Durability and sustainability performance of Portland limestone cements.

This paper reviews the mechanical, microstructural, and durability performance of Portland-limestone cement (PLC) as a sustainable alternative to traditional Portland cement. A systematic analysis of literature spanning almost five decades was conducted, focusing on compressive strength, porosity, chloride ingress, and carbonation in mortars and concretes. Results indicate that PLC generally provides adequate early-age strength, while porosity, chloride diffusion, and carbonation increase with higher limestone content; these effects can be mitigated by optimizing water-to-cement ratio and incorporating supplementary cementitious materials. Limitations include inconsistent experimental protocols, variable curing durations, and limited long-term data. The originality lies in synthesizing PLC performance across multiple durability metrics and highlighting research gaps. Overall, the study emphasizes the need for integrated, performance-based evaluation to ensure sustainable and durable concrete applications. This paper reviews the mechanical, microstructural, and durability performance of Portland-limestone cement (PLC) as a sustainable alternative to traditional Portland cement. A systematic analysis of literature spanning almost five decades was conducted, focusing on compressive strength, porosity, chloride ingress, and carbonation in mortars and concretes. Results indicate that PLC generally provides adequate early-age strength, while porosity, chloride diffusion, and carbonation increase with higher limestone content; these effects can be mitigated by optimizing water-to-cement ratio and incorporating supplementary cementitious materials. Limitations include inconsistent experimental protocols, variable curing durations, and limited long-term data. The originality lies in synthesizing PLC performance across multiple durability metrics and highlighting research gaps. Overall, the study emphasizes the need for integrated, performance-based evaluation to ensure sustainable and durable concrete applications.