Development of High Performance Concrete of grade M-60 for containment dome for Kaiga Project

The containment dome of the Kaiga Project, by virtue of its specific geometry, the sheer dimensions, and structural congestion of the reinforcement, posed a unique construction challenge. For the first time in India, the use of High Performance oncrete !HP " of #$%& grade 'as made on such a large scale. #eticulous planning, e(tensive testing and fla'less e(ecution yielded the desired results. #r. #ittal elaborates.

)uclear Po'er orporation has pioneered the use of High Performance oncrete !HP " in India. This concrete has been specially developed to cater to the design requirements of high compressive and tensile stresses coupled 'ith durability and impermeability. Inner containment dome of *eactor +uilding$ll of the Kaiga Project is constructed using HP of grade #$%& 'ith microsilica and high range superplasticisers. The dome structure 'as a highly congested one, 'ith reinforcement and prestressing cables, and placement of concrete at a height of ,& meters using concrete pumps and Placers$$ this required a concrete mi( of flo'able consistency. number of trials 'ere carried out at the oncrete Testing .aboratory ! T." of Kaiga Project to achieve the optimum mi( proportions of the concrete. .ater, a fe' full scale moc/ ups 'ere also conducted at the plant site to demonstrate the proper placement and compaction of the concrete under field conditions. 0alient features of mi( design are given belo'. SELECT !" !# C!"C$ETE "%$ED E"TS& #or ma'ing high performance concrete( it i) e))ential to )elect proper ingredient)( eval*ate their propertie) and have the 'no+-ho+ of the interaction of different material) for optim*m *)age, Cement& t i) the mo)t important ingredient of HPC( +hich determine) the )trength and propertie) of fre)h and hardened concrete -.-grade cement +a) )elected(con)idering it) compre))ive )trength at vario*) age)( finene))( heat of h/dration( al'ali content( and compati0ilit/ +ith admi1t*re),

Te)t for determination of 2ir content of the fre)hl/ mi1ed concrete,

2ggregate& 2ggregate occ*pie) 60 to 304 of the concrete vol*me and pla/) a )ignificant role in achieving the propertie) of concrete, Coar)e 2ggregate&

50 mm do+n cr*)hed granite )tone) +ere *)ed a) coar)e aggregate), Some important propertie) li'e cr*)hing )trength( d*ra0ilit/( gradation( fla'ine)) and elongation indice) +ere given )pecial con)ideration +hile )electing the aggregate for HPC, 2) the ten)ile )trength of concrete +a) of prime importance( it +a) nece))ar/ to red*ce the fla'/ and elongated particle) to red*ce the +ea'er 6one) in the concrete, Thi) +a) achieved 0/ )creening the aggregate thro*gh )peciall/ de)igned )ieve),

Sl*mp te)t for determination of +or'a0ilit/ of concrete,

#ine 2ggregate& $iver )and +a) *)ed a) fine aggregate, t +a) properl/ graded and +a)hed at )ite to remove deleterio*) material) and chloride contamination, Micro)ilica& Micro)ilica +a) *)ed to achieve high compre))ive and ten)ile )trength( d*ra0ilit/( lo+ permea0ilit/ and improved propertie) of fre)h concrete, t ma/ 0e noted that micro)ilica +a) *)ed for the fir)t time in ndia, Micro)ilica - a mineral compo)ed of *ltra fine )olid( amorpho*) gla))/ )phere) of )ilicon dio1ide Si!5- i) prod*ced d*ring the man*fact*ring of )ilicon and ferro-)ilicon, t contain) 78-984 amorpho*) Si!5in the form of micro)copic )pherical particle), The average particle )i6e of micro)ilica i) 0,: to 0,5 micron( +hich i) )imilar to to0acco )mo'e and nearl/ :00 time) )maller than that of a cement grain, Specific )*rface of micro)ilica i) :8.0 );,m<gm, Large )*rface area and high content of amorpho*) )ilicon dio1ide give) micro)ilica )*per po66olanic propertie), Micro)ilica improve) the )trength of concrete 0/ t+o mechani)m)( vi6,( 2) a )*per po66olana, 2) a filler,

Micro)ilica had to 0e imported from "or+a/ a) it i) not availa0le in ndia, Micro)ilica i) an *ltra fine material of lo+ 0*l' den)it/( +hich ma'e) it diffic*lt to handle( )tore and tran)port, Therefore( it i) proce))ed and )*pplied in den)ified form, Thi) agglomeration of micro)ilica formed 0/ den)ification 0rea') do+n d*ring mi1ing,

2dmi1t*re& S*cce)) of High performance concrete lie) in the proper *)e of high range +ater-red*cing admi1t*re) commonl/ 'no+n a) )*perpla)tici)er), High )trength concrete ha) lo+ +ater to 0inder ratio( and *ltra fine particle) in the form of micro)ilica, Hence( effective di)per)ion of cement and micro)ilica i) nece))ar/ to achieve proper +or'a0ilit/ of the concrete +itho*t increa)ing the *nit +ater content and cement content of mi1, Thi) i) achieved 0/ *)ing )*perpla)tici)er, The optim*m do)e of admi1t*re +a) eval*ated 0/ con)i)tenc/ te)t, 2t thi) do)e it red*ced +ater content of the mi1 0/ .84 and prod*ced a concrete of the de)ired flo+a0le con)i)tenc/, $etarder +a) al)o added to increa)e the )etting time of the concrete and improve the )l*mp retention propertie) to avoid cold joint) d*ring con)tr*ction, =ater& Pota0le +ater +a) fo*nd )*ita0le for ma'ing HPC, The thermal )tre))e) +ere red*ced 0/ re)tricting the placement temperat*re of concrete 0elo+ 5.>C, Thi) +a) achieved 0/ replacing part of +ater +ith thin fla'e) of ice, Mi1 De)ign& Mi1 de)ign involve) the proportioning of different ingredient) of concrete in the optim*m ;*antitie) 0a)ed on their propertie) to achieve the concrete of )pecified )trength( +or'a0ilit/ and d*ra0ilit/, Target )trength of the concrete i) fi1ed 0a)ed on )tandard deviation,

Con)idering e1tremel/ good degree of ?*alit/ control( the )tandard deviation for compre))ive )trength i) a))*med a) 8,8 MPa and that for )plit ten)ile )trength a) 0,. MPa, @Corre)ponding to appro1imatel/ 34 coefficient of variationA Target )trength for compre))ive )trength B 60C:,68D8,8 B 69 MPa Target )trength for )plit ten)ile )trength B .,73C:,68D0,. B -,.3 MPa Selection of =<E $atio& $elation)hip 0et+een compre))ive )trength and +ater to 0inder ratio @=<EA +a) e)ta0li)hed thro*gh vario*) trial) *)ing )ame ingredient), Thi) i) given in #ig*re-:, t can 0e )een from the fig*re that for compre))ive )trength re;*irement of 69 MPa( a =<E ratio of 0,.8 i) )*fficient, E*t 0a)ed on the data availa0le on )plit ten)ile )trength( it +a) o0)erved that thi) compre))ive )trength level +o*ld not 0e )*fficient to prod*ce a concrete of the de)ired )plit ten)ile )trength, Hence =<EB0,.5 +a) )elected con)idering the re;*ired high val*e of )plit ten)ile )trength and lo+ permea0ilit/ of the concrete, Calc*lation !f Mi1 Proportion)& 2ir content for concrete mi1 +ith 50 mm do+n aggregate +a) a))*med a) :4, 20)ol*te vol*me method +a) *)ed to determine the ;*antitie) of different ingredient), Preliminar/ trial) +ere carried o*t to determine e1actl/ the *nit +ater content( air content( )and percentage and +or'a0ilit/ of the concrete, #ig*re-5 )ho+) the final mi1 proportion), #*rther trial) +ere carried o*t to determine )tati)tical parameter) of compre))ive )trength of c*0e) and c/linder)( )plit ten)ile )trength( and other propertie) of fre)h and hardened concrete, Propertie) of #re)h Concrete& Te)t re)*lt) of fre)h concrete are given in Ta0le-:,

1escription of Test 0lump mm

)o. of 0amples 3, 3, 3 3 3, 3, 3 3

-verage 2alue 45, 43& 4&, 9& 786, &.9, 6?7& 8.43

#imimum #a(imum 2alue 2alue 46& 44& 4&& 5, 78,8 &.5& 7&& 46& 44& 9, 78=4 4.4

& min. 3& min. 8, min. 6& min.

:nit ;eight !Kg<cum" -ir content !>" 0etting time !hr?min" +leeding !>"

Ta0le - :& Propertie) of #re)h Concrete Concrete mi1 +a) *niform( cohe)ive and of flo+a0le con)i)tenc/, t +a) )*ita0le for p*mping, The *)e of micro)ilica )ignifica0ntl/ red*ced )egregation and 0leeding of concrete, Concrete )etting time of 6 hr), +a) o0)erved( +hich +a) fo*nd )*ita0le for placement condition), Propertie) of Hardened Concrete& Te)t) +ere carried o*t to )t*d/ different propertie) of hardened concrete, The te)t re)*lt) are given in Ta0le-5, C*0e Compre))ive Strength& #rom the re)*lt)( itF can 0e )een that the average c*0e compre))ive )trength achieved i) 36 Mpa, The val*e of compre))ive )trength ranged from 69,6 MPa to 7-,5 MPa +ith a )tandard deviation of .,76 MPa( +hich i) le)) than the a))*med val*e of 8,8 MPa, #rom the )tati)tical anal/)i) the characteri)tic )trength +or') o*t to 69,8 MPa, Thi) i) d*e to the )election of lo+er =<E ratio @0,.5A to meet the re;*irement) of high )plit ten)ile )trength,

Compressive testing of concrete sample in progress.

Split Ten)ile Strength&

The average )plit ten)ile )trength achieved i) -,.6 Mpa( ranging from .,93 MPa to -,9MPa, The characteri)tic )plit ten)ile )trength +or') o*t to .,9- MPa( +hich i) higher than the de)igned val*e of .,73 MPa, Permea0ilit/& Te)t) for +ater permea0ilit/ +ere carried o*t a) per the te)t proced*re given in D " :0-7, n all the )ample) +ater penetration +a) fo*nd to 0e nil, Thi) confirm) that the *)e of micro)ilica( and lo+ +ater to 0inder ratio ha) re)*lted in the impermea0le concrete, #rench Code $CC-%& The dome )tr*ct*re i) de)igned *)ing #rench code), The concrete mi1 +a) al)o te)ted in accordance +ith the #rench )pecification) $CC-% to ;*alif/ the mi1, oefficient of variation alculated haracteristic 0trength

1escription of )o. of Test 0amples ube ompressive 0trength !#Pa" 0plit tensile 0trength !#Pa" ylinder comp.0trength !#Pa" Fle(ural 0trength !#Pa" #odulus of @lasticity !#Pa" Premeability

-verage 2alue

#a(. #in. 0tandard 2alue 2alue 1eviation

3,

=,.9

58.7

69.6

3.56

,.&5

69.,

3,

8.36

8.98

3.9=

&.76

,.56

3.98

3,

64.7

=4.=

,,.7

3.68

,.98

,,.7

,.53

8.8&= ( 4&
8

;ater Penetration $)I.$ Ta0le - 5 & Te)t $e)*lt)

Moc' *p St*die)& 2fter de)igning the concrete mi1 and e)ta0li)hing vario*) parameter) of fre)h and hardened concrete in the la0orator/ 0/ trial )t*die)( a fe+ f*ll )cale field moc'*p) +ere done to demon)trate that concrete co*ld 0e properl/ placed and compacted *nder field condition), #or the)e moc'*p )t*die)( a portion of ring 0eam and a portion of dome near )team generator opening) +a) )elected( the latter 0eing the mo)t diffic*lt portion for concreting in the +hole )tr*ct*re, The)e moc'*p) +ere )im*lated to act*al )ite condition)

@i,e, reinforcement( pre)tre))ing ca0le)( em0edment) etc,A and +ere carried o*t *)ing the act*al con)tr*ction e;*ipment) +hich +ere propo)ed to 0e *)ed, Concrete core) +ere drilled o*t at )everal location) to verif/ proper placement and compaction of concrete even in the conge)ted area),

#ail*re pattern of concrete )pecimen) *)ed for determination of compre))ive and )plit ten)ile )trength of concrete,

The concrete +a) p*mped to a height of 80 m to chec' it) p*mpa0ilit/ characteri)tic), =et )ieve anal/)i) of concrete )ample) 0efore and after p*mping en)*red identical proportion), Concrete )ample) +ere al)o ta'en after p*mping to the dome height and c*red *nder field condition) to determine it) in situ )trength, The 2verage in situ compre))ive and ten)ile )trength +a) 3- MPa and -,.- MPa re)pectivel/( +hich i) compara0le to la0orator/ val*e) a) given in ta0le - 5, The)e moc'*p) +ere nece))ar/ to gain confidence( fore)ee the diffic*ltie)( and fine-t*ne the concrete mi1, The act*al concrete +or' of $E- nner Containment dome commenced on Gan*ar/ 6( :997 and +a) )*cce))f*ll/ completed on March :7( :997,
#r. -mit #ittal is a graduate from +IT0 Pilani !495=". He joined Kaiga Project in 4955. He is 'or/ing as In$charge of oncrete Testing .aboratory at Kaiga Project. He 'on 4st priAe for e(cellence in oncrete consecutively thrice for the year 4993, 4998, 499, conducted by -merican oncrete Institute.