

2. increasing the average pore size due to particle spacing considerations, and

3. modifying the interfacial transition zone microstructure by introducing more and larger pores which may remain as empty pores following hydration.

All of these effects should result in a reduction in the measured autogeneous shrinkage of cement pastes and concretes produced using a coarser cement, in agreement with the experimental results of Jensen [18].