Existence of Different Phases In Cement Paste at Different Stages of Hydration & Different

Amount of Water
1. Phases in cement paste at 0% hydration

Water

Anhydrous
Cement

2. Phases in cement paste at 100% hydration (with minimum w/c ratio)

Empty capillary
pores (Vec)

Gel
water
(Vgw)

Volume of
hydrated cement
(Vhc)

Solid products of
hydration
(Vsph)
Non-evaporable water
(Vn.evp)
 3. Phases in cement before complete hydration
(with w/c ratio greater than “required minimum”)

Empty capillary pores (Vec)

Capillary Water/ Free water /

Capillaries filled with water

Gel
water
(Vgw)

Volume of
hydrated
cement (Vhc)

Solid products of hydration

(Vsph)

Non-evaporable
water (Vn.evp)

Unhydrated cement
 Let X = Mass of cement sample in grams
1. Total vol. available for hydration = Vol. of added water + Vol. of anhydrous cement
2. Volume of solid products of hydration

Vsph = (X/3.15)+0.23(X)-0.0585(X)
3. Volume of gel water

Vgw = 0.19016(X)
4. volume of non-evaporable water

Vn.evp = 0.23(X)
5. volume of empty capillaries

Vec = 0.0585(X)
6. volume of hydrated cement

Vhc = Vsph + Vgw