Hydratation des liants ternaires à base de GGBS et impact sur les mécanismes de fonctionnement des rétenteurs d’eau

Ternary binders are often used for applications that require short-term mechanical strength, especially fast setting adhesive mortars. With the objective of lowering the carbon footprint of said binders, the use of ground granulated blast furnace slag can be used to substitute for ordinary Portland cement. Due to the slower reactivity of ground granulated blast furnace slag, this substitution can often result in reduced short-term mechanical strength. This thesis aims to evaluate the hydration potential of a ternary binder based on ground granulated blast furnace slag and to investigate different activation methods to produce a ternary binder that is as reactive as binders based on ordinary Portland cement.The hydration kinetics of the slag-based binder are studied here by isothermal microcalorimetry. The different hydration mechanisms are identified by two microstructural analysis techniques: X-ray diffraction and magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.Differences in the reactivity of the slag were observed, which therefore modified the contribution of the slag towards the final material properties.The developed slag-based ternary binder is suitable for use in fast setting adhesive mortar applications. For such applications, the inclusion of cellulose ethers is required to improve water retention. However, the known methods of slag activation like sulphate often have a disruptive effect on cellulose ethers solubility and filmification, preventing them from carrying out their intended role. In present investigation, cellulose ethers are studied in different ionic environments via oscillatory rheology and negative staining transmission electron microscopy. The sensitivity of different types of cellulose ethers was shown to differ according to the ions present. Further, compatibilities between certain ethers and their ionic environment were also employed to better evaluate ether properties in the studied systems.