Tafadzwa Ronald Muzenda

About Tafadzwa Ronald Muzenda

Affiliation
RWTH Aachen University

Innovandi Project
Core Project 7

Background
Material Scientist and Engineer vested in Civil Engineering. I hail from Zimbabwe and studied Chemical Engineering before moving to China for a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Material Science and Engineering. I am interested in material’s characterization, rheology, hydration and performance of sustainable binders.

Research topic
My research topic is focused on understanding the influence of clay characteristics including the role of secondary (associated) minerals on the early age hydration of calcined clay limestone cement (CCLC). The goal is to develop fundamental understanding of the early age hydration of CCLC to  enable modelling and prediction of fresh properties and early performance. We have also looked at hydration up to two years for calcined clays and equally studied the hydration of mechano-chemically activated kaolinitic and smectitic clays.  

This research project has allowed me to build on the rheology assessment skills I developed during my masters and to add hydration and modelling knowledge. I have done experimental work to investigate physico-chemical and mineralogical properties of the raw and activated clays, and the assessment of reactivity, performance and hydration in CCLC. In addition, a new test method to assess early reactivity, rheology and early-age performance was developed. The testing techniques that I have used include XRD, TGA, MIP, SEM-EDX and rheometry. Modelling of hydrate assemblage and saturation indexes was done using thermodynamic calculations. 

I plan to work in the industry sometime after graduation and eventually to contribute to Africa’s sustainable cement goals.