Improving silica fume cement by using silane

Silica fume cement was improved by using silane, which was introduced by either coating silica fume particles with silane or using silane as an admixture. Both methods of silane introduction similarly enhanced the workability, tensile strength and compressive strength, but the latter method resulted in lower compressive ductility, lower damping capacity, more drying shrinkage, lower air void content, higher density, higher specific heat and greater thermal conductivity, mainly due to the network of covalent coupling among the silica fume particles.