Fig. 4: Ca/Si and Al/Si atomic ratio of C-(A-)S-H, Mg/Al atomic ratio of LDH phase, compressive strength of 7 days and 28 days cured mortars, as a function of slag replacement.

a Ca/Si and Al/Si atomic ratios of C-(A-)S-H gel and b Mg/Al atomic ratio of Mg-Al-LDH phase after 20 years of hydration as a function of slag replacement (wt. %). The chemical composition of C-(A-)S-H gel and Mg-Al-LDH phase were determined by TEM-EDX in ref. ⁴¹. c 7 days’ compressive strength and d 28 days’ compressive strength in blended slag cements mortar, as a function of slag replacement (wt. %). Data in 4c and 4 d is sourced from published literature; the symbols are referred to as square¹⁷⁷, circle¹⁷⁸, upward triangle⁶⁴, downward triangle¹⁷⁹, diamond¹⁸⁰, left-pointing triangle⁶⁵, right-pointing triangle¹⁸¹, and hexagon¹⁷. In Fig. 4c, d the light beige band indicates the 95% confidence interval, providing a range within which the true parameter values are expected to fall with 95% certainty. Similarly, the light blue band represents the prediction interval, showing the expected range for future data points. Both intervals visually convey the level of uncertainty and variability in the data, with the bands narrowing as the model fits the data.