Pumping structural lightweight concrete

More difficult to pump than normal weight? Not necessarily so...

BY

E. GOEB

rogress in pumping structural lightweight concrete has reached the point where a lightweight project can be approached with the same confidence that would be justified for any pumping project. It is of course necessary to know the rules of the game and to perform accordingly; and it should be recognized that the penalty may be greater if the rules, particularly in preparation for pumping, are not followed. The success experienced on several recent projects listed below adds considerably to the confidence with which pumping lightweight concrete can be apPumping Height Texas Commerce Tower, Houston Place St. Charles, New Orleans One Financial Place, Chicago 75 stories / 1030 feet 53 stories / 650 feet 42 stories / 520 feet

The effect of absorption on slump

Structural lightweight aggregates, because they are expanded materials, are very porous. The total amount of water that can be absorbed into the aggregate to fill the pores is far greater than the amount of water in the aggregate at the time it is delivered to the concrete producer. Most of that difference represents the amount of water that can be absorbed from the mix during mixing and placing. For example, many lightweight aggregates, when saturated, will contain a weight of water equal to 30 to 35 percent of the dry weight of the aggregate. TypiSpecified Strength 3000 psi 5000 psi 4000 psi Dry Unit Weight 115 pounds per cubic foot 115 pounds per cubic foot 110 pounds per cubic foot

proached. It is worth noting that the 1030-foot height is a record for pumping both lightweight and normal weight concrete at the time of construction. On all three of these projects the pumping contractors and the ready mix producers were in agreement on two points: 1. By far the most important single factor in producing pumpable concrete is the adequacy of presoaking the aggregate. 2. If aggregate is adequately and consistently presoaked, the problems of pumping lightweight are little different from those of pumping normal weight concrete. Some of the problems in pumping are: inconsistent mixes, slump loss, segregation, and need for excessive pump pressures. For each problem it would be possible to respond by adding water. Excessive water demand, howe ve r, means that there is some other deficiency to correct. The major problem is not in getting enough water into the mix, but in preventing the water required for workability from being lost to absorption.

cally aggregates are delivered to a ready mix plant containing about 5 to 10 percent total moisture by weight. The difference between that and the water required to saturate the aggregate would be as much as 180 pounds or 22 gallons of water per cubic yard of concrete. Assuming that addition of one gallon of water per cubic yard increases slump by 1 inch, the water that would be needed to bring the aggregate from its delivered condition to saturation would be enough to account for a difference of 22 inches in slump. Of course not all of that water will be absorbed; but if the aggregate is not presoaked, so much water can be lost through absorption during mixing and under the pressure of pumping that slump will be uncontrollable. For all practical purposes pumping becomes impossible. Probably the most expensive problems occur when a partial job of presoaking the aggregate has been done just good enough to allow troublesome stop-and-go pumping to begin. As pump pressures go up and immediate relief is needed, more water goes into the mix, even to the point of a hose being inserted into the hopper, pouring water into the mix without means or intent to measure it. Thats a worst case, of course, but it happens. The water that can be lost through absorption creates

Lightweight aggregate must be presoaked to prevent excessive absorption of water during mixing, transporting and pumping operations.

pumping problems as nothing else can, and it is the first problem to be resolved.

Measuring absorption
There is some agreement that a slump loss of 2 to 3 inches between the pump hopper and the point of deposit is acceptable control of slump. One ready mix producer grades slump loss as: 1 inchexcellent, 2 inches good, 3 inchesfair, and 4 incheslive with it but dont accept it. To achieve consistent control, it is necessary to presoak the lightweight aggregate until the moisture content is 70 to 80 percent of the total absorption before batching. Two preliminary steps are necessary: 1. Determine the total absorption of the aggregate. This is important because of the differences in the total absorption for different aggregates. 2. Devise a system to soak the aggregate to get the necessary 70 to 80 percent of total absorption. The aggregate supplier should be able to provide information on the total absorption. Without that, a homemade method used by one ready mix producer may be of interest. He uses a tank from a ready mix truck and attaches a vacuum pump to it. A dried cubic foot sample (loose volume) is placed in the tank. A vacuum is applied and water is added, submerging the aggregate. The vacuum is released and atmospheric pressure forces the water into the aggregate. By subtracting the dry weight from the saturated weight the ready mix producer then has the total absorption. This allows him to determine the percent of total absorption in the aggregate at any time simply by weighing a cubic foot loose volume from the stockpile and comparing that weight to the dry weight and the saturated weight.

by sprinkling. Depending on the aggregates rate of absorption, the minimum time would be 3 to 7 days of uninterrupted sprinkling. The amount of water absorbed usually decreases sharply after the first 24 to 48 hours. To be effective, the sprinkling of the aggregate piles should be constant. Frequent testing, at least 3 or 4 times a day, should be done to determine moisture content. The more consistent the moisture content of the aggregate being batched, the more consistent the control of slump will be. The aggregate storage has to be closely monitored so that unsoaked aggregate never finds its way into the mix. Separated aggregate piles, possibly as many as 3, should be provided, allowing storage and soaking of newly delivered aggregate without interrupting a continuous supply of soaked aggregate. On a rotating basis aggregate is taken from only one pile while a second pile is being soaked and a third is receiving newly delive re d material. One variation of this method was used on the Place St. Charles, New Orleans project. The aggregate was stored in a shallow pit about two feet deep, filled with water from constant sprinkling. The material was turned over frequently by front end loaders so that there was part-time submersion in a pile that was being sprinkled full-time. Simply submerging the aggregate without turning it over is not recommended. Submerged, the air in the aggregate is trapped and saturation is less efficient. This system took advantage of both submersion and sprinkling. This description of handling aggregates and soaking with sprinklers is consistent with the manner in which materials were handled with successful results on all three of the projects in Houston, New Orleans and Chicago.

Other presoaking procedures

Two other methods of treating the aggregate are used by lightweight aggregate producers so that it is delive re d to the user in a nearly saturated condition. In each case

Presoaking aggregate by sprinkling

Presoaking by the concrete producer is usually done

Sprinkling lightweight aggregate piles for a minimum of 72 hours and longer if the aggregate moisture content is less than 70 percent of saturation. the treatment is carried out at the aggregate production plant. In one, hot aggregate is immersed in water. The other method uses a vacuum to produce a high degree of saturation. Achieving near saturation simplifies control by eliminating variations in moisture content and holding slump loss to a minimum. These advantages have to be evaluated against the additional cost of aggregates and the problems of such high moisture content in northern climates, with storage problems and the effects of freezing and thawing. At this time, vacuum- or thermal-saturated aggregates represent a small share of the lightweight aggregate that is used in pumped concrete. One major ready mix producer in the Great Lakes area who is a major supplier of lightweight concrete uses a practical system for winter concreting. He has in storage all of the lightweight he will need for the winter before the shipping season ends. Prior to sustained fre ez i n g weather the aggregate is brought to about 70 percent of total absorption. Drying through a Great Lakes area winter poses no threat at all; there is no problem maintaining moisture during the winter season and there is no new dry material coming in to contend with.

The lightweight concrete mix

The first word of caution is that the concrete mix, no matter how well it is designed, should be field tested to confirm its pumpability before the project starts. It is also important to confirm that the specification is clear and realistic in stating what is required for pumped lightweight concrete. The American Concrete Institute Guide for Structural Lightweight Concrete (ACI 213) defines lightweight concrete as having a maximum air-dry unit weight at 28 days of 115 pounds per cubic foot. The plastic weight would be 3 to 5 pounds greater per cubic foot. ACI 213 also states that unit weights up to 120 pounds per cubic foot may be allowed by specifications. An air-dry weight of 110 pounds per cubic foot appears to be a practical minimum for pumpable concrete. Below that weight it becomes difficult to design mixes that will meet all of the

requirements of minimum weight, minimum specified strength and pumpability. One difference between the mix proportions of lightweight and normal weight concrete for pumping is in the amount of the fine aggregate used. A large majority of the lightweight mixes are made with the same natural sands used for normal weight mixes, rather than lightweight fines; but the proportion of fine aggregate is higher than for normal weight mixes. Whether lightweight or normal weight concrete is being pumped, the fine aggregate passing the No. 50 sieve is of greatest importance. It is recommended that 15 to 30 percent of the sand pass a No. 50 sieve and that 5 to 10 percent pass the 100 sieve. If sand gradation is coarse, adding 5 to 10 percent of fine material such as crushed rock fines can improve pumpability. As in normal weight concrete, air entrainment improves pumpability of lightweight mixes. It also reduces the tendency for the mix to segregate or to bleed. ACI 213 suggests air content of between 4 and 8 percent. There are advantages in staying closer to the 4 percent than to the 8. Better pumpability, less segregation and reduced bleeding can all be accomplished with 3 to 5 percent air. Higher air content, while reducing weight, may make the mix sticky, which will reduce pump output and possibly cause finishing problems as well. Fly ash serves the same purposes of improving pumpability and pre ve n t i n g bleeding, and in addition contributes to strength as a part of the total cementitious material. Both air entrainment and fly ash compensate in part for deficiencies in very fine material in the sand. Consistently presoaking the lightweight aggregate will minimize the effect that a change in moisture content could have on the control of mix proportions. Large variations in the aggregate moisture content can set off a chain reaction of problems. If a sudden reduction in moisture content occurs and is not detected, the mix p ro p o rtions will have been changed without anyone knowing it. If there is less water in the aggregate the aggregate will weigh less for the same volume. If the lightweight aggregate continues to be batched out at the same weight in spite of the reduction in moisture, there will be a greater volume of lightweight aggregate per cubic yard than intended. That will make the concrete less pumpable and harder to finish. Increasing the volume of material while retaining the same amount of cement also means that the cement content will be reduced. The reduced pumpability will require more water, which will in turn promote segregation and bleeding, in addition to strength reduction. Water reducers, water reducing retarders and superplasticizers may be used separately or in combination in the same way they are used in normal weight mixes. One producer expressed a preference for their use together, adding the water reducer at the time of batching and a reduced amount of superplasticizer at the jobsite. He was concerned about lightweight aggregate floating to the surface in a too highly plasticized mix.

The concrete pump

The pumping contractor for both the Texas Commerce Tower and Place St. Charles stated that the lightweight concrete did not require any higher pump pressure than did normal weight concrete for the same pumping conditions. This opinion is voiced by others as well, assuming adequate presoaking of the aggregate. Lightweight concrete is subject to a much wider va ri ation in pumpability than is normal weight because of the possibility of accidentally introducing aggregate that has not been presoaked adequately. If there is additional capacity in the pump to increase pressure temporarily until a problem is past, a serious problem of plugging the line might be avoided. High pressure pumps used on the Houston, New Orleans and Chicago projects provided very comfortable factors of safety. One of the pumpers suggested that working pressure should not exceed approximately two-thirds of the pump capacity.

The pumpline system

A 5-inch line is much preferred by the pumping contractors and is recommended by the ready mix producers who were involved in the projects cited earlier. A larger line diameter reduces line resistance and permits pumping at a lower pressure. The reduction in diameter between the pump cylinder and line system is a potential trouble spot. The greater the decrease in diameter, the more likely it is that a blockage will develop in the reducing section at the pump. Two steps can be taken to head off problems. One is to use a pump with a smaller pump cylinder diameter, perhaps 7 inches instead of 8 inches. The other is to use a reducer that is as long as

possible. A reduction of 1 inch in 4 or 5 feet is best. The longer the reducing section, the less turbulence will be created as concrete passes through the reducer. Tight joints in the line system are essential to prevent grout loss. Pipe ends and couplings should be clean so that gaskets will fit properly and ensure a good seal. The number of elbows and the length of discharge hose should be held to a minimum. Addition of a reducer near the placement area should be avoided. All elb ow s, rubber hose and reducers on the deck increase line resistance and require the higher line pressures that can aggravate water absorption and slump loss problems. Job conditions may dictate the use of a longer hose or a reducer, especially when there are interior columns or other obstructions that require snaking the hose through an obstacle course. But each additional element in the system that increases line resistance increases the possibility of a job slowdown caused by line blockage. On one point there seems to be no difference of opinion. If lightweight aggregate is adequately presoaked, properly proportioned lightweight concrete can be pumped just as successfully as normal weight concrete, and just as high.

PUBLICATION #C850505
Copyright 1985, The Aberdeen Group All rights reserved