Temporal rheological evolution and early hydration of cement paste under practical temperature and shear conditions

Abstract

​​Early-age rheology of cement paste evolves continuously with time due to hydration, directly affecting handling and placement

however, the combined roles of crucial influential parameters are not yet fully understood under practical conditions. This study investigates the effect of temperature, shear rate, and w/c on the temporal rheological behavior of cement paste. Rheological tests were conducted at 15 °C, 25 °C, 35 °C, and 45 °C for pastes using different w/c under controlled shear. To relate stress evolution to hydration, paste samples were hydration-arrested at 15, 30, and 60 min and analyzed using XRD and SEM. Results show that higher temperatures accelerate hydrate formation and stress development, but the resulting hydrate networks are unstable under sustained shear. At lower temperatures, structural development remains limited despite lower w/c. The findings show that early-age rheology is influenced by hydration progress and stability of hydrate networks, supporting practical rheological windows for conventional and advanced construction processes. © 2026 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.