Abstract
Due to economic, environmental and technical benefits, one of the most widespread applications of natural zeolites is to be found in the cement and concrete industry. Application of natural zeolite in the manufacture of pozzolanic cements began from the first decades of the 20th century and shows a growing trend in recent decades. Use of natural zeolite as a supplementary cementitious material in the production of cement, mortar and concrete has been investigated in many studies. Generally, it is shown that the use of natural zeolite leads to the improvement of mechanical strength and durability properties of cement and concrete composites. In addition to pozzolanic properties, some other characteristics of natural zeolites have made them useful in special applications. This chapter aims to review the characteristics of natural zeolites and their effects on the engineering properties of cement and concrete composites.
Keywords: Natural zeolite, natural pozzolan, supplementary cementitious materials, construction, sustainable development, pozzolanic activity, cement, concrete, mortar, workability, Setting time, mechanical properties, durability, alkali-silica reaction, transport properties, sulfate attack, acid attack, corrosion, drying shrinkage, heat of hydration.