GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY- GOLD COAST SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING 3052ENG CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS MID-SEMESTER EXAM CONVENOR: Dr.

Sanaul Chowdhury This assessment carries 25% of the total MODERATOR: Dr. Sam Fragomeni 100 marks for this subject. EXAM DATE: Sample Exam Answer all Questions. Duration: 1.5 hours Attempt ALL Questions TIME ALLOWED: 1.5 hours

Question 1 (Constituent Materials) a) Briefly outline the process involved in the manufacture of cement (i.e. from quarrying to finished powder form). (10 marks)
b)

List main types of chemical admixtures available in Australia. Highlight the characteristics and use of each type. (10 marks)

Question 2 (Mix design) a) Using the British method, produce a concrete mix that has a characteristic compressive strength of 45 MPa and a slump of 50 mm, required to fill 6 standard cylinders (100 mm in diameter and 200 mm high) exactly. One hundred laboratory test results on the controlling mix show a standard deviation of 5.3 MPa. The exposure classification for durability purposes is B2 and the conditions require high early strength cement of density 3000 kg/m3. The specific gravity of crushed coarse aggregate (20 mm and 10 mm) to be used is 2850 kg/m 3 and its dry rodded density is 1600 kg/m3. The specific gravity of fine aggregate is 2600 kg/m3 and its fineness modulus is 2.4. (30 marks) b) You decide to replace the cement in the above mix with a fly ash/high early strength cement blend with a 25% proportion of fly ash. You also want to allow for entrained air. Find the new mix proportions required for 6 cylinders, using the American method. Assume fly ash density to be 2000 kg/m3. (25 marks)
c)

Compare your results in a) and b). Comment on why there are differences in the mix proportions obtained. (5 marks)

Question 3 (Concrete Strengths) a) Highlight the differences between normal and high strength concrete. Use appropriate stress-strain curves to support your arguments and comment on relative values. What effect would the addition of steel fibres have on concrete compressive strength and ductility? The use of stress-strain diagrams may help in your explanation. (10 marks) b) Sketch the relationship between concrete compressive strength and tensile strengths (both flexural and direct). Also indicate the empirical relationships between compressive and tensile strengths used in AS3600. (10 marks)

Data for Question 2

Table 2.1 Minimum compressive strength and using conditions (source: Ryan & Samarin, 1992) Exposure classification Minimum fc, MPa Continuous curing at Minimum average ambient conditions* comp. Strength at completion of curing, MPa A1 20 3 days 15 A2 25 3 days 15 B1 32 7 days 20 B2 40 7 days 25 C 50 7 days 32 Table 2.4 Recommended slump for concrete, 20 mm maximum size aggregate Type of construction Recommended Slump (mm) Minimum Maximum heavy mass concrete 30 80 Beams 50 100 reinforced footings 50 100 Columns 50 100 pumped concrete 70 120 reinforced thin walls 80 120 tremie concrete 120 200 Table 2.7 Volume of coarse aggregate per unit volume (source: Ryan and Samarin, 1992) Maximum size of Volume of dry-rodded coarse aggregate per unit volume of concrete for different aggregate fineness moduli of sand Mm 2.40 2.60 2.80 3.00 10 0.50 0.48 0.46 0.44 20 0.66 0.64 0.62 0.60 40 0.76 0.74 0.72 0.70 70 0.81 0.79 0.77 0.75 Table 2.5 Compressive strengths (MPa) of concrete mixes made with a free water/cement ratio of 0.5 Type of cement Type of coarse Compressive strengths (MPa) aggregate 3 days 7 days 28 days 91 days Type A or Type D uncrushed 17 24 38 45 Type A or Type D crushed 22 31 45 54 Type B uncrushed 24 36 47 52 Type B crushed 31 39 52 60 Type A is the normal Portland type, Type D is sulphate resisting, Type B is high early strength Table 2.6 Approximate free-water content (kg/m 3) for various levels of workability Max. size of Type of Slump (mm) aggregate (mm) aggregate 0-10 10-30 30-60 60-180 10 uncrushed 150 180 205 225 crushed 180 205 230 250 20 uncrushed 135 160 180 195 crushed 170 190 210 225 40 uncrushed 115 140 160 175 crushed 155 175 190 205 Table 2.8 Change in free-water content due to presence of fly ash Slump (mm) 0-10 10-30 30-60 60-180 Proportion fly ash (%) Reductions in water content (kg/m 3) 10 5 5 5 10 20 10 10 10 15 30 15 15 20 20 40 20 20 25 25 50 25 25 30 30 Table 2.9 Compressive strengths of Portland cement/fly ash concrete mixes made with W/(C + 0.30F) of 0.5 Type of cement Type of coarse Compressive strength aggregate at 28 days (MPa) Type A or Type D uncrushed 39 Type A or Type D crushed 46

Type B Type B

uncrushed Crushed

45 54

Figure 2.1: Relation between compressive strength and free-water cement ratio (Teychenne et al. (1988))

Figure 2.2: Wet density of concrete (Teychenne et al. (1988))

Figure 2.3: Proportions of fine aggregate determined from percentage passing 0.60 mm sieve