Performance Characteristics of Cementitious Composites Modified With Silica Fume: A Systematic Review

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Performance characteristics of cementitious composites modiﬁed with silica

fume: A systematic review
Article in Case Studies in Construction Materials · December 2022

DOI: 10.1016/j.cscm.2022.e01753
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Case Studies in Construction Materials 18 (2023) e01753
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Case Studies in Construction Materials

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/cscm
Performance characteristics of cementitious composites modified

with silica fume: A systematic review
Yuanfeng Lou a, *, Kaffayatullah Khan b, Muhammad Nasir Amin b, Waqas Ahmad c, *,
Ahmed Farouk Deifalla d, Ayaz Ahmad e
a
School of Architectural Engineering, Zhoukou Institute of Vocational Technology, Zhoukou 466000, China
b
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
c
Department of Civil Engineering, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad 22060, Pakistan
d
Structural Engineering and Construction Management Department, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Future University in Egypt, Cairo 11835,
Egypt
e
MaREI Centre, Ryan Institute and School of Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, University of Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T
Keywords: The intention of this study was to examine the use of the most prevalent industrial byproduct,
Cement replacement silica fume, as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM). Along with the typical review, this
Sustainable development study used the scientometric review technique to statistically examine the various features of the
Supplementary cementitious materials
existing literature. A scientometric-based study can deal with the massive literature data using the
Silica fume
Scientometric analysis
applicable software tool. The bibliometric data on silica fume in concrete was gathered using the
Scopus search engine between 2001 and July 2022. The top publication sources, co-occurrence of
keywords, highly cited authors, and active contributing countries were all examined using sci
entometric analysis. Additionally, the properties of composites using silica fume as the SCM were
discussed. The effect of silica fume addition on compressive, split-tensile, and flexural strength, as
well as the durability and microstructure of cementitious composites, were described. It was
concluded that the inclusion of silica fume as an SCM improved the material’s properties while
also providing environmental benefits. However, there is a limit beyond which silica fume
addition showed an unfavorable effect on the performance of cementitious composites. The op
timum proportion of silica fume in concrete was found to be in the range of 15–25 % by mass of
cement. Moreover, literature data were utilized to develop prediction models for the strengths of
cementitious composites containing silica fume, and the prediction models agreed with the actual
results. These prediction models could be used to test the material strength, saving both time and
cost.
1. Introduction
Industrial solid waste is a significant quantity of human-generated waste, which occurs in a broad variety of forms and is quite
complicated in nature [1–5]. The bulk of industrial wastes contains heavy metals such as radioactive waste, metal cleaning, and red
powder [6–8]. The improper management of solid industrial waste can cause leachate to permeate soil and groundwater, creating
irreversible environmental damage and compromising human health [9–13]. Additionally, climate change and global warming are the
* Corresponding authors.
E-mail addresses: louyuanfeng@126.com (Y. Lou), waqasahmad@cuiatd.edu.pk (W. Ahmad).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2022.e01753
Received 31 July 2022; Received in revised form 24 November 2022; Accepted 8 December 2022
Available online 10 December 2022
2214-5095/© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Y. Lou et al. Case Studies in Construction Materials 18 (2023) e01753
Fig. 1. Flowchart of scientometric analysis.
two most severe environmental issues caused by CO2 releases [14–16]. The construction industry has a substantial impact on the
environment, accounting for a substantial amount of CO2 releases [17–22]. Each ton of cement manufactured emits approximately 0.8
tons of CO2 [23–28]. Researchers throughout the world are continually searching for alternative or complementary materials to
cement [29–34]. Over the past few decades, the replacement of cement with supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), such as
silica fume (SF), slags, bagasse ash, rice husk ash, etc., has been researched [35–40]. In pore solution, SCMs hydrate cement hy
draulically or pozzolanically [41–43]. Utilizing industrial wastes in construction materials as SCMs is therefore an excellent strategy
for eco-efficient construction [44–49]. It might cut the need for cement, lower CO2 emissions, and resolve waste management issues
[50–52]. Among the different industrial byproducts that may be utilized as SCMs, SF is one of the most prevalent.
One of the widely available waste materials is SF which can be utilized as SCM [53–56]. Due to the tiny particle size of SF, it acts as a
filler and improves the packing of the matrix by entering the pores between cement grains [57–61]. Also, due to the high reactivity of
SF with Ca(OH)2, produced during the cement hydration, partial substitution of cement with SF may be viable [62–64]. The kind of
alloy manufactured in a production unit is proportional to the extent of SiO2 in SF [57]. Incorporating SF into cementitious materials
may result in decreased permeability, porosity, and bleeding, as oxides of SF react with and utilize Ca(OH)2 generated during cement
hydration [65]. The incorporation of SF is also being researched in the production of geopolymer concrete [66–71]. In addition to
enhancing the porosity, optimizing the microstructure, and increasing the density of geopolymer concrete, SF functions as an activator
to promote hydration [72]. Typically, SF is utilized in geopolymer concrete as a partial substitute for other binders, like fly ash. A
recent study partly substituted fly ash with SF at 10 %, 20 %, and 30 % ratios in fly ash-based geopolymer concrete and investigated
their effect on the strength and microstructure [73]. According to the experimental findings, the inclusion of SF enhanced the strength
2
Fig. 2. Subject area of articles.
and the microstructure of the geopolymer concrete. The compressive strength increased up to 30 % when fly ash was replaced with SF.
It was reported that the Ca(OH)2 in the matrix was consumed by SF to create a calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H) gel. The lowered Ca
(OH)2 and subsequent creation of extra C-S-H validated the findings. Thus, the effect of SF incorporation in conventional concrete and
geopolymer concrete was noted to be similar. However, this study is constrained to review the use of SF in cement-based materials
only.
As the study on SF usage in concrete develops as a result of the expanding trend toward the eco-friendly building, academics face
knowledge burdens that might impede imaginative inquiry and academic partnership. Therefore, it is critical to design and applies a
technique that enables scholars to obtain vital data from the highly reliable sources available. Using the software, a scientometric
approach may assist in addressing this problem. This work aims to perform a scientometric analysis of bibliometric data from 2001 to
July 2022 on the inclusion of SF into concrete. Using the appropriate tools, a scientometric method might perform a quantitative
review of huge literature data. Manual review studies fail to provide a comprehensive and accurate link between various areas of the
literature. Science mapping, co-occurrence, and co-citation are particularly challenging facets of contemporary investigation. The
scientometric analysis involves the identification of sources with the greatest number of publications, keyword concurrence, promi
nent researchers based on citations and publications, and locations actively utilizing SF in cementitious composites for eco-friendly
construction. Additionally, the most significant segments of SF-based cementitious materials have been highlighted and reviewed.
The influence of SF addition on compressive, split-tensile, and flexural strength, as well as the durability and microstructure of
cementitious composites, has been examined. Additionally, literature data were employed to create and evaluate prediction models
based on regression analysis for the strengths of concrete containing SF. These prediction models can be utilized to assess the material
strength, saving cost and time linked with experimental investigations.
2. Methods for scientometric analysis
In addition to a typical review, a scientometric analysis of the bibliographic data was carried out in this study to quantitatively
evaluate the various elements. Scientometric evaluations use science mapping, a technique created by scholars for evaluating the
literature data [74–80]. A huge quantity of documents has been published on SF usage in concrete; therefore, it is crucial to select a
trustworthy database. Scopus and Web of Science are the two most reliable search engines available for this purpose [81–83]. Scopus
was used to obtain the literature data for the present study on the application of SF in concrete since it is highly endorsed by scholars
[84–86]. As of July 2022, the search phrase "silica fume in concrete" generated 6463 results from the Scopus database. Various filter
options were applied to exclude superfluous data. Fig. 1 depicts the filters implemented at various stages of data retrieval and pro
cessing. After applying these filters to the Scopus site, 5037 results were kept. For further analysis, Scopus data was saved in Comma
Separated Values (CSV) format. It was discovered that the received data included irrelevant information, such as geopolymer concrete,
which was manually eliminated. The reason for selecting the publication year from 2001 onwards is to retrieve and analyze the
3
Fig. 3. Annual publication trend of articles, as of July 2022.
Table 1
Publishing sources with at least 20 papers from 2001 to July 2022.
Source Documents Citations
Construction and building materials 565 27,010

American concrete institute, ACI special publication 202 975
Cement and concrete composites 132 10,221
IOP conference series: materials science and engineering 115 297
Cement and concrete research 113 12,190
Materials today: proceedings 105 343
ACI materials journal 103 3403
Materials 87 741
Journal of materials in civil engineering 85 2116
International journal of civil engineering and technology 83 214
Magazine of concrete research 55 1077
Materials and structures/materiaux et constructions 55 1997
IOP conference series: earth and environmental science 54 41
Journal of cleaner production 53 3410
Journal of building engineering 41 448
Matec web of conferences 34 94
Computers and concrete 33 442
Structural concrete 32 293
Proceedings, annual conference - Canadian society for civil engineering 29 14
Case studies in construction materials 27 156
Advances in materials science and engineering 26 348
KSCE journal of civil engineering 24 326
Advances in cement research 23 380
International journal of applied engineering research 23 79
Sustainable construction materials and technologies 22 72
Advances in concrete construction 21 253
Applied sciences (switzerland) 20 139
Procedia engineering 20 429
relatively recent literature. The data retrieval was carried out in July 2022, which was kept as the upper limit for publications. In the
end, 3707 papers remained for the assessment. For bibliographic data analysis, VOSviewer (version 1.6.18) was employed to provide a
systematic mapping and statistical analysis of the literature. VOSviewer is an open-source, publicly accessible visualization tool that is
broadly used across a variety of fields and has been extensively discussed in the literature [87–91]. Consequently, the present study’s
aims were attained by the use of VOSviewer. The saved CSV files were imported into VOSviewer, and analysis was conducted while
maintaining data integrity and reliability. During the scientometric study, the publishing sources, the most frequently occurring
keywords, the authors with the most citations, and the nations’ involvement were all analyzed. The various characteristics, their
interactions, and their co-occurrence were depicted using diagrams, while their quantitative values were presented in tables.
4
Fig. 4. Science mapping of publication sources with minimum 20 articles: (a) Network map; (b) Density map.
5
Table 2
Leading 20 mostly used keywords in the related research articles.
Keyword Occurrences
Silica fume 3010

Compressive strength 1547
Fly ash 1275
Concretes 1193
Cements 808
Silica 778
Slags 684
Durability 681
portland cement 596
Concrete mixtures 594
High performance concrete 592
Concrete 534
Mechanical properties 448
Chlorine compounds 432
Concrete aggregates 419
Tensile strength 409
Aggregates 403
Mixtures 368
Reinforced concrete 329
Concrete additives 320
3. Scientometric analysis results and discussions
3.1. Relevant subject areas and yearly publication trend
This evaluation was conducted with the Scopus analyzer to discover the most relevant research areas. As displayed in Fig. 2, the top
three document-generating disciplines are Engineering, Materials Science, and Environmental Science, with about 44 %, 33 %, and 6 %
of the subject topic’s documents, accounting for a total document count contribution of 83 %. From 2001 to July 2022, Fig. 3 depicts
the yearly development of publications in the current research area. The amount of publications pertaining to the application of SF in
concrete has increased steadily. The progress of publications has risen drastically during the past five years. It is interesting to observe
how researchers are progressively concentrating their studies on eco-friendly construction techniques, which is in line with achieving
global construction sustainability goals.
3.2. Publication sources
The collected bibliographic data and the VOSviewer were utilized for this assessment. A least 20 articles per outlet were restricted,
and 28 of the 563 outlets met these requirements. Table 1 displays the outlets (journals/conferences) that published at least 20
publications having data on SF in cementitious composites between 2001 and July 2022, along with the number of citations they
earned over that time frame. The top three journals in terms of the number of articles are Construction and building materials (CBM),
American concrete institute, ACI special publication, and Cement and concrete composites, with 565, 202, and 132 papers, respec
tively. CBM earned the most number of citations (27,010), followed by Cement and concrete research (12,190) and Cement and
concrete composites (11,800). (10,221). Notably, this exploration would serve as a basis for future scientometric investigations in the
field. Additionally, prior manual reviews were unable of providing visualization maps for scientific mapping. Fig. 4 shows a repre
sentation of journals/conferences that have published at least 20 articles. The size of the box in Fig. 4(a) is related to the source’s article
count contribution to the present study field; a larger box size indicates a greater contribution. CBM, for instance, has bigger box
dimensions than the others, indicating that it is a very influential publication outlet in its field. Each of the six clusters created is
represented by a different hue in the figure. According to the number of research sources or the frequency with which they are
referenced together, clusters are generated [92]. Furthermore, frames (journals/conferences) that are closely placed have greater
relationships than those that are widely dispersed. For instance, CBM is more closely linked to the Journal of cleaner production than to
Materials. As displayed in Fig. 4(b), distinct colors correspond to varying density concentrations for a source. Red implies the highest
density, followed by yellow, green, and blue. CBM, American concrete institute, ACI special publication, and other prominent journals
have red shades, indicating a greater contribution to SF in concrete research.
3.3. Keywords
Keywords are essential in research because they define and emphasize the fundamental subject of the research domain [93]. The
lowest number of keyword occurrences was maintained at 100. After applying these limits, 67 of the 13,482 keywords were retained.
Table 2 displays the top 20 terms that have occurred often in the subject’s published publications. The leading five most repeatedly
used keywords in the related research papers are silica fume, compressive strength, fly ash, and concretes. The evaluation of keyword
usage indicated that SF had been explored mainly for incorporation into concrete as SCM to enhance the mechanical and durability
6
Fig. 5. Co-occurrence of keywords: (a) Scientific mapping; (b) Density mapping.
characteristics of concrete and to increase the use of sustainable building materials. Fig. 5 depicts the scientific map of keywords based
on their co-occurrences, relationships, and density correlated with their frequency. In Fig. 5(a), the frame size represents the frequency
of a keyword, while its position shows its co-occurrence in publications. In addition, the figure displays that the selected keywords have
larger frames than the rest, specifying that they are essential terms for the study of SF utilization in concrete. Clusters of keywords are
7
Table 3
List of authors with minimum 10 documents published on SF usage in concrete from 2001 to July 2022.
Author Documents Citations Average citations
Ramezanianpour A.A. 33 1037 31

Shekarchi M. 30 1400 47
Maslehuddin M. 29 900 31
Zhang Y. 25 507 20
Wang X. 24 373 16
Zhang J. 23 475 21
Li Z. 21 764 36
Wang J. 21 396 19
Güneyisi E. 18 1572 87
Thomas M.D.A. 18 631 35
Liu J. 17 817 48
Wang Y. 17 122 7
Shi C. 16 1198 75
Chen B. 16 833 52
Ahmad S. 16 302 19
Hassan A.A.A. 16 234 15
Khayat K.H. 15 841 56
Nili M. 14 822 59
Tagnit-Hamou A. 14 356 25
Li J. 14 316 23
Kwan A.K.H. 14 266 19
Singh S.P. 14 214 15
Nehdi M.L. 13 330 25
Khan M.I. 13 253 19
Singh S. 13 228 18
Ibrahim M. 12 500 42
Li H. 12 328 27
Wang L. 12 324 27
Ramadoss P. 12 129 11
Mazloom M. 11 626 57
Shameem M. 11 494 45
Wang D. 11 443 40
Zhou X. 11 162 15
Zhang W. 11 100 9
Li Y. 11 59 5
Gesoǧlu M. 10 1104 110
Tanyildizi H. 10 540 54
Siddique R. 10 471 47
Li L. 10 364 36
Zhang P. 10 349 35
Shafiq N. 10 328 33
Amin M. 10 295 30
Nuruddin M.F. 10 267 27
De Belie N. 10 239 24
Wang W. 10 213 21
Wang Q. 10 198 20
Dybeł P. 10 87 9
Kaushik S.K. 10 74 7
Chen X. 10 67 7
shown in the image to represent their co-occurrence in a range of publications (Fig. 5(a)). The colors green, red, blue, yellow, and
purple indicate the existence of five clusters. As noticed in Fig. 5(b), various shades compare the keyword’s density levels. The red,
yellow, green, and blue are organized based on their respective densities, with red implying the highest and blue with the lowest
density. Significant keywords such as silica fume, compressive strength, fly ash, and concretes have red/yellow indicators indicating a
larger density. These findings will aid future scholars in selecting keywords that speed the recognition of published material in a
particular field.
3.4. Authors
Citations demonstrate a researcher’s impact on a certain study topic [94]. The least number of documents limit for a writer was set
at 10, and 49 of the 7597 writers fulfilled this requirement. The researchers with the most documents and citations in the research of SF
utilization in concrete, as noted from the analysis of data, are listed in Table 3. The average citations for each author were determined
by dividing the total number of citations by the number of publications. It is challenging to determine the efficacy of a scholar when all
aspects, like documents and average/total citations, are deemed. As an alternative, the assessment of scholars can be performed
separately for each aspect. Based on the total papers, the top three authors are A.A. Ramezanianpour with 33 papers, M. Shekarchi with
8
Fig. 6. Scientific map of authors: (a) With at least10 documents published; (b) Connected authors on the basis of citations.
30 papers, and M. Maslehuddin with 29 papers. In terms of total citations, Güneyisi E. is in the lead with 1572, followed by Shekarchi
M. with 1400 and Shi C. with 1198 total citations in the current research field. Moreover, when average citations are compared, the
following writers come out on top: Gesolu M. has around 110, Güneyisi E. has approximately 87, and Shi C. has approximately 75
average citations. Fig. 6(a) depicts the visualization of authors with at least 10 publications and the connections of the most significant
authors. As illustrated in Fig. 6(b), 23 of the 49 writers were found to be related through citations. Based on citations in the research on
SF incorporation in concrete, this analysis revealed that a number of authors from diverse locations are interconnected. This evaluation
can assist new researchers in identifying renowned scientists in the SF use in the concrete research field in order to form scientific
partnerships.
3.5. Countries
Several nations have contributed more to the research of SF use in concrete than others and aim to participate further. The network
9
Table 4
Countries with minimum 20 published documents in the present research area from 2001 to
July 2022.
Country Documents Citations
India 698 6120

China 466 11,465
United States 357 12,683
Iran 291 8426
Canada 192 5715
Turkey 191 8753
Egypt 138 2857
Iraq 138 1226
United Kingdom 132 4087
Malaysia 122 2706
Saudi Arabia 119 2580
South Korea 99 3634
Australia 96 3010
Spain 85 2431
Japan 80 1193
France 78 2222
Germany 69 2058
Pakistan 63 1189
Hong Kong 60 3262
Poland 60 1283
Brazil 59 1147
Italy 55 2374
Russian Federation 45 208
Singapore 44 2027
Algeria 42 515
Taiwan 39 779
Norway 37 755
Portugal 36 1654
Indonesia 36 290
Colombia 32 582
United Arab Emirates 31 634
Mexico 31 255
Viet Nam 30 1626
Thailand 30 1128
Belgium 30 942
Czech Republic 27 432
mapping was created so that readers may view sites devoted to eco-friendly construction. The least document threshold for a nation
was maintained at 20, and 36 nations met this condition. The nations having at least 20 publications in the present research field are
shown in Table 4. The United States, India, and China published the most documents, with 698, 466, and 357, respectively. The United
States has 12,683 citations, followed by China with 11,465 citations and Turkey with 8753 citations. Fig. 7 shows the science mapping
and the density of countries connected by citations. In Fig. 7(a), the box size corresponds to the influence of a nation on the subject
matter. According to the density visualization in Fig. 7(b), the nations with the highest involvement had the higher density concen
tration. The graphical description of the participating states will assist future scholars in forging scientific partnerships, developing
joint ventures, and exchanging creative methods and ideas.
4. Properties of silica fume
SF is a byproduct of the silicon and ferrosilicon alloy manufacturing industries [95,96], produced at extremely elevated temper
atures during the reduction of quartz. To remove oxygen from high-purity quartz, it is heated in an electric arc boiler at a temperature
of 2000 ◦ C with coke, coal, or wood chips. Silicon monoxide is emitted during the reduction of quartz to alloy and accumulates at the
furnace’s base. In the upper parts of the boiler, the fume oxidizes and condenses, forming amorphous silica [95]. It is an extremely fine
powder, also called micro-silica. The kind of alloy formed in a manufacturing unit is proportional to the extent of SiO2 in SF [97,98]. SF
has pozzolanic properties and a physical filling effect, due to which it is a widely accepted SCM. The presence of highly reactive
amorphous silica (SiO2) in SF reacts with Ca(OH)2 in cementitious composites in the presence of water to form a
calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H) gel that imparts binding and strength properties to the composite [11]. SF is a high-quality white or
gray powder. The particles are extremely small and spherical in shape. Almost 95 % of particles are less than 1 µm [97]. SF particles are
almost 100 times smaller than cement grains [58]. The physical characteristics of SF are listed in Table 5. SF contains silicon oxide in
concentrations ranging from 85 % to 98.5 %. As shown in Table 6, iron, magnesium, and alkali oxides were also detected in trace
quantities. SF’s pozzolanic reactivity and cementitious properties are enhanced by the presence of silicon oxide, making it appropriate
for use in cementitious materials.
10
Fig. 7. Scientific map of leading contributing countries: (a) Network map; (b) Density visualization.
11
Table 5
Physical properties of silica fume.
Reference Particle size (nm) Density (g/cm3) Specific surface area (m2/kg) Specific gravity (g/cm3)
[99] 229 0.3–0.5 14,000 2.21

[100] 229 – 20,000–25,000 1.9–2.3
[101] 150 – 20,000 2.2
[102] – – 14,000 2.21
[103] 200 2.23 – –
[104] – – 18,500 2.2
[105] – 2 20,000 –
Table 6
Chemical properties of silica fume.
Reference Compound (%)
SiO2 Al2O3 Fe2O3 MgO K2O Na2O CaO SO3 pH LOI
[99] 93 1.7 1.2 1.0 1.1 0.6 0.3 – 6.8–8.0 –

[100] 95 0.6 1.3 1.1 0.9 0.3 0.5 – – –
[102] 85–95 0.5–1.7 0.4–2.0 0.1–0.9 0.15–1.02 0.15–0.20 – – – –
[103] 94.4 0.80 1.20 0.60 – – 1.40 – – 0.75
[104] 93.9 – 0.59 0.27 0.86 0.17 1.85 0.42 – 0.90
[106] 98.48 0.40 0.03 0.40 0.72 0.25 0.44 0.42 0.90
[107] 95 0.2 0.4 0.3 0.1 0.6 0.5 – – 2.5
[108] 88–94 0.6–1.2 0.3–1.6 0.95–1.8 0.7–1.2 0.7–1.2 0.95–1.8 – – –
[109] 97.36 0.53 0.15 0.79 0.29 0.06 0.14 0.51 – –
Table 7
Hydration heat variation with silica fume incorporation with time [112].
SF content (%) Hydration heat (kcal/kg)
w/b 0–0.5 h 0.52 h 2–8 h 8–24 h At 24 h At 72 h
0 0.35 2.6 0.4 11.7 31.3 45.9 56.9

10 0.35 3.1 0.4 8.7 34.5 46.6 56.1
0 0.4 2.6 0.5 11.8 31.8 46.7 –
10 0.4 3.2 0.4 10.3 33.6 47.4 –
0 0.5 2.6 0.4 10.2 33.3 46.4 –
10 0.5 3.2 0.5 9.7 35.3 48.7 –
5. Properties of cementitious composites containing silica fume
5.1. Heat of hydration
SF is amorphous and may also contain crystalline silica in the form of quartz or cristobalite. SF is extremely reactive due to its high
surface area and amorphous nature. The addition of SF speeds up the hydration of C3S, C2S, and C4AF [110]. Kadri and Duval [111]
examined the effect of SF on the hydration heat of cementitious composites. For composites with water-to-binder (w/b) ratios of
0.25–0.45, SF with a mass replacement rate of 10–30 % was used in place of cement. According to their findings, the w/b and the SF
concentration were the two most important factors in determining the hydration rate of cementitious composites containing SF. There
was a clear reduction in hydration rate with increasing w/b, and this trend held true regardless of the presence of SF in the composite.
The total heat of hydration within the first 10 days relied on the quantity of SF in the mix. Cement usage decreased when SF con
centration was raised, which decreased the hydration heat and increased the pozzolanic reaction. Similarly, Langan et al. [112]
explored the effect of SF on the hydration heat of cement. SF of 10 % was used as a partial replacement for cement. Calorimeter
experiments for 24 h were conducted on mixes at w/b of 0.35, 0.40, and 0.50. Nonetheless, several were continued for 72 h to monitor
any further effects. Table 7 displays the impact of SF on the accumulative hydration heat. Regardless of the w/b, it was obvious that the
incorporation of SF increased heat progress during the first 30 min of hydration and between 8 and 24 h. The heat evolved during the
latent age was nearly steady for all mixes; however, the heat evolved between 2 and 8 h decreased. At a w/b ratio of 0.35, the presence
of silica fume did not affect the total heat developed at 1 and 3 days. Increasing w/b does increase the total heat at 1 day.
5.2. Workability
Most of the past studies stated a reduction in the workability of fresh cementitious composites with the incorporation of SF. A study
investigated the slump flow of high-strength concrete (HSC) and discovered that the slump reduces as the amount of SF in the mix
12
Table 8
CS of composites incorporating silica fume at the age of 28-days.
Ref. SF replacement content (%) w/b CS (MPa)
Mastali and Dalvand [102], 0 % SFb 0 0.44 56.0

7 62.0
14 68.5
Mastali and Dalvand [102], 0.25 % SFb 0 60.1
7 65.2
14 70.0
7 68.0
14 73.6
7 70.0
14 78.1
Bhanja and Sengupta [118] 0 0.26 82.1
5 92.7
10 93.1
15 96.0
20 94.2
25 88.0
Bhanja and Sengupta[118] 0 0.30 67.5
5 75.5
10 79.0
15 84.1
20 87.5
25 82.5
5 64.0
10 72.1
15 76.1
20 81.5
25 78.0
5 60.0
10 66.5
15 67.5
20 69.0
25 71.5
30 67.5
5 51.0
10 57.5
15 60.6
20 62.5
25 63.7
30 51.0
Sahoo et al. [119] 0 0.48 32.0
5 0.43 31.1
10 41.3
15 44.8
20 50.9
25 46.0
30 45.8
SFb: steel fiber.
increases [100]. The slump was reduced by 29 % when the SF replacement ratio was 12 %, compared to the control mix. Fallah and
Nematzadeh [99] also found a decrease in the slump of up to 59 %, with 12 % SF as cement replacement. Conversely, Wu et al. [104]
carried out a slump test on fresh ultra-HSC containing differing amounts of SF. The slump of the control mix devoid of SF was 113 mm;
when SF replaced 10 % and 15 % of cement, the slump flow increased to 150 and 175 mm, respectively. However, when further SF was
added, the slump was reduced. A higher quantity of SF reduced the workability of fresh concrete due to the large surface area of SF and
high-water demand. Superplasticizers are typically used to compensate for the high water requirement of SF [113]. The use of
superplasticizer aids in the distribution of accumulated cement grains as ultra-fine grains, which may release additional free water
[114]. Additionally, the spherical shape of SF has a water-reducing effect, and the SF grains act as small bearings. When SF is used, a
water-reducing admixture is usually added to allow the SF to pack with the cement particles and function as an efficient lubricant
[115]. This study revealed that SF content is generally lower than 10 % for normal concretes, while a superplasticizer is used to retain
the slump with 10 % SF for HSC [116]. Usually, less than 15 % SF is used in high-performance concretes [117].
13
Fig. 8. Influence of cement replacement by silica fume on 28-days CS of composites. SFb: steel fiber.
5.3. Compressive strength
SF used as SCM improves the microstructure and interfacial transition zone (ITZ) among the aggregate and cement matrix and
enhances the performance of composites. A study performed a compressive strength (CS) test on self-compacting concrete (SCC)
samples [102]. The investigation revealed that CS might be improved by partial substitution of cement by SF. The SF addition
improved the aggregate-cement bond, resulting in a stronger bond at ITZ. Compared to the controlled specimen, the addition of SF up
to 14 % as cement replacement increased the CS up to 21 %. Several researchers have reported similar results, as listed in Table 8. The
variation in 28-day CS of composites with respect to the reference sample is depicted in Fig. 8. The figure illustrates that the SF used as
SCM has a substantial influence on the CS, i.e., improvement in CS has been found compared to the controlled sample. Moreover, by
increasing the quantity of SF to an optimal value, the CS increased. As investigated by various researchers, this optimum value could be
20 % or 25 %, as observed in the figure. Further increase in the replacement ratio caused a reduction in CS compared to the optimum
ratio. Bhanja and Sengupta [118] reported optimum SF content in the range of 15–25 %, depending upon the w/b of the mix. Similarly,
the experimental results of Sahoo et al. [119] revealed the maximum improvement in CS by 59 % at an SF content of 20 %, compared
with the reference sample without SF. The improvement in CS is attributed to the physical and chemical effects of SF. SF fills gaps
within cement particles and enhances solid material packing, which can be regarded as a physical effect contributing to the rise in CS
[120]. The pozzolanic reactions amongst silica (SiO2) in SF composition and Ca(OH)2 in cementitious materials formed during cement
hydration develop a C-S-H gel that can be regarded as a chemical effect [115]. Furthermore, the use of SF creates multiple nucleation
sites for the precipitation of the hydration products, which speeds up the reaction and results in reduced Ca(OH)2 [121]. Another
explanation is that when SF is added to concrete, the majority of the uninterrupted voids become disconnected, and the size of the
bigger pores shrinks. All these variables contribute to the compact microstructure [120].
5.4. Split-tensile strength
The literature reported that SF has the same effect on the split-tensile strength (STS) of composites as CS, as listed in Table 9. The
percentage variation in 28-day STS of composites with the addition of SF is depicted in Fig. 9. Mastali and Dalvand [102] performed
the STS test of SCC specimens. The investigation demonstrated that STS might be improved using SF as a cement substitute. The bond
amongst aggregate and cement paste can be enhanced by adding SF, which results in a stronger bond at the ITZ. The maximum STS was
observed with the addition of 14 % SF in place of cement. Bhanja and Sengupta [118] examined the mechanical performance of
concrete with SF as SCM at different w/b. Similar to the CS, they reported the optimum SF content for STS in the range of 15–25 %.
Sahoo et al. [119] observed that the STS of concrete improved gradually as the SF percentage increased and reached an optimum value
at 20 % SF replacement. Further increase in SF content decreased the STS. The increase in STS was found to be around 12 %, 13 %, 33
%, 49%, 43 %, and 42% when 5 %, 10 %, 15 %, 20%, 25 % and 30 % of cement was replaced by SF, respectively. Strength increments
behaved similarly for CS and STS. Additionally, optimum strength was achieved in both cases with a 20 % SF content. The factors that
contribute to the increase in STS are similar to those that contribute to the increase in CS. Increased STS may be the result of improved
microstructural properties.
14
Table 9
STS of composites incorporating silica fume at the age of 28-days.
Reference SF replacement content (%) w/b STS (MPa)

7 3.75
14 3.90
7 4.22
14 4.50
7 4.40
14 4.75
7 4.93
14 5.30
5 6.35
10 6.33
15 6.65
20 6.50
25 5.75
5 5.60
10 6.10
15 6.25
20 6.25
25 5.60
5 5.65
10 5.70
15 5.75
20 6.00
25 5.80
5 4.50
10 5.15
15 5.23
20 5.25
25 5.27
30 4.90
5 4.38
10 4.42
15 4.50
20 4.55
25 4.52
30 4.30
Sahoo et al. [119] 0 0.48 2.55
5 0.43 2.87
10 2.88
15 3.37
20 3.80
25 3.64
30 3.60
SFb: steel fiber.
5.5. Flexural strength
The flexural strength (FS) results of cementitious materials incorporating SF as SCM has been listed in Table 10. In addition, Fig. 10
displays the effect of cement replacement by SF on FS related to the reference composites without SF. The impact of SF on FS is
comparable to the influence on CS and STS. Mastali and Dalvand [102] found an increase in FS of steel fiber reinforced SCC with the
addition of SF in 7% and 14 % proportions in place of cement. At 0 % steel fibers, the increase in FS was around 6.7 % and 11 % at 0.25
% steel fibers, the improvement was 3% and 8.8 % at 0.5% steel fibers, the improvement was 3 % and 6.6 %, and at 0.75 % steel fibers,
the improvement was 4.7 % and 9 % with SF content of 7 % and 14 %, respectively. Bhanja and Sengupta [118] reported the maximum
improvement in FS than the reference sample by 28 % with 15 % SF content at a w/b of 0.26. Also, at w/b of 0.30 and 0.34, the
maximum improvement in FS was around 46 % and 47 %, respectively, with an SF content of 20 %. Moreover, at w/b of 0.38 and 0.42,
the maximum improvement was observed to be about 31% and 23 %, respectively, when 25 % SF content was used in place of cement.
So, the optimum range for SF to be used as cement replacement is 15–25 %, depending upon the w/b of a composite. Sahoo et al. [119]
evaluated the FS of concrete at various proportions of SF. They observed that 5 % of SF as cement replacement did not affect FS. FS
15
Fig. 9. Influence of cement replacement by silica fume on 28-days STS of composites. SFb: steel fiber.
gradually increased as SF replacement was increased and reached an optimal value at 25 % SF replacement. FS increased by
approximately 4.45 %, 5 %, 12 %, 33 %, and 18 % at SF proportions of 10 %, 15 %, 20 %, 25 %, and 30 %, respectively. FS exhibited a
slightly different trend than the CS and STS. This can be attributed to the incorporation of ultra-fine particles, which reduced the total
specific pore volume, thereby increasing FS. Hence, SF addition in construction materials can contribute towards sustainability and in
improving the mechanical performance of materials.
5.6. Strength prediction models
In addition to a review of the parameters affecting the strength of cementitious composites incorporating SF, a regression analysis
was performed on the literature data as reported in Tables 8, 9, and 10, utilizing two essential variables: w/b and SF replacement
content. The relationship between w/b and SF replacement content and concrete strength was calculated using regression models, as
shown in Eqs. (1)–(3). These models might be employed to calculate the strength of SF concrete for different w/b and SF concen
trations. The results of the regression models for CS, STS, and FS estimates are depicted in Figs. 11, 12, and 13, respectively. The
coefficient of determination (R2) for a model represents its prediction accuracy. A larger R2 value close to 1 suggests more accuracy
[122–124]. The correlation between actual and anticipated results for the CS regression model is depicted in Fig. 11(a). The resulting
model has an R2 value of 0.84, implying that the real and estimated results agreed well. Also, the difference among the estimated and
real results (error) was investigated and displayed in Fig. 11(b). The error values varied from 0.05 to 13.46 MPa, with a mean of
4.98 MPa. These error values suggested that the regression model for the CS estimate of SF concrete functioned adequately. Similarly,
Fig. 12(a) depicts the correlation among actual and estimated results for the STS model. The R2 of 0.77 suggested the model’s precision
in calculating the STS of SF concrete. Fig. 12(b) displays the dispersion of actual, estimated, and error values. It was observed that the
highest and average errors were 1.45 and 0.36 MPa, respectively, confirming the STS model’s reliability. Similarly, Fig. 13(a) displays
the connection between actual and anticipated findings for the FS model. This model performed adequately in predicting the FS of SF
concrete with an R2 of 0.86. Moreover, Fig. 13(b) displays the distribution of actual, predicted, and error values for the FS model. It was
revealed that the highest and average errors were 2.33 and 0.52 MPa, respectively, which supported the FS model’s accuracy.
Consequently, these models may be utilized to evaluate the strength of SF concrete employing w/b and SF content as inputs. However,
to build more precise prediction models, further research must be conducted to collect additional datasets with a higher number of
input variables. It is expected that incorporating more data samples and input variables might improve the accuracy of models’
predictions.
CS = 202 + 1.50SFC − 6.23w/b − 0.046(SFC)2 + 630.6(w/b)2 R2 = 0.84 (1)
STS = 5.34 + 0.090SFC + 8.92w/b − 0.0028(SFC)2 − 29.58(w/b)2 R2 = 0.77 (2)
FS = 11.46 + 0.119SFC + 0.711w/b − 0.0018(SFC)2 − 33.98(w/b)2 R2 = 0.86 (3)
Where,CS, STS, and FS are predicted compressive, split-tensile, and flexural strengths, respectively,w/b is the water-to-binder ratio of
the mix, and.
SFC is the silica fume content in percentage as cement replacement.
16
Table 10
FS of composites incorporating silica fume at the age of 28-days.
Reference Replacement ratio (%) Water to binder ratio (w/b) Flexural strength (MPa)

7 4.8
14 5
7 5.25
14 5.55
7 5.45
14 5.65
7 5.76
14 6
5 9.77
10 10.3
15 11.4
20 11.1
25 11
5 9
10 9.5
15 10
20 10.9
25 10.25
5 8.77
10 8.8
15 9.75
20 10.8
25 8.72
5 7.2
10 7.6
15 9
20 9.1
25 9.4
30 7.9
5 6.8
10 6.9
15 7.4
20 7.5
25 8.3
30 6.77
Sahoo et al. [119] 0 0.48 6.3
5 0.43 6.23
10 6.6
15 6.6
20 7.16
25 8.4
30 7.47
SFb: steel fiber.
5.7. Fracture performance
Damages to cementitious composites in the form of cracks are one of the primary causes of the degradation of its mechanical and
physical properties and, ultimately, their destruction [125]. To enhance the performance of cementitious composites, it is vital to
understand not only the fundamental strength characteristics but also the fracture mechanics factors [126]. Currently, binary, ternary,
and even quaternary binders with mineral additives are utilized [127,128]. These include fly ash cements containing SF in common
[129–131]. Gil and Golewski [125] evaluated the fracture toughness of concrete incorporating 10 % SF and varying amounts of fly ash
(0 %, 10 %, and 20 %) as cement replacement. Tests were performed at the age of 28 days, and the greatest values were reached with a
combination of 10 % SF and 10 % fly ash. Similar findings were also reported in another study [126] when SF and fly ash were
incorporated as additives, and fracture toughness was determined at 3, 7, and 28 days. At all ages of concrete, the inclusion of SF and
fly ash improved the fracture toughness, and the best combination was reported to be 10 % SF and 10 % fly ash. Additionally, at the
early ages of 3 and 7 days, the improvement in fracture toughness of samples containing SF and fly ash was more compared to the 28
days improvement. Concretes with fine and chemically active mineral additions (like SF and fly ash) show significant improvements in
17
Fig. 10. Influence of cement replacement by silica fume on 28-days flexural strength of composites. SFb: steel fiber.
mechanical characteristics as a result of the microstructural changes in the composites. As the early curing ages, the addition of SF is
most helpful. However, the advantages of replacing cement with FA become more apparent at later curing ages [126]. Golewski [132]
performed comprehensive research on the fracture mechanics characteristics of quaternary-binder concretes. As a partial substitute for
cement, a mixture of the two most prevalent mineral additions, i.e., SF and fly ash, along with nano-silica, was proposed. The mix
having 80 % cement, 10 % SF, 5 % FA, and 5 % nano-silica demonstrated the greatest efficacy, as determined by the experimental
results. These findings were also supported by another study [133]. It was discovered that modifying the binder structure with three
pozzolanic active ingredients led to an increase in the mechanical parameters analyzed for each combination compared to the control
concrete. The structure of the quaternary binder mixes was slightly heterogeneous when the binder was replaced by three additives. In
addition, as the amount of fly ash increased in each series of quaternary concrete, the material became more ductile and exhibited less
brittle failure [133,134].
5.8. Durability
Most of the literature reported enhancement in the durability of cementitious composites with the addition of SF. Motahari Karein
et al. [135] demonstrated that adding SF to the cementitious composites mix results in a significant quantity of C-S-H being generated
by the reaction of Ca(OH)2 with SiO2, resulting in a compact microstructure. Chloride penetration for SF composites was reduced by
61.2–80.7 % for various mixes with a w/b of 0.35/0.45. According to Motahari Karein et al. [135], the water absorption of a specimen
is primarily concerned with the irregular surficial voids of the matrix and less with the capillary pores. The study demonstrates that the
water absorption capacity of composites containing SF reduced with the age of the samples. The cause for the reduction in water
absorption might be the pozzolanic behavior of SF, which lowers the concrete’s surficial voids. Similarly, Rostami and Behfarnia [108]
noticed that as the proportion of SF increased, the rates of water absorption dropped. Adding 5 %, 10 %, or 15 % SF to the cementitious
mix resulted in a reduction in water absorption rate of around 6.0 %, 9.7 %, and 13.1 %, respectively, compared to the mix without SF.
Hence, the filler effect and pozzolanic nature of SF favors its utility in cementitious composites due to the improvement in mechanical
and durability properties.
5.9. Microstructure
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis was performed by Rostami and Behfarnia [108] on concrete samples without SF
(Fig. 14(a) and (b)) and samples with 10 % SF (Fig. 14(c) and (d)). When the two were compared, it was clear that concrete samples
devoid of SF contained more vacant spaces among slag particles and voids. In comparison, samples with SF filled the voids in the
matrix. It was noticed that the permeability of samples decreased with SF. Additionally, the formation of the C-S-H gel into the matrix
filled the gaps among the particles. Thus, SF acts as a filler and as an activator, promoting hydration and improving the microstructure
of the composite. The improvement in microstructure with the addition of SF has been reported in various studies [136–138]. The SEM
analysis showed that the addition of SF results in the improved densified microstructure of cementitious composites that might have a
positive impact on the mechanical strength and durability.
Sadrmomtazi et al. [139] studied the morphology of fiber-reinforced cementitious composites with the addition of SF to substitute
binder by mass. The SEM micrographs of samples are shown in Fig. 15. The creation of flower-shaped amorphs in pores of the matrix
was clearly noted in samples without SF (Fig. 15(a)); the presence of voids can facilitate the linear development of C-S-H gel, which
18
Fig. 11. Prediction model for CS: (a) Relationship between experimental and estimated findings; (b) Dispersal of experimental, estimated, and
error values.
might the possible cause of relatively low strength in these samples. The SEM micrograph of fiber-reinforced cementitious sample
containing 15 % SF is shown in Fig. 15(b). The cluster-shaped crystals of lime that developed around the fiber are nearly discernible;
this can have a good influence on the enhancement of strength. In another study by Sadrmomtazi et al. [140], a favorable effect of SF
was noted in forming compact and dense microstructure of ultra-high-performance concrete, resulting in improved strength. It was
also reported in the literature that SF incorporation in cementitious composites enhances the interface bond between the aggregate and
paste [141,142].
6. Environmental aspects
As stated earlier, a tremendous volume of waste is produced by a variety of procedures, and SF is a common industrial byproduct
[56,143]. Fig. 16 depicts the problems involved in the disposal of SF. The disposal of SF in landfills may lead to a lack of usable land and
generate difficulties for waste management organizations [58]. Furthermore, when SF come in contact with water bodies, the water
becomes contaminated [144]. In addition, SF has considerably small particles, easily combined with air, and contributes to air
pollution [145]. In addition, if SF is disposed of in close proximity to agricultural land, this may have an effect on cultivable land.
Consequently, dumping SF endangers both the natural environment and human health [146]. Moreover, cementitious composites are
the most often utilized building material [147–151], and SF has the potential to be used as SCM in cementitious composites [152].
Therefore, utilizing SF in cementitious composites would be a more sustainable practice. Fig. 17 depicts the advantages of using SF in
concrete as SCM. Although cement is the fundamental component of concrete, its manufacture is extremely energy intensive, depletes
natural resources, and generates CO2. Consequently, substituting SF for cement in concrete would lower the need for cement and solve
19
Fig. 12. Prediction model for STS: (a) Relationship between experimental and estimated findings; (b) Dispersal of experimental, estimated, and
error values.
these concerns by providing sustainable building materials. In addition, the majority of researchers have observed that adding SF leads
in composites with enhanced strength at a reduced cost [108,118,135]. Additionally, by lowering the quantity of waste in landfills,
waste management concerns may be resolved, and the natural environment can be preserved.
7. Research gaps and future recommendations
The research on SF utilization as SCM in cementitious composites is progressing, and some useful conclusions have been obtained.
However, there are still some research gaps that need the attention of researchers to work.
• Despite the favorable impact of SF on strength and sustainability, SF utilization in higher replacement ratios has not been achieved
because there are certain gray areas that need to be resolved in the future to expand the use of SF as SCM in cementitious com
posites. These gaps include uniform mixing of SF in the mix to avoid agglomeration of SF particles and long-term durability
performance evaluations.
• The research on the utilization of SF in reinforced concrete structures is limited. Therefore, further study is required to make a case
for the use of SF in reinforced concrete structures. These might include seismic design, the analysis of beam-column connections,
and the bond strength of steel rebars.
20
Fig. 13. Prediction model for FS: (a) Relationship between experimental and estimated findings; (b) Dispersal of experimental, estimated, and
error values.
• The manufacture of geopolymer concrete that eliminate the use of cement is now promoting [153]. The effect of SF usage in
geopolymer concrete was found to be comparable to that of conventional concrete [25]. However, because of the high-water re
quirements of SF, geopolymer concrete containing 100 % SF exhibited noticeable cracking. Hence, proper measures need to be
researched to prevent the cracking of geopolymer concrete with 100 % SF usage. Additionally, several issues, including the curing
regime, the accessibility of activators, efflorescence, and the alkali-silica interaction [154], must be resolved in order to expand the
applications of geopolymer concrete in the building sector.
• Presently, the application of machine learning to predict the properties of materials is gaining attention [155]. Some studies related
to the use of machine learning for SF concrete have been conducted [156,157]. However, there are still gaps between the adoption
and application of machine learning tools, which require in-depth investigations. It is suggested to develop prediction models based
on machine learning techniques for SF concrete, considering all possible parameters.
8. Summary
The difficulties involved with cement manufacturing and utilization are well-known. The rising need for concrete and, by exten
sion, cement poses a grave threat to the environment and to human life. In this context, researchers are emphasizing the use of SCMs
that can substitute cement in the production of concrete, therefore promoting environmentally friendly growth. This work investigated
the utilization of the most prevalent industrial waste, SF, in cementitious materials as SCMs. This study reviewed the current state-of-
21
Fig. 14. Microstructure of composites: (a) Without silica fume at 20 µm scale; (b) Without silica fume at 5 µm scale; (c) With 10 % silica fume at
20 µm scale; (d) With 10 % silica fume at 5 µm scale [108]. CH: Ca(OH)2.
the-art exploitation of SF in cementitious composites by applying a vast data mining strategy, scientometric literature analysis, and in-
depth discussion of findings. With the expansion of research in the field, academics are confronted with an information load that may
impede effective research efforts and academic collaborations. Therefore, it is necessary to create and apply a strategy that enables the
researcher to obtain crucial data from the most dependable sources. Through the application of computing skills, the scientometric
analysis method can aid in reducing this issue.
This study also emphasized and analyzed the most important portions, such as the properties of SF and the characteristics of
composites containing SF as SCMs, i.e., compressive, split-tensile, and flexural strength, durability, and microstructural features.
Table 11 provides a summary of the many parameters analyzed in this study. As seen in the table, the inclusion of SF helps promote the
sustainability of construction. Apart from the environmental benefits of SF, it improves the mechanical and durability properties of
composites due to its extremely fine particle size and pozzolanic nature. However, there is an optimum limit beyond which it reduces
the performance of composites. The literature suggests the optimum range for SF as cement replacement from 15 % to 25 %.
9. Conclusions
The objectives of this study were to perform a scientometric analysis of the literature data on silica fume (SF) in concrete research to
assess various aspects and comprehensive review of the research on cementitious composites incorporating SF. Scopus was explored
for 3707 related documents, and the data was assessed by employing the VOSviewer tool. The conclusions of this study are as follows:
22
Fig. 15. Microstructure of fiber-reinforced cementitious composites: (a) Without silica fume; (b) With 15 % silica fume [139]. CH: Ca(OH)2.
• An evaluation of publishing outlets (conferences/journals) containing documents on SF in concrete research showed that leading
sources based on number of publications were Construction and building materials, American concrete institute, ACI special
publication, and Cement and concrete composites, with 565, 202, and 132 documents, respectively.
• Keywords analysis on the SF in concrete research revealed that silica fume, compressive strength, fly ash, concretes, and cements
are the five highly regularly occurring keywords. The keyword analysis found that SF has mostly been researched for inclusion in
concrete as SCM to enhance the mechanical and durability characteristics of cementitious composites and to promote sustainable
construction materials.
23
Fig. 16. Problems associated with the disposal of silica fume.
Fig. 17. Environmental benefits associated with the use of silica fume in concrete.
• The top contributing countries in terms of publications were evaluated, and it was found that only 24 countries published at least 10
articles. China, the United States, and Canada each published 206, 168, and 93 papers, respectively, and were found to be the
leading countries based on the number of publications.
• The influence of SF addition on the workability of cementitious materials was noticed to be contradictory. Most of the literature
stated a decrease in the workability of the mix because of the larger surface area of SF. However, some studies reported an increase
in the workability of the mix with SF incorporation due to the water-reducing effect of spherical shape SF. Hence, further studies
need to be carried out to investigate the influence of SF addition on the workability of cementitious mixtures.
24
Table 11
Comparison of various aspects of utilizing silica fume in cementitious materials.
Aspect Effect of silica fume addition
Environmental • Reduction in CO2 emission

• Effective waste management
• Decreases environmental pollution
• Preserve natural resources
• Cost-effective
Influence on material properties • Inconsistent influence on workability
• Enhances the performance of composites when used up to an optimum proportion (15–25 %)
• Negative influence on material’s performance at higher proportions
Limitations • Utilization at higher replacement levels is not preferable
• SF use in cementitious composites has a positive impact on the strength and durability characteristics when used up to an optimal
proportion (15–25 % of cement). The physical and chemical actions of SF are responsible for the improvement in strength and
durability.
• The established prediction models based on regression analysis for the strength of SF-based cementitious composites performed
reasonably and can be utilized to predict the strength properties using varying water-to-binder ratios and SF contents.
• The application of SF in cementitious composites may contribute to the sustainability of the building industry by lowering cement
consumption and CO2 emissions, saving natural resources, resolving waste management issues, and reducing environmental
damage.
CRediT authorship contribution statement
Yuanfeng Lou: Conceptualization, Methodology, Investigation, Writing – original draft. Kaffayatullah Khan: Resources, Funding
acquisition, Investigation, Project administration, Writing – review & editing. Muhammad Nasir Amin: Project administration,
Visualization, Validation, Writing – review & editing. Waqas Ahmad: Conceptualization, Methodology, Investigation, Validation,
Formal analysis, Supervision, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. Ahmed Farouk Deifalla: Funding acquisition,
Investigation, Writing – review & editing. Ayaz Ahmad: Formal analysis, Validation, Writing – review & editing.
Funding
This work was supported by the Deanship of Scientific Research, Vice Presidency for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, King
Faisal University, Saudi Arabia [Project No. GRANT2204]
Declaration of Competing Interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to
influence the work reported in this paper.
Data availability
No data was used for the research described in the article.
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the Deanship of Scientific Research, Vice Presidency for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, King
Faisal University, Saudi Arabia [Project No. GRANT2204]. The authors extend their appreciation for the financial support that made
this study possible.
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Performance characteristics of cementitious composites modiﬁed with silica

Article in Case Studies in Construction Materials · December 2022

Kaffayatullah Khan Muhammad Nasir Amin

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Waqas Ahmad Ahmed Farouk Deifalla

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Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Case Studies in Construction Materials

Performance characteristics of cementitious composites modified

Fig. 1. Flowchart of scientometric analysis.

Fig. 2. Subject area of articles.

2. Methods for scientometric analysis

Fig. 3. Annual publication trend of articles, as of July 2022.

Construction and building materials 565 27,010

Silica fume 3010

3. Scientometric analysis results and discussions

3.1. Relevant subject areas and yearly publication trend

3.2. Publication sources

Fig. 5. Co-occurrence of keywords: (a) Scientific mapping; (b) Density mapping.

Ramezanianpour A.A. 33 1037 31

India 698 6120

4. Properties of silica fume

[99] 229 0.3–0.5 14,000 2.21

SiO2 Al2O3 Fe2O3 MgO K2O Na2O CaO SO3 pH LOI

[99] 93 1.7 1.2 1.0 1.1 0.6 0.3 – 6.8–8.0 –

w/b 0–0.5 h 0.52 h 2–8 h 8–24 h At 24 h At 72 h

0 0.35 2.6 0.4 11.7 31.3 45.9 56.9

5. Properties of cementitious composites containing silica fume

5.1. Heat of hydration

Mastali and Dalvand [102], 0 % SFb 0 0.44 56.0

SFb: steel fiber.

5.3. Compressive strength

5.4. Split-tensile strength

Mastali and Dalvand [102], 0 % SFb 0 0.44 3.45

SFb: steel fiber.

5.5. Flexural strength

5.6. Strength prediction models

CS = 202 + 1.50SFC − 6.23w/b − 0.046(SFC)2 + 630.6(w/b)2 R2 = 0.84 (1)

STS = 5.34 + 0.090SFC + 8.92w/b − 0.0028(SFC)2 − 29.58(w/b)2 R2 = 0.77 (2)

FS = 11.46 + 0.119SFC + 0.711w/b − 0.0018(SFC)2 − 33.98(w/b)2 R2 = 0.86 (3)

Mastali and Dalvand [102], 0 % SFb 0 0.44 4.5

SFb: steel fiber.

5.7. Fracture performance

7. Research gaps and future recommendations

Fig. 16. Problems associated with the disposal of silica fume.

Environmental • Reduction in CO2 emission

CRediT authorship contribution statement

Declaration of Competing Interest

No data was used for the research described in the article.

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