Fresh Concrete

Two sets of criteria to consider when making concrete

Short-term requirements consistence (workability)
Long-term requirements strength, volume stability,
durability

Fresh concrete must be capable of satisfying the
following requirements
Easily mixed and transported
Uniform throughout a given batch and between batches
Have flow properties to fill the forms completely
Easily compacted without applying excessive energy
No segregation during placing and consolidation
Easily and properly finished
Page 1 of 60
Fresh Concrete
Definition (EN 206: 2013)
Fresh concrete
Concrete which is fully mixed and still in a condition that is capable of
being compacted by the chosen method

Consistence (Workability)
that property of the plastic concrete mixture which determines the
ease with which if can be placed and the degree to which it
resists segregation (Powers, 1932)
that properties of concrete which determines the amount of useful
internal work necessary to produce full compaction (Granville,
1947)
that property of freshly mixed concrete or mortar which determines
the ease and homogeneity with which it can be mixed, placed,
consolidated, and finished (ACI 116R-90)
property determining the effort required to manipulate a freshly mixed
quantity of concrete with minimum loss of homogeneity (ASTM
C 125-93)
Note: ease flow and resisting segregation (homogeneity)
Page 2 of 60
Fresh Concrete
Consistence (Workability) includes:
Consistency: property of a material by which it resists
permanent change of shape
Compactability: ease with which concrete can be
compacted and air void removed
Mobility: ease with which concrete can flow into forms,
around steel bars and be remoulded
Stability: ability for concrete to remain a stable,
coherent, homogeneous mass during handling and
vibration without segregation
Flowability, Pumpability, Finishability, Harshness
Quantitative fundamental for concrete (Bingham model):
Yield value: stress below which no flow occurs, t
o

Plastic viscosity: excess of shear stress above yield
stress divided by rate of shear, = (t - t
o
)/

Page 3 of 60
Fresh Concrete
Components of fresh concrete
Well distributed system of coarse aggregate particles
A system of fine aggregate particles filling inter-particle
spaces between coarse particles
Cement particles (including mineral additions, if added)
filling the spaces between aggregate particles
Water voids (including chemical admixtures, if added)
forming interconnected capillaries
Air bubbles (entrained and/or entrapped)

This complex system (solids, liquids and gas) changes
from their initial spacial distribution with time resulting
in bleeding, settlement and segregation

After hardening, the resultant distribution of components
retains the final stage of fresh concrete modified by
cement hydration
Page 4 of 60
Basic Principle of Rheology
Rheology
dealing with deformation and flow of materials under stress
Newtons law of viscous flow
Derived by considering the shearing
of adjacent layers of liquid










Valid for dilute suspension of solid
in liquid with no inter-particle forces
Single-point test
(Mindess et al 2003)
Page 5 of 60
Basic Principle of Rheology
Fresh concrete has a shear strength which must be
exceeded before flow can occur
Bingham model



where t
0
= yield stress
= plastic viscosity


Two- point test to determine t
0
and
Single - point tests of workability
current in use do not adequately
quantify the flow behavior of fresh concrete


0
(Mindess et al 2003)
Page 6 of 60
Factors Affecting Consistence (Workability)
Consistence (workability) generally implies ease with
which a concrete can be handled, starting from the
mixer to its final fully compacted state with segregation
Intrinsic Factors
water content, composition and properties of other
constituent materials (cement content, cement type,
maximum size aggregate and grading of both coarse
and fine aggregates, shape and texture of coarse
aggregates, percentage of fine aggregate), entrained
air and chemical admixtures (if added)
External Factors
temperature, relative humidity, wind velocity and time
since mixing (loss of consistence), agitation while
being transported (ready-mixed concrete).
Page 7 of 60
Factors Affecting Consistence (Workability)
Water content, mix proportions, aggregate properties,
time, temperature, characteristics of cement, &
admixtures

Water content
For a given maximum size of coarse aggregate and
aggregate grading, the workability is a direct function of
water content
concrete with very high workability tends to segregate and
bleed
concrete with too low workability may be difficult to place
and compact
Finer particles require more water, but minimum quantity
of fine material is essential to achieve plasticity

Note: for SCC, fines made up of inert powder + cement
Page 8 of 60
Factors Affecting Workability
Influence of aggregate
Amount of aggregate
For a constant w/c, | aggregate/cement will + workability
Relative proportions of fine and coarse aggregate
For finer aggregate grading, more cement is needed
If fine aggregate is not sufficient harsh concrete
Excess fine aggregate more permeable concrete
Shape and surface texture
Nearly spherical particles will increase workability
Smooth particles tend to increase workability
Flakey and elongated particles need more paste
Porosity
Free water content contribute to workability
Total water content including free water and water
absorbed by aggregate (below SSD)
Page 9 of 60
Factors Affecting Workability
Temperature
Ambient temperature |,
workability +



Cement
Less important than aggregate
Increased fineness will reduce workability at given w/c
In normal concrete, at a given water content
too low cement content produce harsh mixtures
poor finishability
too high cement content or a very fine cement show
good cohesiveness, but tends to be sticky
(Concrete Manual, US Bureau
of Reclamation 1975)
Page 10 of 60
Factors Affecting Workability
Admixtures
Mineral admixtures
Improve the cohesiveness (If they are used as cement
replacement, may have little effect on flowability)
Fly ash
Spherical shape acting as ball bearings
Reduce water requirement for given slump
Increase slump for given water content and w/cm
Silica fume
High specific surface
Increase water requirement
Superplasticizers are often used in combination with SF
Slag
Effect on workability is not significant
Air-entraining and water-reducing admixtures (equal w/c)
Improve workability
Page 11 of 60
qp
(Wallevik 1990)
Note: SP change in t
o
; entrained air change in
Water change in both t
o
and
Page 12 of 60
Effect of vibration on concrete flow curve
T = g + hN
where
N rotational speed, corresponds to shear rate
T - measured torque at N, corresponds to shear stress t,
g - intercept, corresponds to yield stress to
h - gradient of the relationship, corresponds to viccosity
Principle of the
coaxial cylinders
viscometer
(Tattersall, 1991)
vibrated
concrete
unvibrated
concrete
T
N
Page 13 of 60
Factors Affecting Consistence (Workability)
Time
Loss of workability
Slump loss is a normal phenomenon in all concrete
Slump loss occurs when the free water from a concrete mixture
is removed by
hydration reaction
adsorption on the surface of hydration products
evaporation
The slump loss is approximately linear with time
Greatest in the first 0.5 1 hr after mixing
Thereafter, the rate of slump loss is determined mainly by
elapsed time, temperature, cement composition, admixtures
Page 14 of 60
Factors Affecting Consistence (Workability)
Loss of workability (contd)
Significance
hang-up of concrete within the drum of truck mixer
difficulty in pumping and placing concrete
extra labour needed in placement and finishing
loss of strength, durability, and other properties when
retempering water is excessive or is not mixed properly
How to overcome the slump loss
starting with higher initial slump
add extra admixtures
at job sites


Page 15 of 60
Segregation and Bleeding
Segregation - separation of the components of fresh
concrete so that they are no longer uniformly
distributed
separation of coarse aggregate from concrete
Concrete too wet
Concrete too dry
separation of water from concrete - bleeding
Bleeding
Upward movement of water after concrete has been placed and
compacted but before it has set

Segregation
Page 16 of 60
Segregation and Bleeding
Significance
Segregation: It is impossible to achieve full compaction after a
concrete has segregated. Affect strength, durability.
Bleeding: The upper portion of concrete is weaker than the
concrete in the lower portion
under reinforcing bars
under coarse aggregate

(Mindess et al 2003)
Page 17 of 60
Segregation and Bleeding
Cause
Excessive amount of large particles of coarse aggregate with
either too high or too low density
Insufficient fine particles
Mixes that are either too wet or too dry
Over vibration
Control
Segregation of coarse aggregate
Pay attention to aggregate grading, reducing max aggregate
size, use more sand or a finer sand
Use mineral admixtures, air entraining admixture
Bleeding
Use mineral admixtures
Use air - entraining admixture
Reduce water content while maintaining workability
Page 18 of 60
Fresh Concrete
Standard test methods for consistence:
Degree of
consistence
Test method
Very low Vebe time (s)
Low Vebe time (s), Degree of compaction (ratio) (replacing
compacting factor)
Medium Degree of compaction (ratio), Slump (mm)
High Slump (mm), Flow diameter (mm)
Very high Flow diameter (mm), Slump flow diameter (mm)
EN 12350-2, Testing of fresh concrete Part 2: Slump test
EN 12350-3, Testing of fresh concrete _ Part 3: Vebe test
EN 12350-4, Testing of fresh concrete Part 4: Degree of compactability
EN 12350-5, Testing of fresh concrete Part 5: Flow table test
EN 12350-8, Testing of fresh concrete Part 8: Slump flow test for SCC
Note: Additional tests methods for other requirements of SCC
Page 19 of 60



Specifying CONCRETE Consistence Classes
Consistence classes in SS EN 206-1: 2009
Table 3 Slump classes
Class Slump in mm
S1
S2
S3
S4
S5
1)

10 to 40
50 to 90
100 to 150
160 to 210
> 220
Table 4 Vebe classes
Class Vebe Time in seconds
V0
1)
V1
V2
V3
V4
1)

> 31
30 to 21
20 to 11
10 to 6
5 to 3
Table 5 Compaction classes
Class Degree of compaction
C0
1)
C1
C2
C3
C4
1)
> 1.46
1.45 to 1.26
1.25 to 1.11
1.10 to 1.04
< 1.04
Table 6 Flow classes
Class Flow diameter in mm
F1
1)
F2
F3
F4
F5
F6
1)

s 340
350 to 410
420 to 480
490 to 550
560 to 620
> 630
Note: Not the same as compacting factor
Page 20 of 60



Specifying CONCRETE Consistence Classes
Consistence classes (Not yet included in BS EN 206-1: 2000)
Slump flow classes have been added to SS EN 206-1 Annex ZZA
(informative) Singapore guidelines General (to be updated when
CEN has finalized the standards for self-compacting concrete)

Table ZZA 1 Slump flow diameter classes
Class Slump in mm
SF1
1)

SF2
SF3
SF4
1)

s 540
550 to 650
660 to 750
> 760
1)
Due to the lack of sensitivity of the test method beyond certain values
of consistence, these values are not recommended
Note: In special cases, consistence may also be specified by target
value
Slump flow test Based on ISO 1920-2 Testing of concrete Part 2:
Properties of fresh concrete, (4.7 Slump flow test)
Note:
Slump flow diameter classes for
SCC in EN 206-9: 2010 and now in
EN 206-1: 2013 which are not the
same values as shown In SS EN
206-1: 2009 (to be updated)
Page 21 of 60



Specifying CONCRETE Consistence Classes
Consistence classes in BS EN 206: 2013
Table 3 Slump classes
Class Slump in mm
S1
S2
S3
S4
S5
a

10 to 40
50 to 90
100 to 150
160 to 210
> 220
Table 4 Compaction classes
Class Degree of compactability
C0
a
C1
C2
C3
C4
b
> 1.46
1.45 to 1.26
1.25 to 1.11
1.10 to 1.04
< 1.04
Table 5 Flow classes
Class Flow diameter in mm
F1
a
F2
F3
F4
F5
F6
a

s 340
350 to 410
420 to 480
490 to 550
560 to 620
> 630
a
See Note 1 to 5.4.1
Note: For further information see
Annex L, line 10
Annex L (informative)
10 Recommended to use
Slump 10 mm and 210 mm
Degree of compactability 1,04 and
1,46
Flow diameter > 340 mm and 620 mm
b
C4 applies only to ligntweight concrete

Page 22 of 60
Gently tap
concrete on the
side to provide
additional
information on
workability
harsh,
low on fines
plastic,
cohesive
True Shear Collapse
EN
ASTM
Tap
Fresh Concrete Testing Slump
Page 23 of 60
Fresh Concrete Testing Slump
EN 12350-2: 1999
Fill mould in 3 layers, each approximately 1/3 of height of the mould
when compacted, compact with 25 strokes of tamping rod uniformly
distributed over cross section
Report true slump to nearest 10 mm
Precision data for slump measurements





Range


(mm)


50 to 80
Single determination
Repeatability conditions Reproducibility conditions
S
r
(mm) r (mm) S
r
(mm) r (mm)
5,8 16 9,0 25
Duplicate determinations
4,1 11 8,0 22
ASTM C 143-12
Fill the mold in 3 layers, each approximately 1/3 of the volume of the
mold, rod each layer 25 times uniformly over the cross section
with the rounded end of the rod
Report slump to nearest 5 mm
Page 24 of 60
Fresh Concrete Testing Flow Diameter
Fill mould in 2 equal layers, raise
mould vertically, raise table top
till it reaches upper stop and
allow table top to fall freely to
lower stop
Repeat cycle for total 15 drops
Measure maximum spread in
two directions, d
1
and d
2
(to
nearest 10 mm), parallel to
edges of the table
Page 25 of 60
Fresh Concrete Testing Flow Diameter
Flow value of fresh concrete by measuring spread of
concrete on a flat plate which is subjected to jolting
Flow value F = (d
1
+ d
2
)/2
where
d
1
and d
2
are maximum dimension of concrete parallel
to edge of table edges
Precision data for flow measurement
Range
(mm)
Repeatability conditions Reproducibility conditions
S
r
(mm) r (mm) S
r
(mm) r (mm)
555 24,6 69 32,5 91
Page 26 of 60
Fresh Concrete Testing Degree of Compactability
Fresh concrete placed in a container, filled to the top
and struck off level, then compacted by vibration
and distance from concrete surface to upper edge of
container, s measured to nearest mm at middle of
each side of the container
Container, made of metal, internal dimensions shall be:
base: (2002) mm x (2002) mm
height: 400 mm 2 mm
Degree of compactability, c (to two decimal places)
c = h
1
/(h
1
s)
where
h
1
is the internal height of container (mm)
s is the mean value, (to nearest mm) of the 4 distances
from surface of compacted concrete to upper edges
of the container
Page 27 of 60
Fresh Concrete Testing Degree of Compactability

200 mm x 200 mm Cross Section
Height, h
1

400 mm
4 values:
s
x1
, s
x2
,
s
y1
, s
y2
,
X X
s
x1

s
x2

s
y1

s
y2

s = (s
x1
+ s
x2
+ s
y1
+ s
y2
)/4

Degree of compactability
c = h
1
/(h
1
s)
Y
Y
Page 28 of 60
Consistence Classes for SCC EN 206: 2013
(self-compacting /self-consolidating concrete)
Definition
Self-compacting concrete (SCC)
Concrete that is able to flow and compact under its own weight, fill the
formwork with its reinforcement, ducts, boxouts etc., whilst
maintaining homogeneity
Slump-flow (EN 12350-8)
Mean diameter of the spread of fresh concrete from a standardized
slump cone

Record time taken to nearest 0,1s for concrete to first touch 500 mm
circle (report t
500
to nearest 0,5s), when specified t
500
indicates
relative viscosity of concrete (see Table 7 for classes)

ASTM C1611-09 Slump Flow of Self-Consolidating Concrete
Filling Procedure A (Upright Mold):
with the larger opening facing down (as in conventional slump test)
Filling Procedure B (Inverted Mold):
with the smaller opening facing down (not in EN 12350-8)
Page 29 of 60
SCC Testing Slump-Flow
Table 6 EN 206: 2013
Class Slump-flow
a
tested in accordance with EN12350-8 (mm)
SF1 550 to 650
SF2 660 to 750
SF3 760 to 850
A
The classification is not applicable to concrete with D
max
exceeding 40 mm

Slump-flow, SF = (d
1
+ d
2
)/ 2
where
SF is slump-flow, (mm)
d
1
is largest diameter of flow spread, (mm)
d
2
is flow spread at 90
O
to d
1
(mm)
d
1
and d
2
(to nearest 10 mm)
Repeat with another sample if difference between d
1
and d
2
> 50 mm
If two consecutive tests show the difference between d
1
and d
2
> 50
mm, concrete lacks flowability for slump-flow test to be
suitable
Record time taken to nearest 0,1s for concrete to first touch 500 mm
circle (report t
500
to nearest 0,5s)
Page 30 of 60
Consistence Classes for SCC
Class t
500

a
tested in accordance with EN 12350-8 (s)
VS1 < 2,0
VS2 2,0
a
The classification is not applicable to concrete with D
max
exceeding 40 mm

Table 7 Viscosity classes t
500

Definition
Viscosity of concrete
Resistance to flow of fresh concrete once flow has started
Class t
v

a
tested in accordance with EN 12350-9 (s)
VF1 < 9
VF2 9,0 to 25,0
a
The classification is not applicable to concrete with D
max
exceeding 22,4 mm

Table 8 Viscosity classes t
v
(V-funnel)
The classes in Table s 7 and 8 are similar but not exactly the same
May also be specified by a target value with tolerances given in Table 23 of
BS EN 206: 2013
Page 31 of 60
SCC Testing Viscosity
Time taken for volume of concrete to flow out until it is possible to
see vertically through the funnel into the container below for the
first time : V-funnel flow time (to nearest 0,5 s)
Volume of concrete in
fully filled funnel :
About 12 litres
Measure time to 0,1 s
Page 32 of 60
Repeatability and Reproducibility
Slump-flow, SF (mm) < 600 600 750 > 750
Repeatability, r (mm) n/a 42 22
Reproducibility, R (mm) n/a 43 28
Repeatability and reproducibility for typical values of slump-flow
Repeatability and reproducibility for typical values of t
500

times
t
500
times (s) < 3,5 3,5 6.0 > 6,0
Repeatability, r (s) 0,66 1,18 n/a
Reproducibility, R (s) 0,88 1,18 n/a
Repeatability and reproducibility for typical values of V-funnel flow


times
V-funnel flow time, t
v
(s) 3,0 5,0 8,0 12,0 >15,0
Repeatability, r (s) 0,4 1,1 2,1 3,4 4,4
Reproducibility, R (s) 0,6 1,6 3,1 5,1 6,6
Page 33 of 60
Consistence Classes for SCC
Class L-box ratio tested in accordance with EN 12350-10

PL1 0,80 with 2 rebars
PL2 0,80 with 3 rebars
Table 9 Passing ability classes L-box
Definition
Passing ability
Ability of fresh concrete to flow through tight openings such as
spaces between steel reinforcing bars without segregation or
blocking
Class J-ring step (mm)
a
tested in accordance with EN 12350-12 (mm)

PJ1 10 with 12 rebars
PJ2 10 with 16 rebars
a
The classification is not applicable to concrete with D
max
exceeding 40 mm

Table 10 Passing ability classes J-ring
The classes in Tables 9 and 10 are similar but not exactly the same
May also be specified by a minimum value when determined by L-box-test or
by a maximum value when determined by J-ring test
Page 34 of 60
SCC Testing Passing Ability (L-box) Test
Passing ability ratio, (PL to nearest 0,01, H
1
and H
2
to nearest 1 mm):
PL = H
2
/H
1
where
PL is passing ability ratio measured by L-box test
H
1
is the mean depth of concrete in vertical section of the box (mm)
H
2
is the mean depth of concrete at end of horizontal section of the box (mm)
Note: Gap of (41 1) or (59 1 ) mm
using 12 mm diameter bars
Page 35 of 60
Repeatability and Reproducibility
Passing ability PL 0,8 < 0,8
Repeatability, r 0,11 0,13
Reproducibility, R 0,12 0,16
Repeatability and reproducibility for typical values of passing ability ratio
L-box test is used to assess passing ability of SCC to flow through
tight openings including spaces between reinforcing bars and other
obstructions with segregation or block.

There are two variations: two bar test and three bar test
Three bar test simulates more congested reinforcement
2 nos. (12 0,2) mm bars, gap = (59 1) mm
3 nos. ((12 0,2) mm bars, gap = (41 1) mm

Check concrete for signs of segregation before and after filling the
L-box
Report in qualitative way:
e.g. no indication of segregation,
strong indication of segregation
Page 36 of 60
SCC Testing Passing Ability (J-ring) Test
Record time taken to nearest 0,1 s for
concrete to reach the 500 mm circle at any
point, (t
500J
)

Measure largest diameter of flow spread ,
record as d
1
to nearest 10 mm
Measure diameter of flow spread at right
angles to d
1
to nearest 10 mm, record as d
2

Measure height at central position, Ah
o
and
at 4 positions, Ah
x1
, Ah
x2
, Ah
y1
, and Ah
y2
to
nearest 1mm
16 bars
Diameter = 18 mm
Gap = 41 1 mm
12 bars
Diameter = 18 mm
Gap = 59 1 mm
Page 37 of 60
SCC Testing Passing Ability (J-ring) Test
Passing ability PJ
PJ = (Ah
x1
+ Ah
x2
+ Ah
y1
+ Ah
y2
) Ah
0
(to nearest 1 mm)
where
PJ is passing ability measured by blocking step (mm)
Ah are measurement heights (mm)

Flow spread SF
J
(No specific requirement in EN 206 for SCC)

SF
J
= (d
1
+ d
2
)/ 2 (to nearest 10 mm)
where
SF
J
is flow spread (mm)
d
1
is largest diameter of flow spread (mm)
D
2
is flow spread at 90
O
to d
1
(mm)

Flow time t
500J
(No specific requirement in EN 206 for SCC)

J-ring flow time t
500J
is period between cone leaving base plate and
when SCC first touches circle of diameter 500 mm (to nearest 0,5 s)
Page 38 of 60
Repeatability and Reproducibility
Repeatability and reproducibility for typical values of narrow gap J-ring
passing ability PJ, measured by blocking step
J-ring passing ability PJ,
measured by blocking step (mm)
20 > 20
Repeatability, r (mm) 4,6 7,8
Reproducibility, R (mm) 4,6 7,8
Repeatability and reproducibility for typical values of narrow gap J-ring
flow spread SF
J
,
J-ring flow spread SF
J
(mm) < 600 600 750 > 750
Repeatability, r (mm) 59 46 25
Reproducibility, R (mm) 67 46 31
Repeatability and reproducibility for typical values of narrow gap J-ring
flow time t
500J

J-ring flow time t
500J
(s) 3,5 3,5 6 > 6
Repeatability, r (s) 0,70 1,23 4,34
Reproducibility, R (s) 0,90 1,23 4,34
Page 39 of 60
Consistence Classes for SCC - Segregation
Class Segregated portion
a
tested in accordance with EN 12350-11 (%)

SR1 20
SR2 15
a
The classification is not applicable to concrete with D
max
exceeding 40 mm
Table 11 Sieve segregation resistance classes
Definition
Segregation resistance
Ability of fresh concrete to remain homogeneous in composition
when in its fresh state
Repeatability and reproducibility for typical values of segregated portion
Segregated portion SR (%) 20 > 20
Repeatability, r (%) 3,7 10,9
Reproducibility, R (%) 3,7 10,9
Page 40 of 60
SCC Testing Sieve Segregation Test
Segregated portion SR (to nearest 1 %)
SR = (m
ps
m
p
) x 100/ m
c
where
SR is segregated portion (%)
m
ps
is mass of sieve receiver plus
passed material (g)
m
p
is mass of sieve receiver (g)
m
c
is initial mass of concrete placed
onto the sieve (g)
Place (10 0,5) litre of concrete in sample container, cover to prevent
evaporation
Allow to stand for (15 0,5) min and record any bleed water observed
Pour from (500 50) mm above the sieve (4,8 0,2) kg of concrete
(including any bleed water) onto centre of sieve in one operation
Record actual mass, m
c
(g) on the sieve
Allow to stand for (120 5) s, remove sieve vertically without agitation
Record mass of receiver, including material that has passed through sieve,
m
ps
(g)
Page 41 of 60
SCC Testing - ASTM
ASTM C1611-09b, Slump flow of self-consolidating concrete
Procedure A (upright mold) similar to EN 12350-8
Procedure B (inverted mold) with smaller opening facing down
(may be needed for J-ring test when foot pieces interfere with ring)
T
50
corresponds to t
500

Stability (nonmandatory) indicated by Visual Stability Index Values

Table X1.1 Visual Stability Index Values
VSI Value Criteria
0 = Highly
Stable
No evidence of segregation or bleeding
1 = Stable No evidence of segregation and slightly bleeding observed as a
sheen on the concrete mass
2 = Unstable A slight mortar halo 10 mm and/or aggregate pile in the centre of
the concrete mass
3 = Highly
Unstable
Clearly segregating by evidence of a large mortar halo > 10 mm
and/or a large aggregate pile in the centre of the concrete mass
Page 42 of 60
Self Compacting Concrete: Visual Segregation Index
Page 43 of 60
SCC Testing - ASTM
ASTM C1621-09b, Passing ability of self-consolidating concrete by J-ring
300 mm diameter ring, 16 bars of 16 mm diameter, gap = 42.9 mm
Blocking Assessment based on difference between slump flow and
J-ring flow (both to nearest 10 mm [1/2 in])
Slump flow = (d
1
+ d
2
)/2 and J-ring flow = (j
1
+ j
2
)/2
d
1
or j
1
= largest diameter of spread
d
2
or j
2
= spread at angle approximately perpendicular to d
1
(or j
1
)
Difference between slump flow and J-ring Flow Blocking assessment
0 to 25 mm [0 to 1 in] No visible blocking
> 25 to 50 mm [> 1 to 2 in] Minimal to noticeable blocking
> 50 mm [> 2 in] Noticeable blocking
Table 1 Blocking Assessment
Note: EN 12350-12 records SF
j
- hence possible to consider Blocking Assessment

Difference between slump flow and J-ring flow may also be considered as
percentage of slump flow (same difference lower % for higher slump flow)
Page 44 of 60
SCC Testing - ASTM
Two test methods for static segregation:
ASTM C 1610-10, Static segregation of self-consolidating concrete
using column technique
A column of fresh concrete in 600 mm high mold allow to stand for 151
min.
Top and bottom sections of 165 mm removed for washing over 4.75 mm
sieve for coarse aggregate, dry and weigh to nearest 50 g
Difference between mass of coarse aggregate in top and bottom
sections to calculate % static segregation

ASTM C 1712-09, Rapid assessment of static segregation resistance of
self-consolidating concrete using penetration test
A special penetration apparatus to penetrate into the fresh concrete
over 302 s for penetration depth, Pd
Penetration depth, Pd
Degree of static segregation resistance
Pd 10 mm Resistant
10 mm < Pd < 25 mm Moderately resistant
Pd 25 mm Not resistant
Page 45 of 60
Specifying CONCRETE Consistence classes

Clause 4.2.1 Consistence classes
(Tables for other types of consistence in classes similar to slump)
(for details see Table 4, Table 5, and Table 6 of EN 206-1)
Table 4 Vebe classes #
(Vebe test conforming to EN 12350-3)
Table 5 Compaction classes (not the same as compacting factor)
(degree of compactibility conforming to EN 12350-4)
Table 6 Flow classes
( flow diameter conforming to EN 12350-5)

1) Note to 5.4.1 Due to the lack of sensitivity of the test methods beyond certain
values of consistence, it is recommended to use the indicated tests for:

Slump 10 mm and 210 mm
Vebe time s 30 sec and > 5 sec #
Degree of compactability > 1.04 and < 1.46
Flow diameter > 340 mm and s 620 mm
In special cases, consistence may also be specified by target value
Table 11 Tolerances for target values of consistence
(for details see Table 11 of SS EN 206-1)

[Above information is now in EN 206: 2013 Annex L (informative)]
# Vebe test deleted in EN 206: 2013
Page 46 of 60
Specifying CONCRETE Consistence classes

Table 11 Tolerance for target values of consistence (SS EN 206-1: 2009)
[Slump flow diameter from Annex ZZA (informative)]


Slump
Target value in mm 40 50 to 90 100
Tolerance in mm 10 10 10
Vebe time
Target value in sec 11 10 to 6 5
Tolerance in sec 3 2 1
Degree of compactability
Target value 1.26 1.25 to 1.11 1.10
Tolerance 0.10 0.08 0.05
Flow diameter
Target value in mm All values
Tolerance in mm 30
Slump flow diameter
Target value in mm All values
Tolerance in mm 30
Page 47 of 60
Specifying CONCRETE Consistence and Viscosity
Table 23 Conformity criteria for target values
a
of consistence and viscosity
(BS EN 206: 2013, higher tolerance provided)

Slump
Target value in mm 40 50 to 90 100
Tolerance in mm 10 20 30
Degree of compactability
Target value 1.26 1.25 to 1.11 1.10
Tolerance 0.13 0.11 0.08
Flow diameter
Target value in mm All values
Tolerance in mm 40
a
These values apply except where alternative values are given in
Annex D or in provision valid in place of use

Note: Annex D (normative) Additional requirements for specification and
conformity of concrete for special geotechnical wokrs
Page 48 of 60
Specifying CONCRETE Consistence and Viscosity
Table 23 Conformity criteria for target values
a
of consistence and viscosity
(BS EN 206: 2013, SCC) - continued

Slump flow diameter
Flow diameter
Target value in mm All values
Tolerance in mm 50
t
500

Target value in s All values
Tolerance in s 1
t
v

Target value in s < 9 9
Tolerance in s 3 5
a
These values apply except where alternative values are given in
Annex D or in provision valid in place of use
Page 49 of 60
y = 138500x
-1.3
R
2
= 0.81
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Slump (mm)
Y
i
e
l
d

s
t
r
e
s
s

(
P
a
)
>60 to 80
>40 to 60
>20 to 40
_
Power (_)
q
p
(Pa.s)
Relation between Slump and Rheological Parameters
Yield stress to +,
Slump |
No clear correlation between plastic viscosity q
p
and slump for non-
air-entrained concrete
For air-entrained concrete, air content |, plastic viscosity +, slump |
(Chia 2006)
Page 50 of 60
Setting of Concrete
Defined as the onset of solidification in fresh concrete
Transitional period between states of fluidity and rigidity
Initial and final setting times of concrete are arbitrarily defined
by a test method such as ASTM C 403 (penetration resistance
method)
Do not mark a specific change in the physical-chemical
characteristics of the cement paste or concrete; they are functional
points
initial set: fresh concrete can no longer be properly handled
and placed
final set: hardening begins
Used
to help regulate time of mixing and transportation
to help plan the scheduling of finishing operations
to determine the effectiveness of set-controlling admixtures
Page 51 of 60
Setting and Hardening
Setting
When sufficient
contact has
formed between
hydration
products, paste
lose its fluidity
Hardening
Continued cement
hydration leads to
strength
development
(Mindess &Young 1981) & (Soroka 1993)
ASTM
C409

27.6 MPa
3.5 MPa
SS 320 (BS 5075-1)
Stiffening time at value of 0.5 MPa:
End of good workability
At value of 3.5 MPa:
Limit for avoidance of cold joint
(too stiff for vibrating previously
placed concrete to intermix with
newly placed concrete)
0.5 MPa
Page 52 of 60
Time of Setting ASTM C 403 or SS 320 (BS 5075)
Needle size:
ASTM C 403: various diameters
SS 320 (BS 5075) single size
diameter for area of 30 mm
2

(6.175 mm)
Page 53 of 60
Effect of Hydration on Setting Time
Role of C
3
S
Setting is controlled primarily by the hydration of C
3
S
Setting occurs when the induction period is terminated and
rapid hydration of C
3
S occurs in Stage 3
Initial set beginning of Stage 3, beginning of rapid
temperature rise
Final set midpoint of Stage 3,
Role of C
3
A & gypsum
In OPC, C
3
A plays a minor role in setting, except in cases of
abnormal set
w/c (w/c |, setting time |)
Temperature
Admixtures

Page 54 of 60
Abnormal Setting & Stiffening
Sulphate related
Delicate balance between C
3
A and
sulphate in solution in the first 15
min. If the balance is not right,
problems
Form of calcium sulphate In cement
Gypsum CaSO
4
.2H
2
O
Hemi-hydrate CaSO
4
.1/2 H
2
O
Anhydrate CaSO
4
Hemi-hydrate dissolves faster than
gypsum
Anhydrate dissolves slowly
Rate of reaction: Hemihydrate > Gypsum > Anhydrate
Page 55 of 60
Abnormal Setting & Stiffening
Flash set
Insufficient sulfate in solution
C
3
A reacts quickly with water to form
CAH
Flash set: immediate and permanent
hardening of mix
False set
Too much sulfate in solution
Gypsum crystals precipitate
Causing temporary stiffening
If mixing continues, the gypsum will
re-dissolve and the stiffening will
disappear
(CTL Group)
Page 56 of 60
Abnormal Setting Behavior
Water reducing admixtures related
Some chemical admixtures (e.g. ASTM Type A or B) may
interfere with cement hydration
Accelerate C
3
A reaction
Retard C
3
S reaction
Interfere with the balance of aluminate and sulfate
If the C
3
A is accelerated, flash setting
Delay the addition of the WRAs
Supplementary cementing materials related
An SCM containing high C
3
A (typically Class C fly ash) can
compromise the aluminate - sulfate balance
Flash setting
Desirable to use blended cements commercially produced
instead of mixing cement and fly ash at ready mix concrete
plants
Page 57 of 60
Abnormal Setting Behavior
Temperature related
High temperatures generally increase solubility (except
calcium) and accelerate the rate of cement hydration
Affect aluminate sulfate balance
Consumption of gypsum in cement paste system occurs
more quickly when the curing temperature is higher
In warm weather, more sulfate is needed to control rapid
C
3
A reactions
Page 58 of 60
Tests of Fresh Concrete - Application
As quality control measure and help to ensure proper mix
proportions
Workability
Setting times
Air content
Unit weight


Air content
( 2% without entrained air)
Unit weight
[Useful in verifying volume of concrete
(when compacted) in a truck]
Page 59 of 60
Quality Control of Concrete
Control
Mix proportion
Compressive strength
Durability (if specified)
Importance of w/c ratio and
cement content
No easy test method is available to
determine w/c and cement content
with sufficient accuracy
Determine w/c ratio
Concrete thin section under
optical microscope
Light intensity passed through the
thin section w/c
Accuracy 0.05
Petrography on concrete and interpretation
by specialist petrographers

(Jacobsen & Brown 2005)
Page 60 of 60