Limestone filler as a mineral additive on the compressive strength and durability of self-compacting concrete with limestone manufactured sand

Using limestone filler (LF) as a mineral additive of concrete with manufactured sand (MS) raises concerns about the long-term performance because of the high LF content in mixtures, particularly in high-binder content self-consolidating concrete (SCC). Herein, this paper evaluates the effects of LF as a mineral additive on the compressive strength and durability of SCC incorporating manufactured sand (MS_SCC). Results indicate that LF decreases the compressive strength of MS-SCC akin to that observed with FA, albeit with a more moderate decrease observed at a lower w/b ratio. Both LF and FA contribute to decreasing carbonation resistances, while MS_SCC with LF exhibits a gradual reduction in carbonation rate over time. Furthermore, LF reduces the chloride migration resistance of MS-SCC, unlike FA. However, LF improves the drying shrinkage of MS_SCC, particularly notable at a lower w/b ratio. Microstructure analysis indicates that LF induces a coarsening effect on the pore structure of MS_SCC, with a moderate influence observed for mixtures characterized by a lower w/b ratio.