STUDIES ON MECHANICAL AND DURABILITY PROPERTIES OF SELF COMPACTING CONCRETE

by N. PRAKASH 200111824 M.E [Construction Engineering and Management ]

Under the guidance of
Dr. P. DEVADAS MANOHARAN Supervisor Professor Department of Civil Engineering Anna University Chennai 600 025 J. ANNIE PETER Joint Supervisor Assistant Director Concrete Composites Laboratory Structural Engg. Research Centre Chennai 600 113

INTRODUCTION History Self Compacting Concrete (SCC) In fresh state guarantees high deformability and high resistance to segregation. In the setting stage, it guarantees low plastic shrinkage and little settlement.

In the hardened state, it has a low permeability and a high resistance to external agents and is more durable.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SELF COMPACTING CONCRETE

Flow ability Absence of segregation Ability to pass between reinforcement Compaction under its own weight Compatability of superplasticisers Cement content Water content Form work should be preferably of controlled permeability

APPLICATIONS OF SELF COMPACTING CONCRETE Bridges Box culvert Concrete filled steel Column Tunnel Dams Concrete Products(Blocks, Culverts and Slabs) Diaphragm Walls Pipe Roof Piles Tank.

ADVANTAGES OF SELF COMPACTING CONCRETE Shorter construction period.

Holds good in densely reinforced structures

Elimination of noise due to vibration. Saving in cost of compaction.

Highly durable concrete.

Less health-related problems for construction workers.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MATERIALS USED Cement 53 grade OPC Fine Aggregate It is desirable to use a coarser variety of sand having a high fineness modulus. Generally, fractions through 300 sieve or 150 sieve are to be kept low. Coarse Aggregate The coarse aggregate , an inert filler of the concrete, is the least porous component of concrete It is preferred to use crushed aggregate than rounded aggregate

MINERAL ADMIXTURES To increase the stability of the mixture To cut down the dosage of viscosity modifying agent fine powders are used. Ennore field IV Fly Ash was used as mineral admixtures

CHEMICAL ADMIXTURE Polycarboxylic ether based superplasticiser The dosage is optimized by Marsh cone test
WATER Potable water is used.

Physical Properties of Cement

Sl. No 1 2 Properties Specific gravity Initial Setting time (minutes) Values 3.15 143

3
4 5

Final Setting time (minutes)

Standard Consistency (%) Compressive Strength (N/ mm2) @ 3 days @ 7 days @ 28 days

390
31.50

26.50
36.45 54.45

Properties of fine aggregate

Sl.No

Property

Values

1
2 3

Specific Gravity
Bulk Density(Kg/m3) Fineness modulus

2.53
1600 2.83

Properties of Coarse aggregate (10 mm down)

Sl.No 1 2

Property Specific Gravity Bulk Density (Kg/m3)

Values 2.65 1605

Fineness modulus

6.24

Properties of Fly Ash

Sl.No 1 2

Property Specific Gravity Bulk Density (Kg/m3)

Values 2.60 825

Properties of Superplasticiser

Sl. No 1 2 3

Property Specific Gravity Chloride content Approximate air entrainment Operating temperature

Values 1.22 - 1.25 Nil 1 % at normal dosages Below 15 C

DETAILS OF MIX PROPORTIONS

METHODS FOR ACHIEVING SELF-COMPACTING CONCRETE

1. Limited aggregate content 2. Low water binder ratio ( 0.9 1.0 on Volume basis)

3. Use of Superplasticisers modifying agent

and

Viscosity

Rational Mix design Method of SCC

Mortar (50 % of

solid Volume)

Paste (60% of mortar volume)

Powder (50 55% paste volume)

Coarse aggregate (50% of Solid Volume)

Fine aggregate (40% Mortar volume)

Water (45 50% of paste Volume)

Optimisation of Superplasticisers The superplasticiser can be optimised for SCC by Marsh cone test. The test consists of determining the time needed for a certain volume of paste to flow through the Marsh Cone for varying SP/ C ratio.

Aggregate proportion The minimum void content of the aggregate skeleton is determined by filling a large container with dry mixes of varying sand/gravel ratios.

The Sand/ aggregate ratio was 1.128

Mortar ( 73.94 %

Paste (58.33 % of mortar volume)

of solid volume)
Coarse aggregate (26.06 % of Solid Volume) Fine aggregate (41.67 % Mortar volume)

Powder (49.66 % paste volume) Water (50.33 % of paste Volume)

MIX PROPORTION OF SCC CEMENT FLYASH FINE AGGREGATE COARSE AGGREGATE WATER SUPERPLASTICISER W/C W/B = = = = = = = = 490 Kg/m3 160 Kg/m3 790 Kg/m3 700 Kg/m3 220 Kg/m3 0.4 % of cement by weight 0.449 0.338

The mix proportion is

1: 1.215 : 1.077 : 0.338

4.5 4 3.5

Time (seconds)

3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7

% of Superplasticiser by weight of cement

PROPERTIES OF FRESH SCC

Slump Cone Test

L Box Test

L Box Test

L BOX TEST

U Tube Test

V Funnel Test

Filling Ability Test

ACCEPTANCE AT SITE

Test results on fresh concrete properties

Sl. No Fresh concrete test Recommende d Value Observed value

Slump flow

60 75 cm in 10 3 seconds

70 cm in 5 seconds

50 cm in 5 2 seconds

50 cm in 3 seconds

2
L box

20 cm
40 cm h2 / h1 ratio (h1,h2 Heights of concrete - initial and final stage)

1.0 seconds
2.5 seconds 0.8 1.0

0.5
0.5

1 second
2 seconds

0.85

3 4 5

V Funnel U Tube Filling ability A / (A+ B) value in percentage

8 to 12 seconds > 30 cm

10 seconds 33 cm

90 100 %

90 %

DETAILS OF EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF SCC

Compressive strength Split tensile Strength Flexural strength Modulus of elasticity Pullout Test

DURABILITY RELATED PROPERTIES

Water Absorption test Germann Water Permeability test Rapid Chloride permeability test Accelerated Carbonation test Accelerated Sulphate Resistance test

ASTM CLASSIFICATION FOR RCPT

Charge Passed > 4000 coulombs 2000 to 4000 coulombs Chloride Permeability High Moderate

1000 to 2000 coulombs

100 to 1000 coulombs <100 coulombs

Low
Very Low Negligible

80

Stress(N/Sqmm)

70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26

75.01 48.98 37.37 18.01 SCC

28

30

AGE (Days)

Compressive strength of SCC

7 6 6.23 5.37 5.49

Stress(N/Sqmm)

5 4 3 2 1 0 0 2 1.83

SCC

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

AGE (Days)

Split tensile Strength of SCC

35 30

STRESS(N/mm)

25 20 15 10 5 0 0 0.0002 0.0004 0.0006 STRAIN 0.0008 0.001 0.0012

Modulus of Elasticity of SCC

Pullout test of SCC

TEST RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

RESULTS OF MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
Mechanical properties Compressive Strength (N/mm2) Size of the Specimen Age (Days) 1 150mm x 150 mm x 150 mm Values 18.01

37.37

48.98

28 100 mm x 200 mm

75.01

Split tensile Strength (N/mm2)

1.83

5.37

5.49

28

6.23

Contd
Mechanical properties Size of the Specimen Age (Days) Values

Flexural Strength (N/mm2) Modulus of Elasticity (MPa) Pullout Strength (N/ mm2) at 0.25 mm slip

100 mm x 100 mm x 500 mm

28

7.68

150 mm x 300 mm

28

37500.00

150mm x 150 mm x 150 mm

28

18.62

Water Absorption (%)

3.9 3.8 3.7 3.6 3.5 3.4 3.3 3.2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

3.78
SCC

3.31

Age (Days)

Water Absorption Test

400 350 300

Current (m A)

250 200 150 100 50 0 0 1 2 3 4 5

7 days 28 days

Tim e ( hours)

Rapid chloride permeability test

RESULTS OF PROPERTIES

DURABILITY

RELATED

Water Absorption Test The % water absorbed at the age of 7 days and 28 days for self compacting concrete, the water absorption percentage was 3.78% and 3.31 % respectively. Water Permeability test

The Coefficient of Concrete permeability of Self compacting concrete by using Germann Water Permeability Instrument at the age of 28 days was 0.721 x 10 11 m / s.

Rapid Chloride permeability test of SCC at 7 days

Time(Sec) Current (mA) Current (mA)

248

250

3600

346

347

7200

356

357

10800

360

361

14400

362

363

Coulombs

4921.2

4921.2

Average

4921.2 Coulombs

Rapid Chloride Permeability Test at 28 days

Time (Sec) Current (mA) Current (mA) Current (mA)

61

83

84

3600

64

87

89

7200

67

92

93

10800

68

93

94

14400

68

93

94

18000

69

94

95

21600

70

95

96

Coulombs

1189.8

1627.2

1648.8

Average

1481.4

Coulombs

Carbonation Test

Specimen no

Average Depth of carbonation (mm) 0

Sulphate Resistance Test

Sl. N o Age Days Weight before immersing in solution (Kg) Weight After immersing in solution (Kg) Load (KN) Compressive strength (N/mm2) Average Compressive strength (N/mm2)

30

2.4760

2.4770

749.80

74.98 74.71

30

2.4530

2.4565

748.00

74.80

30

2.4670

2.4705

743.50

74.35

Strength ratio
Strength ratio t / c b /c t / b SCC HPC

8.3 %

7%

10.3 %

11%

81.1%

63 %

Where b t c

= Flexure strength at 28 days

=

Tensile strength at 28 days strength at 28 days

= Compressive

CONCLUSIONS

Self compacting concrete proportioned with available materials to give a compressive strength of 70 MPa at 28 days. The flexural and split tensile strength of SCC at 28 days were 7.68 MPa and 6.23 MPa respectively. The ratios t / c , b / c and t / b of M60 high performance concrete was given and the values were 0.11, 0.07 and 0.63 respectively while for SCC the corresponding ratios were 0.10 ,0.083 and 0.81 respectively. The modulus of elasticity and bond strength of SCC at 28 days were 37500 MPa and 18.62 MPa respectively.

Conclusions

Self compacting concrete showed no signs of segregation and bleeding. It also had self consolidating property. The workability assessing tests such as slump flow, L - Box, V funnel, U tube and Filling ability could be relied on to assess the stability of the concrete mix. Properties of SCC such as exceptionally good rheological properties and low water binder ratio resulted in dense microstructure. This was evident from the results of the accelerated chloride diffusion test.

Conclusions

Microstructural related properties such as water absorption ,water permeability and chloride permeability confirmed the superior durability characterisation of SCC. The strength and durability properties of self compacting concrete was similar to conventionally vibrated High Performance concrete as seen from the published literature.

For developing SCC technology, new testing and quality control procedures are needed. Possible deviation from IS specifications

SCOPE FOR FUTURE WORK

A rational mix design method needs to be developed. Specific stability evaluation methodology can be developed to guarantee the performance of SCC on site. Binary and tertiary blended cements can be used for developing self compacting concrete. Shrinkage and creep behaviour of SCC can be studied.

THANK YOU