Analysis of High Temperature Strength Retrogression of High Water/Cement Ratio Set Cement with Silica Powder

It has been found in laboratory experiment that, a low-density cement slurry of 1.65 g/cm³ (containing 40% sized silica powder) prepared by increasing water/cement ratio to 0.74, had its compressive strength reduced by 20.3%, and the strength measured by ultrasonic method reduced by 50.6% after aging for 48 hours under 185℃ and 21 MPa. This low-density cement slurry was aged for different curing periods, and the set cements obtained were analyzed for their phases and microstructure. It was concluded that the set cements obtained from high water/cement ratio slurry had large micro-pores inside them. During aging, the volume of the micropores was increasing with crystallization of the set cements, thereby leading to strength retrogression. Since micro-pores in set cement greatly affect the sonic transmission speed, the retrogression of the strength of the set cement measured by ultrasonic method is much more severe, as shown in the laboratory experiment. To mitigate the strength retrogression of set cement, a low-density cement slurry (1.65 g/cm³) was prepared by adding 25% of C-filler (a carbon powder with particle size of 0.154 mm and density of 1.35 g/cm³) and reducing water/cement ratio to 0.51. The volumetric fraction of the solid phase in the cement slurry was correspondingly increased from 32.0% to 46.0%. This cement slurry, after aging at elevated temperature, had less micro-pore left inside, and the strength of the set cement was improved.