GOVERNMENT COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

(An Autonomous institution-Anna University)

COIMBATORE

TOPIC:
ADVANCEMENT IN CONCRETE TECHNNOLOGY
HIGH PERFORMANCE LIGHT WEIGHT CONCRETE

BY:

JANANI.V (III YEAR) saranyacj@gmail.com

SALEENA.M.A (III YEAR) sumima2211@gmail.com

ABSTRACT:
Concrete is widely used construction material. Despite its versatility, it

suffers from certain setbacks like limited resistance to ductility, little resistance to

cracking, high density and so on. The purpose of this article is to introduce a new

type of high performance light weight concrete which is superior to conventional

concrete in many fronts. In other words, we can say high performance light weight

concrete as a structural light weight aggregate concrete with a minimized density at

a desired strength level and durability. Thus the term high performance light weight

concrete is not purely related to strength but also includes durability and density.

This calls for a new engineering approach in the field of concrete technology by

adding silica fume and fly ash and incorporating the desirable properties of the

same. The materials used, their mechanical properties and the mix-proportion are

presented in detail. The effect of these components on fresh and hardened concrete

has been discussed in detail.

INTRODUCTION:
High performance light weight concrete is a concrete with high strength and low
permeability with light weight aggregates. To attain low permeability the mix should contain
particles graded down to the finest size, this can be achieved by the use of silica fume which fills the
space between cement particle and the aggregates .The mix must be sufficiently workable and also
requires deflocculating of cement particles .This is achieved by the use of fly ash. The light weight
aggregates like pumice and blast furnace slag has low density which decreases the weight of
concrete.

MATERIALS USED:
1. For high strength
a) Silica fume
2. For workability
a) Fly ash
3. For light weight
a) Artificial aggregate: Foamed blast furnace slag
b) Natural aggregate: pumice

SILICA FUME:

SOURCE:
Silica fume is a by-product of the manufacture of silicon and ferrosilicon alloys from
high-purity quartz and coal in a submerged-arc electric furnace. It cools condenses and is collected in
cloth bags. Silica fume contains large amounts of silicon dioxide (between 85 % and 98 %) and
consists of extremely fine particles. It is collected by filtering the escaping furnace gases.

PROPERTIES:
 Average size of these spherical particles is less than 0.1 m.
 Minimum specific surface area is 15,000 m2/kg.
 It contains 85% silicon dioxide.
 Bulk density 200-300 kg/m3
 It increases the strength of concrete upto 80 MPa.
MECHANISM:
Silica in the form of glass (amorphous) is highly reactive, and smallness of the particles
speeds up the reaction with calcium hydroxide produced by the hydration of the Portland cement. This
improves the packing between the particles of cement .The size of particle is approximately one
hundred times finer than cement this lead to important benefits when silica fume is used in concrete.
Higher strength of concrete is attributed to the following actions:
Pozzolonic action:
Silica reacts with calcium hydroxide which produced during the hydration of cement, improves
the strength and reduces the permeability.
Filler:

It fills the minute pores in the concrete and hence it improves the strength. In general, the

small voids present in the concrete reduce much strength which can be retained from using silica.

MIX PROPORTION:

Silica can be used as

1. Partial replacement for cement from 5% to20% of the weight of cement.

2. Addition to cement or concrete not more than 10% of the weight of cement.

Mostly dry densified form of silica fume is used which is easy to handle during mixing.
FLY ASH:

SOURCE:
Fly ash is a by-product of combustion coal transported by the flue gases and collected by the
electrostatic precipitator in the thermal power plants .It is removed by the dust collecting system as
fine particle residue from the combustion gases before they are discharged into atmosphere. The
slagged particles and un-burnt carbon are collected as ash.

PROPERTIES:
 Particle size between 1to 150 micron.
 Specific surface is 350 to500 m2/kg.
 It contains oxides of silica ,aluminium and calcium ,but the amount of calcium oxide is
considerably less.
 It increases the workability.

MECHANISM:
Fly ash is a fine particle and amorphous in character .In finely divided form in the presence of
moisture chemically reacts with calcium hydroxide at ordinary temperature to form compounds
possessing cementitous properties. Fly ash improves the workability of fresh concrete in two ways:
 Fly ash disperses the cement floc there by freeing more paste to lubricate aggregates.
 Fly ash acts as a ball bearings because of their spherical shape. It carries surface film of water
with it because of its hydrophilic nature. thus there is a water entrainment that disperse water.

MIX PROPORTION:
The mix proportion described by ACI 211 is based on a simple replacement method .It
involves partial replacement of cement by fly ash. According to this, the water/cement ratio changes
to water/cement + fly ash ratio.
 The recommended amounts when used as a partial replacement of cement or sand in
concrete are 20 % to 35%.

LIGHT WEIGHT AGGREGATE :

NATURAL AGGREGATE – PUMICE

SOURCE:
Pumice is a volcanic rock composed of bubbles or vesicles in a glass matrix formed by the
effervescence of gases and rapid cooling of molten granite during an eruption. Their lightness is due to
the escaping of gas from the molten lava when erupted from earth’s crest. Characteristically pumice is
frothy and lightweight, with a density low enough to float on water. The combination of its light
weight, hardness and abrasiveness makes pumice useful in numerous applications.

STRENGTH OF AGGREGATE:
Pumice concrete meet all compressive strength
requirements while providing faster and easier
placement and reduced deadweight loads. Lower
thermal conductivity results in less heat loss and
higher fire ratings than normal concrete. Pumice acts as
an acoustical insulator. Compressive strengths up to
45 MPa and unit weights as low as 1000 kg/m3 are attainable.

.
The properties and characteristics of pumice and foamed blast furnace slag are similar .They
are bulk density of aggregate, drying shrinkage, thermal conductivity and water absorption. The bond
between aggregate and hydrated cement paste is so strong that results in significant transfer of stress
across the transition zone.Hence, strength and shape of the aggregate plays a vital role in concrete.
For the same crushing strength, the density of concrete made with such an aggregate can be as
much as 35% lower than the normal weight concrete. So, in the high performance concrete, the light
weight aggregate is used which results in high performance light weight concrete.
CHARACTERISTIC OF POZZOLANIC REACTION:
1) The reaction is lime consuming instead of lime producing
2) The reaction is pore refiner -CSH gel fills capillary space
3) The reaction is grain size refiner – nucleation of CaOH around smaller pozzolan will replace
large CaOH crystals with numerous smaller crystals of CaOH .
4) The reaction is transition zone refiner-the influence of pozzolan on transition zone can extend to
distances as for as 50micron from aggregate surface.

FOAMED BLAST FURNACE SLAG

SOURCE:
It is a by-product of iron production. It is a non-metallic product consisting essentially of
silicates and aluminates of calcium and other bases. The molten slag is rapidly chilled by quenching in
water to form a glassy sand like granulated material.

PROPERTIES
 Foamed slag aggregates are available in two sizes
a. Coarse aggregate (3-15mm)
b. Fine aggregate(less than 3mm).
 The specific surface area is about 400 to 600 mm2/kg before foaming.
 The specific gravity is about 2.6.
 The performance of slag depends on glass content and fineness of grinding.

The light weight concrete can be achieved by different ways.

 By replacing the usual mineral aggregate by light weight aggregate .
 By introducing gas or air bubbles in mortar known as aerated concrete.
 By omitting sand fraction from the aggregate called as “no fines “concrete.
STRENGTH OF AGGREGATE:
The strength of the light weight aggregate particles decreases with decreasing density .Crushed
and angular light weight aggregate requires high mortar content resulting in a higher density than that
with rounded. The strength of the light weight aggregate may also vary from 3 N/mm2 to 40 N/mm2 .

GENERAL PROPERTIES OF HPLWAC

A) EFFECT OF PROPERTIES ON FRESH CONCRETE:

Fly ash is used to replace natural sand and basalt, so the water demand of the concrete
decreases. This is attributed to the spherical/round particle shape of Foamed blast furnace slag which,
compared to the angular particles of sand and basalt, have a “ball-bearing effect” and thus reduce the
water demand of the fresh concrete.

1. WORKABILITY
To achieve the workability necessary for ease of placement, large cement paste volumes are
required. The high strength concretes have low water-cement ratios. In cement-rich mixtures,
“stickiness” i.e. flocculation of cement particles can lead to placement and finishing problems . The
Fly ash contributes the reduction in water demand of concrete. This can be suitable for pumping slip
forming and finishing operation .The “ball bearing effect “ of fly ash to provides the fluidity desired
to achieve acceptable levels of workability.

2. PERMEABILITY:
Reduced permeability attributed to filler effect and pozzolanic reaction of silica fume, there is a
significant reduction of about one order of magnitude in the volume of pores larger than 1000,when
silica fume is added

B)EFFECT ON HARDENED CONCRETE:

1.COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH:
The compressive strength of HPLWAC can be achieved more than 50MPa. In the contribution
of silica fume to strength at 28-days, increase with an increase in content of silica fume in the mix. The
effect of replacing OPC with fly ash increases the compressive strength when its fineness fraction
increases.
 The stress/strain behaviour of HPLWAC in compression is compared to normal density
concrete of the same compressive strength, generally characterized by a linear ascending branch, a
lower E-modulus and less ductility in the post-failure region. These characteristics are usually more
pronounced with increasing compressive strength and decreasing dry density. It comprises of high
strength with lower density.

2.CURING:
Effect from the use of the low water-cement ratio concretes is self-desiccation, Self-desiccation refers
to the process by which concrete dries itself from the inside. Internal moisture is consumed from
within the paste by the hydration reactions. The result is that the hydration and maturity of the
concrete will terminate at an early age if additional moisture is not provided. For this reason, proper
curing of low water-cement ratio concrete at early ages is essential if the concrete is to attain its
potential properties. The detrimental effects of self-desiccation can be largely controlled by careful
attention to curing, especially during the initial 7 days after placement.

Pores in calcium silicate through different stages of hydration.

a) Hydration has not yet occurred and pores are filled with water
b) Beginning of hydration.
c) Hydration continues although empty spaces still exist, they are filled with water and calcium
hydroxide.
d) Hardened cement paste.

3. CREEP AND SHRINKAGE

It was found that shrinkage strains are inversely proportional to the moist curing timelonger
the curing time, the lower the amount of shrinkage. There were no significant effects on shrinkage
and creep from the use of Fly ash and foamed blast furnace slag. The initial rate of shrinkage is high
because a large surface area of the cement paste is exposed to the air.
 3. SULPHATE ATTACK:
The influence of concrete to sulphate attack is variable and depend on fly ash .It
depends on CaO and Fe2O3 on fly ash. In general, fly ash, by virtue of its higher resistance value
results in higher concrete expansion. Both fly ash and foamed blast furnace slag offers more
sulphate resistance.

Relationship between the water/cement ratio and porosity.

6.ALKALI AGGREGATE REACTION :

Fly ash have been found to reduce expansion due to alkali silica reaction. Its effectiveness
depends on alkali content,fineness,pozzolanic activity .Small addition of fly ash may increase
expansion whereas large amounts decreases the expansion .Fly ash ,silica fume and foamed blast
furnace slag can be used to counteract alkali-aggregate reaction.
Foamed blast furnace slag reduces the expansion due to alkali –silica reaction which is due
to number of facts such as
a) The dilution effect related to addition of slag and reduction of
calcium hydroxide
 b) Presence of more C-S-H gel.
c) Lower permeability and diffusivity of foamed blast furnace slag
.

7.CORROSION:
Fly ash improves the concrete resistance to corrosion in three ways.
1) It provides alkali medium to steel surface .
2) It offers physical and chemical barrier to ingress of moisture,O2 ,Co2, Cl.
3) It provides electrically resistive medium around steel.

8. CHEMICAL ATTACK:
Silica fume concrete had very high resistance to all chemicals except Ammonium Sulphate .It
is due to lowered permeability then silica fume was exposed to ammonium sulphate C-S-H gel
decomposed .

9. THERMAL EXPANSION:
The thermal expansion mainly depends on thermal property of aggregate .In slag there is a
considerable reduction in thermal co-efficient with a 75% replacement of aggregate.

FIELD APPLICATION:
The HPLWAC can be used widely in many places like
 Repair and rehabilitation.
 Construction of tunnel.
 Construction of high rise structure.
 Construction of bridge deck overlays.
 Under water castings.

CONCLUSION:
The HPLWAC offers good compressive strength and by using light weight aggregate like
pumice, foamed blast furnace slag the self weight is reduced. In high rise structure the self weight
can be reduced by using light weight aggregate. The advantages of HPLWAC like cost and energy
savings by replacing some part of OPC with these materials and Environmental protection by
providing beneficial way to use by products like Fly ash and Blast furnace slag especially relative to
disposing them in the air or water or in landfills.