Standard Specification for

High-Reactivity Pozzolans for Use in Hydraulic-

Cement Concrete, Mortar, and Grout

AASHTO Designation: M 321-04

1. SCOPE

1.1. This specification covers high-reactivity pozzolans for use as a mineral admixture in portland
cement concrete and mortar to fill small voids and/or where pozzolanic action is desired. High-
reactivity pozzolans are microsilica products with a particle size typically one to two orders of
magnitude smaller than portland cement. These materials are usually supplied in undensified or
densified dry form. If the material is supplied in a densified form, the tests should be performed on
the as-collected undensified material before being processed into densified form.

1.2. The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard.

1.3. This standard does not purport to address all of the safety problems, if any, associated with its
use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health
practices and to determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Read the
material safety data sheets for materials used. This standard is not intended for specifying silica
fume as defined in Section 3.3. It is recommended that M 307 or ASTM C 1240 be used for that
purpose.

2. REFERENCED DOCUMENTS

2.1. AASHTO Standards:

M 307, Use of Silica Fume as a Mineral Admixture in Hydraulic-Cement Concrete, Mortar,
and Grout
R 11, Indicating Which Places of Figures Are to Be Considered Significant in Specified
Limiting Values
T 105, Chemical Analysis of Hydraulic Cement

2.2. ASTM Standards:

C 219, Terminology Relating to Hydraulic Cement
C 311, Test Methods for Sampling and Testing Fly Ash or Natural Pozzolans for Use as a
Mineral Admixture in Portland Cement Concrete
C 1012, Test Method for Length Change of Hydraulic-Cement Mortars Exposed to a Sulfate
Solution
C 1240, Use of Silica Fume as a Mineral Admixture in Hydraulic-Cement Concrete, Mortar,
and Grout
C 441, Standard Test Method for Effectiveness of Pozzolans or Ground Blast Furnace Slag in
Preventing Excessive Expansion of Concrete Due to the Alkali-Silica Reaction

TS-3b M 321-1 AASHTO

© 2006 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.
3. DEFINITIONS

3.1. pozzolan—a siliceous or siliceous and aluminous material, which in itself possesses little or no
cementitious value but which will, in finely divided form and in the presence of moisture,
chemically react with calcium hydroxide at ordinary temperatures to form compounds possessing
cementitious properties.

3.2. high-reactivity pozzolan—an amorphous silica of high silica content and purity possessing high
pozzolanic activity, meeting the requirements of this standard specification.
Note 1—Materials such as metakaolin, rice hull ash, zirconium fume, ultra-fine fly ash, and fume
from the production of 50 percent ferrosilicon (with SiO2 less than 85 percent) are examples of
high-reactivity pozzolans.

3.3. silica fume—a very fine pozzolanic material composed mostly of amorphous silica produced by
electric arc furnaces as a by-product of the production of elemental silicon or ferro silicon alloys
(also known as condensed silica fume and microsilica), meeting the requirements of M 307 and
ASTM C 1240.

4. ORDERING INFORMATION

4.1. Orders for material meeting this specification shall include the following information as necessary
to adequately describe the desired product:

4.1.1. Name of material (high-reactivity pozzolan material);

4.1.2. AASHTO designation and year of issue;

4.1.3. Applicable optional chemical and/or physical requirements;

4.1.4. Product form—densified or undensified in kilograms per cubic meter (lb/ft3)—dry.

5. CHEMICAL REQUIREMENTS

5.1. High-reactivity pozzolan shall conform to the chemical requirements prescribed in Table 1.
Optional chemical requirements are shown in Table 2.

Table 1—Chemical Requirements

Reactive Oxides (SiO2 + Al2O3 + Fe2O3), 75.0
min percent
Sulfur trioxide (SO3), max percent 3.0
Loss on ignition, max percent 6.0
Moisture content, max percent 3.0

TS-3b M 321-2 AASHTO

© 2006 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.
Table 2—Optional Chemical Requirementsa
Available alkalies, as Na2O, max percentb
Report value only % b
a
Optional chemical requirements will be made only at the
request of the purchaser.
b
Applicable only when specifically required for mineral
admixture to be used in concrete containing reactive
aggregate and cement to meet a limitation on content
of alkalies.

6. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

6.1. High-reactivity pozzolan shall conform to the physical requirements prescribed in Table 3.
Optional physical requirements are shown in Table 4.

Table 3—Physical Requirements

Accelerated Pozzolanic Strength Activity Index:
With portland cement, as percent of control, determine at seven days 85
Fineness: maximum percent retained on the 45- m No. 325) sievea 10
a
Exercise care to avoid retaining agglomerations of extremely fine materials.

Table 4—Optional Physical Requirementsa

Increase of drying shrinkage of mortar bars at 28 days, max, percent 0.10
Uniformity requirements:
In addition, when air-entrained concrete is specified, the quantity of air-entraining 20
admixture required to produce an air content volume of 18 percent of the
mortar shall not vary from the average established by the the 10 preceding tests, or
by all preceding tests if less than 10, by more than, percent
Reactivity with cement alkalies:
Reduction of mortar expansion at 14 days, min, percentb 80
Sulfate expansion 14 days, max, percent
0.045
Pozzolanic Strength Activity Index (non-accelerated curing):
With portland cement, as percent of control, determined at 28 days 100
a
Optional physical requirements will be made only at the request of the purchaser.
b
The indicated tests for reactivity with cement alkalies in accordance with ASTM C 441 should not be requested unless the material is to be used with an
aggregate that is regarded as deleteriously reactive with alkalies in cement. The test for reduction of mortar expansion
may be made using any high-alkali cement in accordance with ASTM C 441 if the portland cement to be used in the
mix is not known or is not available at the time of the test.

7. METHODS OF SAMPLING AND TESTING

7.1. High-reactivity pozzolan shall be sampled at the purchaser’s option in accordance with
ASTM C 311.

7.2. Testing of the high-reactivity pozzolan in accordance with the requirements of Section 8 shall be
conducted at the option of the purchaser.

TS-3b M 321-3 AASHTO

© 2006 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.
8. TEST METHODS

8.1. Chemical Analysis:

8.1.1. Silicon Dioxide, Aluminum Oxide, Iron Oxide, and Sulfur Trioxide—Determine in accordance
with T 105 for cements with insoluble residue greater than one percent. Rapid test methods
referenced in T 105 may be used.

8.1.2. Moisture Content, Loss on Ignition, and Available Alkalies—Make these determinations following
applicable provisions of ASTM C 311.

8.2. Physical Tests:

8.2.1. Density—ASTM C 311, record only.

8.2.2. Increase of Drying Shrinkage of Mortar Bars—ASTM C 311, except use 500 g portland cement,
50 g high-reactivity pozzolan, and 1325 g of sand in test mixture. The 50 g of high-reactivity
pozzolan replaces the 125 g of mineral admixture prescribed in ASTM C 311.

8.2.3. Reactivity with Cement Alkalies—ASTM C 441, except that the amount of high-reactivity
pozzolan in the test mixture shall be 10 percent by mass of cementitious material.

8.2.4. Accelerated Pozzolanic Strength Activity Index with Portland Cement—ASTM C 311, with the
procedure as modified in M 307 or ASTM C 1240, Section 16. A set of samples shall be evaluated
at seven days of age. As an optional test, Pozzolanic Strength Activity Index with Portland
Cement, ASTM C 311, with the procedure as modified in M 307 or ASTM C 1240, Section 16,
except with curing on a non-accelerated basis as in ASTM C 109. A set of samples shall be
evaluated at 28 days of age.

8.2.5. Air-Entrainment of Mortar—ASTM C 311, except use 300 g of portland cement, 30 g of high-
reactivity pozzolan, and 1170 g of standard Ottawa sand in the test mixture. Use sufficient water,
ml, to give a flow of 80 to 95 percent and sufficient neutralized vinsol resin solution, ml, to
produce an air content of 18 3 percent.

Also, use the following equation for Wc:

300 1170 30 300 P 0.01

Wc (1)
300 3.15 1170 2.65 30 D 300 P 0.01 1

Then calculate:
Air content, volume % = 100 1– (Wa Wc ) Wa = W 400 (2)

where:
Wa = actual mass per unit of volume of motar as determined by ASTM C 185, g mL,
W = mass of the specified 400 mL of motar (see Test Method ASTM C 185), g,
Wc = theoretical mass per unit volume, calculated on an air-free basis and using the values for
density and quantities in the material in the mixture, g mL,

TS-3b M 321-4 AASHTO

© 2006 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.
 P = percent passing of mixing water plus vinsol resin solution based on mass of cement, and
D = density of silica fumes used in the mixture, Mg m3.

8.2.5.1. Sulfate Expansion—ASTM C 1012, except that the amount of high-reactivity pozzolan in the test
mixture shall be 10 percent by mass of cementitious material.

9. STORAGE AND INSPECTION

9.1. The high-reactivity pozzolan shall be stored in such a manner as to permit easy access for proper
inspection and identification. Every facility shall provide the purchaser access for sampling and
inspection, either at the source or at the site of the work.

10. REJECTION

10.1. Materials that fail to conform to the requirements of this specification shall be rejected. Rejections
shall be reported to the producer or supplier promptly.

11. CERTIFICATION

11.1. Upon request of the purchaser in the contract or order, a manufacturer’s certification shall be
furnished stating the results of tests made on samples of the material taken during production or
transfer, and indicating conformance with applicable requirements of this specification.
Information on incorporated admixtures shall also be required.

12. PACKAGING AND PACKAGE MARKING

12.1. When high-reactivity pozzolan is delivered in packages, the name and brand of the manufacturer,
the loose bulk density, manufacturing lot number (incorporating manufacturing date) and the mass
of the high-reactivity pozzolan contained therein shall be clearly marked on each package pallet.
Similar information shall be provided in the shipping invoices accompanying the shipment of the
high-reactivity pozzolan. All packages shall be in good condition at the time of delivery.

TS-3b M 321-5 AASHTO

© 2006 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.