P. K u m a r M e h t a I a n d P i e r r e - C l a u d e C.

A i t c i n ~

Principles Underlying Production of High-Performance Concrete

REFERENCE: Mehta, P. K. and Aitcin, P. C., "Principles Under-
lying Production of Itigh-Performance Concrete," Cement, Concrete,
and Aggregates, CCAGDP, Vol. 12, No. 2, Winter 1990, pp. 70-
78.
ABSTRACT: Durability rather than high strength appears to be the
principal characteristic for high-performance concrete mixtures being
developed for use in hostile environments such as seafloor tunnels,
offshore and coastal marine structures, and confinement for solid and
liquid wastes containing hazardous materials. Strength, dimensional
stability, impermeability, and high workability .are usually the prin-
cipal characteristics required of high-performance concrete.
In this paper an overview of the composition of concrete and its
effect on the properties desired for high performance is given. This
overview can be used as a basis for selection of component materials
and mix proportioning. A new step-by-step procedure for mix pro-
portioning is described. The calculated mix proportions from this
procedure appear to be consistent with the state-of-the-art laboratory
and field practice. Also, a brief review is given of concrete production
and construction practices essential for making a high-performance
end product.
KEYWORDS: concrete strength, impermeability, durability, high
performance, dimensional stability, cement paste, aggregate, mineral
admixtures, superplasticizer, proportioning, strength grading
In the coming decades, concrete will be increasingly called
upon to serve as a construction material for hostile environments
such as seafloor tunnels, offshore piers and platforms, sewage
pipes, and confinement structures for solid and liquid wastes
containing toxic chemicals and radioactive elements. Also, due
to the heavy cost of repair or replacement, most of these struc-
tures will be required to have a service life of hundreds of years,
instead of 40 to 50 years normally expected from ordinary con-
crete. High-performance concrete (HPC) mixtures are being de-
veloped to meet this challenge.
High performance is generally assumed to be synonymous with
high strength, although this is not true in every case. For instance,
Birchall and Kelly [1] were able to produce exceptionally high-
strength cement-based products containing polyvinyl acetate.
However, the moisture resistance and long-term durability of the
material are not satisfactory. Similarly, by hot pressing, Roy and
Gouda [2] produced a 470-MPa cement paste in the laboratory,
but the material is not suitable for application to most concrete
elements, which are cast in place. Clearly, there is a need for
defining the essential characteristics of HPC and developing
guidelines for producing the material with conventional pro-
cessing methods.
tProfessor of civil engineering, University of California at Berkeley,
Berkeley, CA 94720.
~Professor of civil engineering, University of Sherbrooke, Quebec,
Canada.
0149-61 :'3/90/0012-007052.50
70
What Is High Performance Concrete?
Compressive strength, which is easily regulated by controlling
the water-cement ratio, has served well in the past as the principal
criterion for performance of ordinary concrete. Unacceptable
rates of deterioration in many recently built concrete structures
exposed to aggressive environments show that this criterion is
no longer adequate for ensuring long-time durability, which
should indeed be the primary requirement for high performance.
ACI Committee 201 defines the durability of concrete as its
ability to resist weathering action, chemical attack, abrasion, and
any other process of deterioration. Weathering includes envi-
ronmental effects, such as exposure to cycles of wetting and
drying, heating and cooling, and freezing and thawing. Chemical
deterioration processes include acid attack and expansive chem-
ical reactions such as sulfate attack, alkali-aggregate attack, and
corrosion of steel in concrete. Consequently, in order to be clas-
sified as HPC, a concrete should meet the following specifica-
tions:
1. Impermeability: Since the penetration of moisture and
harmful ions is necessary for most chemical attacks, the imperme-
ability of concrete has to be the first line of defense. The tra-
ditional tests for measurement of water permeability are very
cumbersome and often do not give reproducible data. For ap-
plication to concrete with very low coefficient of permeability
(e.g., 1 × 10- ~ m/s), a chloride-ion permeability test ( A A S H T O
277) appears to be more suitable. In this test, the rate of per-
meation of chloride ions is expressed in terms of coulombs. A
concrete mixture showing 500 C or less current flow in a 6-h
chloride permeability test is considered to be virtually imperme-
able.
2. Dimensional stability: A high elastic modulus, low drying
shrinkage and creep, and low thermal strain are some of the key
factors contributing to high-dimensional stability of concrete,
which is essential for counteracting any undesirable stress effects
produced as a result of volume changes under conditions of re-
straint. With naturally occurring materials, although it is not
difficult to produce concretes of 60 to 100-MPa compressive
strength, the increase in the elastic modulus is not proportional.
However, compared to 20 to 25 GPa (3 to 4 by 10" psi) elastic
modulus for conventional concrete, it is possible to obtain 40 to
45 GPa (6 to 7 by 106 psi) elastic modulus for HPC mixtures
containing suitable materials and mix proportions.
Creep and drying shrinkage strains in concrete, frequently as
high as 0.08% each (as measured by the ASTM Test Method C
157 [Test Method for Length Change of Hardened Hydraulic
Cement Mortar and Concrete] and C 512 [Test Method for Creep
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of Concrete in Compression], respectively), are highly dependent
on the aggregate type and content [3]. To achieve high-dimen-
sional stability it is desirable to reduce the magnitude of these
strains by limiting the total volume of the cement paste in con-
crete and by using a coarse aggregate which has high strength
and elastic modulus. With proper materials and mix proportions,
experience shows that it is possible to bring down the 90-day
drying shrinkage strain to less than 0.04%.
What Are the Problems?
Making a special product usually calls for some changes in con-
ventional processing technology. For a multicomponent material
such as concrete, this not only will require a review of the criteria
used for the selection of concrete components and mix propor-
tions but also the production methods, i.e., mixing, handling,
and curing.
A major problem in producing high-performance concrete is
the assumption by earlier researchers that high strength and high
performance are synonymous. Whereas this is not strictly true,
as discussed above, in most cases, high durability to certain ag-
gressive conditions, such as abrasion and erosion, has been
achieved by the use of high-strength concrete mixtures since they
possess high impermeability. Because the concept of HPC as
given here is relatively new and because no previous laboratory
data on HPC mix proportioning exists, the authors are compelled
to use in this paper high-strength formulations as a first step for
developing HPC mixtures.
The selection of materials is a problem because cements and
aggregates are available with widely varying compositions and
properties, and there are no clear guidelines as to the cement
and aggregate types most suitable for use in HPC. The situation
is complicated by the fact that a number of chemical and mineral
admixtures must be used simultaneously (also there is a prolif-
eration of these admixtures on the market), and there are no
simple rules by which one can easily make a judicious choice.
The selection of mix proportions is a serious problem because
the relationship between strength and water-cement ratio, which
is the backbone of mix-proportioning methods for ordinary con-
crete mixtures, is not sufficient to meet all the requirements of
HPC as discussed above. It seems that at very low water-cement
ratios, the type and dosage of mineral admixtures have a strong
influence on the strength and other characteristics of concrete.
Also, the aggregate type and content, to which conventional mix-
proportioning methods do not pay adequate attention, must be
given serious consideration due to their great influence on the
dimensional stability of concrete. The published literature does
not contain a simple set of rules or a step-by-step method by
which someone interested in making a HPC mixture with locally
available materials is able to select the proper materials and mix
proportions for the first trial batch. As a result, following an
empirical approach, a large number of laboratory trials are gen-
erally needed before a mix design is arrived at, satisfying the
strength and workability requirements. Usually an extensive test-
ing program has to be undertaken in order to optimize the
concrete mixture with respect to other characteristics, such as
dimensional stability and long-term durability to given en-
vironmental conditions.
Finally, the sequence in which the component materials are
added during the mixing operation, the efficiency of the mixer,
the method of transporting and placement of concrete, and the
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MEHTA AND A'iTCIN ON HIGH-PERFORMANCE CONCRETE 71
curing technology are other factors in concrete production which
also have considerable effect on the microstructure and prop-
erties of the product. Before specific guidelines for the selection
of materials, mix proportions, and concrete production methods
are discussed, it will be helpful to undertake an overview of the
composition of concrete and its effect on properties.
An Overview of the Composition of Concrete and its Effect
on Properties
According to a simple model, concrete is a composite material
consisting of two components, namely cement paste and aggre-
gate. The cement paste is the binder for the aggregate, which is
the discontinuous phase. As a first approximation, the perme-
ability, strength, dimensional stability, and other properties of
concrete depend both on the binder/aggregate ratio and the qual-
ity of each of the two components.
A dry mixture of well-graded fine and coarse aggregates con-
tains approximately 21 to 22% void space which must be filled
by the binder. However, in practice, at least 25% cement paste
by volume is needed to produce workable concrete mixtures.
Normal aggregates are generally strong and dense, hence con-
crete permeability and strength are determined by the porosity
and the type of hydration products in the cement paste. Cement
pastes hydrated with targe amounts of water are usually weak
and permeable because they contain a high volume of big cap-
illary pores, large crystals of hydration products (especially cal-
cium hydroxide), and microstructural inhomogeneities. With
normal concrete (>0.4 water/cement ratio), the presence of
coarse aggregate particles in the cement paste matrix gives rise
to nonhomogeneous distribution of water d~ring placement and
consolidation. This is because, due to the aggregate "wall effect,"
local regions of high water/cement ratio adjacent to the aggregate
surface are formed. The weak interfacial zone between cement
paste and aggregate explains why the strength and impermea-
bility of the cement pastes, with a given water/cement ratio, are
reduced by the presence of coarse aggregate in concrete.
Naturally, for low permeability and high strength of concrete,
it will be desirable to reduce both the water and aggregate con-
tent. In fact, concrete mixtures of exceptionally high strength
and low permeability have been produced by researchers by using
very low water/cement ratios (0.08 to 0.2) and very high cement
paste contents (40 to 50% by volume). These are of little or no
value for application to structural concrete practice because of
poor dimensional stability and high cost of fabrication. This is
because, due to their dry consistency, heat and pressure are
needed to consolidate them. In conclusion, with increasing ce-
ment paste content in concrete, the strength and impermeability
will be enhanced, but the dimensional stability will be impaired.
For HPC, it seems that 35% cement paste by volume represents
an optimum solution in balancing the conflicting requirements
of strength, workability, and dimensional stability.
Selection of Materials
In addition to the cement paste-aggregate ratio, aggregate type
has a great influence on concrete dimensional stability. For in-
stance, a mismatch in the elastic moduli or coefficient of thermal
expansion between the cement paste and aggregate will cause
cracking when the structure is exposed to frequent cycles of
temperature changes. Also, at a given cement paste-aggregate
72 CEMENT,CONCRETE,AND AGGREGATES
ratio, the use of an aggregate with a very low elastic modulus
results in concrete which shows high creep and drying shrinkage.
From the standpoint of long-term dimensional stability, concrete
mixtures containing coarse aggregates derived from limestone or
basalt are generally known to perform better than those con-
taining quartzitic sandstones or fluviatile gravel. Having consid-
ered the dimensional stability aspects, we can now examine how
the choice of aggregate type and cement paste quality would
influence other properties of HPC. The authors have discussed
the microstructural dependence of high-strength concrete mix-
tures in detail elsewhere [4], therefore only a summary will be
presented here.
Aggregate
At a given cement content, most properties of concrete are
adversely affected by increasing the water content. This under-
scores the importance of using well-graded clean aggregates that
are free from silt, clay, and friable particles. As fine aggregate
(<0.5 mm), natural sands with a medium-to-high fineness mod-
ulus (viz. 2.5 to 3) are generally adequate. For use as coarse
aggregate, equidimensional particles, obtained by crushing a
dense limestone rock or a plutonic-type igneous rock (such as
granite, syenite, diorite, and diabase), are usually satisfactory.
There is some controversy regarding the choice of maximum
size of aggregate (MSA). With high-strength concrete mixtures,
there is a large amount of data showing that the use of larger
than 25-mm MSA generally impairs the strength and imperme-
ability of concrete. Since the aggregate-cement paste interracial
zone is strong in HPC, the aggregate can indeed be strength
limiting, which is seldom a matter for concern with conventional
concretes. With most rocks, reducing the MSA to 10 to 15 mm
often eliminates any internal defects present within the aggregate
particle (such as microcracks, large pores, and inclusions of soft
minerals). Hence, 10 to 15 mm MSA may be considered optimum
for HPC.
An experimental study by the authors [5] showed that similar
concrete mixtures containing either a local granite or a gravel
aggregate gave significantly lower strength than those containing
either a diabase or a limestone aggregate. Loading and unloading
of specimens in the elastic range produced much wider hysteresis
loops in the case of concretes containing the granite and gravel
aggregates. Since a large residual strain on unloading is indicative
of either a weak interracial zone or sources of weakness present
within the aggregate particle, the authors concluded that studies
of this type are valuable in evaluating coarse aggregates for use
in HPC mixtures.
It may be noted that all granite and gravel aggregates may not
be necessarily unsuitable for use in HPC mixtures. For instance,
in the northwestern United States, a glacial gravel has been
successfully used to make 120-MPa concrete.
Cement
With a given high-quality aggregate, the strength and perme-
ability of concrete mixtures are controlled by the quality of the
cement paste, which, in turn, depends on the physical and chem-
ical characteristics of cement, the type and dosage of chemical
and mineral admixtures, the original water-cement ratio, and the
degree of hydration.
Minimum water requirement for a given consistency of the
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cement paste is a primary consideration in the selection of ma-
terials for making HPC. Commercial cements meeting the ASTM
Specification for Portland Cement (C 150) for Type I portland
cement vary considerably in chemical composition and fineness,
both of which influence the water requirement for normal con-
sistency. Also, physicochemical interactions between some ce-
ments and water-reducing admixtures are known to cause rapid
stiffening or slump loss, which often requires retempering of a
concrete mixture with additional water. For example, some su-
perplasticizers contain significant amounts of free sulfate, which
may contribute to abnormal stiffening of a cement paste made
with a high-C3A portland cement. The loss of consistency is
associated with the formation of ettringite, a calcium sulfoalu-
minate hydrate, which is known to immobilize large amounts of
free water by surface adsorption.
Hanna et al. [6] have described a simple test method for eval-
uating the rheology and slump loss tendency of cement-super-
plasticizer combinations. A specially designed mixer called
Rheopump is used for quick, homogeneous dispersion of cement
in water containing the superplasticizer; paste fluidity is deter-
mined by measuring the time taken to empty 1 L of cement paste
through a conical container, which is a modified Marsh cone.
The test results showed that some portland cements with higher
8% C3A were prone to the slump loss problem, which is aggra-
vated by high alkali and sulfate contents. Since low-C3A cements
tend to be slow in setting and hardening when compared to high-
C3A cements, ASTM Type II cements ground to a higher fineness
than normal are generally well suited for making HPC. Due to
their low heat of hydration and other desirable effects associated
with the presence of mineral admixtures, as will be discussed
below, ASTM Type IP portland-pozzolan cement and ASTM
Type IS portland-slag cement should be seriously considered.
Chemical Admixtures
Chemical admixtures are added to concrete to accomplish a
number of objectives, such as improving consistency, controlling
the time of set, and providing protection against deterioration
by freezing and thawing cycles. With HPC, the reduction of water
content in a concrete mixture, while maintaining the desired
workability, is of foremost importance. At normal dosage, the
conventional water-reducing admixtures, such as derivatives
from sulfonated lignin, are able to reduce the water content of
concrete mixtures by 5 to 10%. At high dosages, the conventional
water-reducing admixtures cause excessive retardation. In the
seventies, the advent of high-range water-reducing chemicals,
popularly known as superplasticizers, provided a method of ob-
taining high-consistency concrete mixtures at very low water con-
tents and without causing excessive retardation.
The superplasticizers are high molecular weight anionic sur-
factants derived from sulfonated formaldehyde of naphthalene
or melamine. When used in quantities ranging from 1 to 2%
solid by weight of cementitious materials, they produce a pow-
erful dispersing effect on the cement paste, which can be rela-
tively short-lived. To get around this problem, a portion of the
superplasticizer dosage may be saved for later addition when the
concrete mixture has arrived at the job site. The choice of the
superplasticizer type is generally determined by cost, dosage,
and compatibility with other components of the cement paste.
It is not uncommon to achieve the desired properties in concrete
by using a mixture of the two superplasticizer types, or by using

a mixture of a superplasticizer and a normal water-reducing
chemical. The latter is a cost-effective approach when set retar-
dation is needed in addition to water reduction.
Mineral Admixtures
Mineral admixtures are fine powders generally composed of
silicate glasses or noncrystalline silica which, in the presence of
moisture, calcium ions, and hydroxyl ions, slowly hydrate to form
cementing products. Volcanic glasses and tufts, calcined clays,
and diatomaceous earth have long been in use as mineral ad-
mixtures. However, increasingly in use are siliceous by-products,
such as granulated blast-furnace slag, fly ash, and condensed
silica fume. A comprehensive classification of mineral admix-
tures, with their physical and chemical characteristics, is given
in earlier publications [3,4}.
The incorporation of mineral admixtures in concrete can lead
to so many technical advantages that no concrete mixtures should
be made without them unless there are special reasons. First,
the presence of fine particles of a mineral admixture in fresh
concrete, especially pozzolanic admixtures, results in consider-
able improvement of rheological properties, such as cohesiveness
and stability. By segmenting the channels of flow of water in the
cement paste, the particles of mineral admixture are generally
able to reduce bleeding and segregation, which become the pri-
mary causes of microstructural nonhomogeneity in concrete, es-
pecially in the cement paste-aggregate interracial zone. Second,
by increasing the time of set and by reducing the rate of slump
loss in fresh concrete, the mineral admixture is able to provide
some degree of control over the slump loss problem, which can
be troublesome with superplasticized concrete mixtures. It
should be noted that a concrete mixture that is hard to place and
consolidate will not result in a satisfactory end product. Third,
fine particles of a less reactive solid (compared to portland ce-
ment), when well dispersed in the cement paste, provide nu-
merous nucleation sites for the precipitation of hydration prod-
ucts. Scanning electron microscopic studies have confirmed that,
at a given water-cement ratio and degree of hydration, the hy-
drated cement pastes containing mineral admixtures are gener-
ally composed of nondescript (poorly crystalline) products with
a homogeneous distribution of fine pores. Therefore, from the
standpoint of strength and impermeability, the microstructure of
cement paste containing a mineral admixture will be superior to
a similar cement paste without any mineral admixture. In the
latter case, the microstructure is heterogeneous and character-
ized by local areas of high concentration of large pores as well
as large crystals of calcium hydroxide from which microcracks
usually originate [3].
From a clear understanding of the mechanisms by which min-
eral admixtures enhance the properties of concrete [7], it is ob-
vious that the performance of a mineral admixture would depend
on particle size, pozzolanic and cementitious characteristics, de-
gree of uniform dispersion, and curing conditions. High-quality
fly ash and ground blast-furnace slag, which are usually less
expensive than portland cement, may be used in quantities rang-
ing from 20 to 30% by mass of total cementitious material. Since
they tend to reduce not only the heat of hydration but also the
early (3 and 7-day) strength, larger dosages are usually avoided
with HPC mixtures. When high early strength is a consideration,
for example, in cold weather concreting, condensed silica fume
(which is highly pozzolanic) or a mixture of condensed silica fume
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MEHTA AND A'fTCIN ON HIGH-PERFORMANCECONCRETE 73
with fly ash or slag may be advantageously used. This is because
not only condensed silica fume (0.1-~m average particle size, 20-
m2/g surface area) is very expensive but also increasing dosages
of this admixture require correspondingly higher dosages of the
superplasticizer for proper dispersion. Note that superplasticizers
are also much more expensive than normal water-reducing chem-
icals. It should be noted that a substantial saving in the use of
superplasticizer usually occurs as a result of partial substitution
of portland cement by a mineral admixture due to reduction in
the C3A content of the cementitious sygtem. Although 15 to 25%
silica fume by weight or by volume of cementitious materials has
been used in laboratory mixtures, the authors do not recommend
using more than 10%. For HPC, an optimum solution is to use
a combination of 10% silica fume with 15% fly ash or slag by
volume.
Proportioning of High-Performance Concrete Mixtures
Mix proportioning is the process of determining the right com-
bination of component materials that will produce a concrete
mixture with the desired characteristics at the lowest possible
cost. Even with ordinary concrete the process is not easy because
it involves the art of balancing various conflicting requirements.
Extensive laboratory testing must often be carried out before a
satisfactory proportion of materials is arrived at.
The cost effectiveness of the mix-proportioning process de-
pends very much on the availability of a computational method
which would permit the determination of proportion of com-
ponent materials for the first trial batch as accurately as possible.
To be generally applicable to a wide variety of materials, the
computational method has to be more or less independent of the
material characteristics. .For instance, the ACI Committee 211
procedure for proportioning concrete mixtures with up to 40-
MPa compressive strength is applicable to aggregates with wide-
ranging mineralogical and granulometric (grading) characteris-
tics. The ACI procedure cannot be used for concrete mixtures
with more than 40-MPa compressive strength, 200 to 250-mm
slump, especially when the properties of concrete are highly
sensitive to the aggregate characteristics and water content of
the concrete mixture. The authors have attempted to develop a
simple step-by-step procedure described here, which can be used
to determine the proportion of materials for the first trial batch.
Before describing the procedure, it will be desirable to review
the general considerations underlying some of the assumptions
necessary for development of the procedure.
General Considerations
Ratio between cement paste and aggregate: It is assumed that,
by using a suitable coarse aggregate, adequate dimensional sta-
bility of HPC concrete (e.g., elastic behavior, drying shrinkage,
and creep) can be obtained at a fixed cement paste/aggregate
ratio of 35 to 65% by volume.
Strength grading: Although strength is not the sole criterion
for high performance, concretes with more than 60-MPa com-
pressive strength generally show very low permeability (i.e.,
< 10- ~' m/s) and satisfactory weathering characteristics, such as
abrasion resistance. Therefore, compressive strength can be used
as a basis of mix proportioning and quality control. With most
natural aggregates, it is possible to make concretes of up to 120-
MPa compressive strength by improving the strength of the ce-
74 CEMENT,CONCRETE, AND AGGREGATES
ment paste, which can be controlled through the choice of water
content and type and dosage of admixtures: For the purposes of
mix proportioning, it may be convenient to divide the 60 to 120-
MPa strength range into several strength grades.
Water cement: With conventional concrete mixtures the mixing
water content depends on the aggregate MSA and the slump of
concrete. Since HPC will be made with a rather narrow range
of MSA (10 to 15 ram) as well as slump (200 to 250 ram), and
since slump can be controlled by the superplasticizer dosage, it
is assumed that both MSA and slump need not be taken into
consideration for determining the water requirement. A review
of high-strength concrete mixtures produced in different parts of
the world (with widely different materials) shows that a general
inverse relationship exists between water content and concrete
strength. It is assumed that this relationship can be exploited for
prediction and control of concrete compressive strength.
Cement content: Fresh cement paste contains anhydrous ce-
ment, water, and air. High-strength concrete mixtures require
thorough homogenization by vigorous mixing, therefore they
tend to entrap approximately 2% air even when no air-entraining
chemicals have been added. With a fixed cement paste volume
(35%), if the volumes of water and air are known, the volume
of cement or cementitious materials can be calculated by differ-
ence. Of course, larger volumes of entrained air (viz., 5 to 6%)
may have to be assumed when air entrainment is needed for
freezing and thawing durability.
Type and dosage of mineral admixtures: A simple approach is
to consider one of three options. According to the first option,
portland cement alone may be used without any mineral admix-
tures. In the strength range recommended for HPC (60 to 120
MPa), this option should only be exercised when absolutely nec-
essary. This is because, without the incorporation of mineral
admixtures, many important technical benefits associated with
their use will not be available (for instance, superior handling
characteristics of fresh concrete, improved resistance to thermal
cracking, and better long-term durability to corrosive environ-
ments). According to the second option, a partial cement re-
placement is made with one or more mineral admixtures. From
the standpoint of reduction of heat of hydration, better worka-
bility, and enhancement of the microstructural characteristics of
well-hydrated cement pastes, experience shows that approxi-
mately 25% cement should be substituted with a high-quality fly
ash or slag. As a first approximation it is convenient to assume
a 75:25 volumetric proportion between portland cement and the
selected mineral admixture.
It should be noted that the improvements in Strength and
impermeability characteristics resulting from the use of fly ash
or slag are usually not available until after at least 28 days moist
curing at normal temperatures. With some mineral admixtures,
even longer curing periods are necessary to achieve the expected
results. The effects associated with the use of mineral admixtures
can be accelerated by a partial substitution of condensed silica
fume for fly ash or slag, which is the third option. For instance,
instead of 25% fly ash, a mixture of 10% silica fume and 15%
fly ash by volume may be used.
Type and dosage of water-reducing admixtures: The degree of
reduction in water content and increase in workability that is
desired with HPC is not possible with normal water-reducing
chemicals. Most suitable for this purpose are superplasticizers or
high-range water reducers (Class F) meeting ASTM Specification
for Chemical Admixtures for Concrete (C 494). Generally, the
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choice is between sulfonated derivatives of naphthalene or me-
lamine. The industrial products vary considerably in composition
and interaction with different portland cements and admixtures,
therefore a clear preference does not exist in favor of either of
the two groups of superplasticizers. Some researchers have re-
ported that melamines produce a higher water reduction but tend
to cause a more rapid slump loss. Ronneberg and Sandvik [9]
have reported that melamines produce considerably less retar-
dation than naphthalene and are more compatible with air-en-
training admixtures. Preliminary laboratory tests are, therefore,
essential for determining which type and brand of superplasti-
eizer is more compatible with the given portland cement and
other admixtures that will be used.
Normal dosage of superplastieizer ranges from 0.8 to 2% solid
by weight of cementitious materials. For the first trial batch, 1%
superplasticizer is recommended. Since superplasticizers are ex-
pensive, several trials may be necessary to determine the opti-
mum dosage needed to achieve a satisfactory rheotogy of the
given cement paste without causing undesirable retardation. It
is not uncommon to use two thirds or three fourths of the total
superplasticizer dosage during the mixing of concrete and the
remainder at the job site. Also, since superplasticizers are gen-
erally added in the form of solutions, the water present in the
solution must be considered when computing the superplasticizer
dosage and the mixing water requirement for concrete.
Ratio between fine aggregate and coarse aggregate: It was de-
termined that the optimum proportion of aggregate in HPC mix-
tures is 65% by volume. The distribution between fine and coarse
aggregates depends generally on the aggregate grading and
shape, the rheology of the cement paste, and the desired work-
ability of concrete. Due to the relatively high cement paste vol-
ume in HPC mixtures, usually it is not necessary to use more
than 40% fine aggregate by volume of the total aggregate. There-
fore, for the first trial batch, a 2:3 ratio between the fine aggre-
gate and the coarse aggregate may be assumed.
Step-By-Step Procedure
Based on the general considerations discussed above, the fol-
lowing sequence of steps may be used to compute the weight of
materials needed for the first trial of a 1 m 3 batch of nonair-
entrained concrete.
Step 1: Choice of Strength
The 60 to 120 MPa strength range is arbitrarily divided into
five strength grades, namely 65, 75, 90, 105, and 120 MPa, av-
erage strength of standard-cured concrete specimens at 28 days.
In general, the weather-resisting characteristics of concrete will
improve with increasing strength but so will the cost. Assuming
that the local aggregate is not strength limiting, the choice of
strength should be made from a cost-benefit analysis.
Step 2: Estimation of Mixing Water
From a given strength grade, Table 1 is used to estimate the
maximum content of mixing water. This estimate is based on
experience with high-slump superplasticized concrete mixtures
containing 12 to 19 mm MSA. By correcting for the extra water
present in the superplasticizer (also in aggregates, if wet), the
batch mixing water can be calculated (see Steps 6 and 7).
 MEHTA AND A'fTCIN ON HIGH-PERFORMANCECONCRETE 75

TABLE l--Relationship between average compressive strength and
maximum water content.
Strength Avg Strength, Maximum Water
Grade MPa Content, kg/m3
A 65 160
B 75 150
C 90 140
D 105 130
E 120 120
Step 3: Volume Fraction of Cement Paste Components
Since the total volume of cement paste is 0.35 m 3, subtracting
the mixing water content (Step 2) and 0.02-m 3 entrapped air
content, the calculated volumes of the total cementitious material
for each strength grade are shown in Table 2. Also shown in
Table 2 are the volume fractions of portland cement and mineral
admixtures, assuming one of the following three options:
Option 1: Portland cement (PC) alone.
Option 2: Portland cement plus either fly ash (FA) or blast-
furnace slag (BFS) in 75:25 ratio by volume.
Option 3: Portland cement + either FA + CSF (condensed
silica fume) in 75:15:10 ratio by volume, respec-
tively.
Step 4: Estimation of Aggregate Content:
From the total aggregate volume (0.65 m3), assuming a 2:3
volumetric ratio between the fine and coarse aggregate for Grade
A mixture, the individual volume fractions will be 0.26 and 0.39
m 3, respectively. For other grades (B to E), due to the decreasing
water content and increasing superplasticizer content, somewhat
lower fine/coarse aggregate volume ratios may be assumed with
increasing strength; for instance, 1.95:3.05 for Grade B,
1.90:3.10 for Grade C, 1.85:3,15 for Grade D, and 1.80:3.20 for
Grade E.
Step 5: Calculation of Batch Weights
Typical specific gravity values for normal portland cement, fly
ash (Class C) or blast-furnace slag, and condensed silica fume
are 3.14, 2.5, and 2.1. Typical specific gravity values for natural
siliceous sand and most normal-weight gravels or crushed rocks
are assumed to be 2.65 and 2.70, respectively. Using the data
from Step 3 (Table 2) and Step 4, the calculated saturated surface
dry (SSD) weights are shown in Table 3. For significant differ-
ences in the aggregate specific gravity compared to the assumed
values, appropriate correction should be made.
Step 6: Superptasticizer Dosage
If there is no prior experience with the superplasticizer, it is
suggested to start with 1.0% superplasticizer (on anhydrous solid
basis) by weight of cementitious materials. When the specific
gravity of the superplasticizer solution and the weight fraction
of solids in the solution are known, it is easy to estimate the
volume of the solution for a given batch. The following example
shows how the calculations are made.
For Strength Grade A (65 MPa) with Option 3, the total weight
of cementitious materials will be 500 kg/m 3. For the trial batch,
1% superplasticizer solids, therefore, amounts to 5 kg/m 3. If the
weight fraction of solids in the solution is 40%, the weight of the
solution is 5 divided by 0.4 = 12.5 kg/m 3. If the specific gravity
of the solution is 1.2, the volume of the solution is 12.5 divided
by 1.2 = 10.4 L/m 3. This amount of water must be subtracted
from the mixing water (Step 2), as discussed next.
Note that the weight of water in 10.4 L/m 3 superplasticizer
solution is equal to t0.4 × 1.2 × 0.6 = 7.5 kg/m 3.
Step 7: Moisture Correction
Since the mix proportions in Table 3 are on SSD basis, de-
pending on the moisture condition of batch aggregates, the ap-
propriate moisture corrections in both fine and coarse aggregate
must be m~tde. A corresponding correction in the batch mixing
water in Table 3 is also made for the amount of water present
in the superplasticizer solution (see Step 6).
Step 8: Trial Batch Adjustment
Due to many assumptions underlying the proposed method,
the calculated mix proportions for the first trial batch serve only
as a guide. Several laboratory trials using the actual materials
may be required before one arrives at the right combination of
materials and mix proportions which satisfy the given criteria of
workability and strength. The following suggestions are offered
for the purpose of making the needed adjustments.
If the concrete mixture is too stiff, the superplasticizer dosage
should be gradually increased until the desired consistency is
obtained. Increasing the superplasticizer dosage may be accom-
panied by certain unwanted effects, such as a tendency for seg-
regation and/or set retardation. The former may be corrected by
increasing the ratio between the fine and coarse aggregate or by
using a fine aggregate with a lower fineness modulus. For mix-

TABLE 2--Volume fraction of components in 0.35-m3 cement paste, m3.

Total Opt/on 3
Strength Cementitious Option 1 Option 2 PC + (FA or BFS) +
Grade Water Air Materials PC only PC + (FA or BFS) CSF

A 0.16 0.02 0.17 0.17 0.1275 + 0.0425 0.1275 + 0.0255 + 0.0170

B 0.15 0.02 0.18 0.18 0.1350 + 0.0450 0.1350 + 0.0270 + 0.0180
C 0.14 0.02 0.19 0.19 0.1425 + 0.0475 0.1425 + 0.0285 + 0.0190
D 0.13 0.02 0.20 .. ." 0.1500 + 0.0500 0.1500 + 0.0300 + 0.0200
E 0.12 0.02 0.21 .. .° 0.1575 + 0.0525 0.1575 + 0.0315 + 0.0210

"Concrete Grades D and E are not made without mineral admixtures.

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76 CEMENT,CONCRETE, AND AGGREGATES

TABLE 3---Mix Proportions (SSD) for the first trial batch, kg/m 3.

Cementitious Materials
Avg
Strength Strength, FA or Total" Coarse Fine Total
Grade MPa Option PC BFS CSF Water Aggregate Aggregate Batch W/C

A 65 1 534 ... 160 1050 690 2434 1).30

2 400 )~ 160 1050 690 24(~ 0.32
3 400 64 "36" 160 1050 690 241~ 0.32
B 75 1 565 ... 150 1070 670 2455 0.27
2 423 ]i3 150 1070 670 2426 0.28
3 423 68 "38' 150 1070 670 2419 0.28
C 90 1 597 ... 140 1090 650 2477 0.23
2 447 li9 140 1090 650 2446 0.25
3 447 71 "40' 140 1090 650 2438 0.25
D 105 . . . .

3 471 75 "42' 130 1110 630 2458 0.22

E 120 . . . . . . .
2 il b 24s6 019
3 495 79 '44' 120 1120 620 2478 0.19

"Total water includes the water in the superplasticizing admixture, the dosage of which may range from 10 to 20 L/m3, depending on consistency
and strength requirements.

tures with no mineral admixtures, this problem may be resolved
by incorporation of silica fume or fly ash or both. To solve the
set retardation problem, combinations of other types or brands
of locally available superplasticizers and cements should be
tested. Modified superplasticizers containing set accelerators,
which claim not tO cause excessive set retardation, are also avail-
able commercially. It should be noted that when the cause of
stiff consistency of a concrete mixture is high content of reactive
C3A in the cement, additional dosages of superplasticizers alone
may not work. In such cases, an increase in the water/cement
ratio becomes unavoidable.
If the 28-day compressive strength of the trial mix is lower
than the specified average strength, an examination of the frac-
ture surface of concrete specimens and strain-strain curves may
provide a clue to the weakest component of the composite. In
the case of frequent debonding between cement paste and coarse
aggregate particles, either the cement paste in the transition zone
needs strengthening or the aggregate is too smooth. In the former
case, control of bleeding by reduction in the water content and/
or incorporation of fine particles of a suitable mineral admixture
may solve the problem, In the latter case, the use of crushed
aggregate should be considered.
Field and Laboratory Experience with Mix Proportioning
To evaluate the above described procedure for proportioning
high-performance concrete mixtures, the authors have reviewed
the published information on a variety of field and laboratory
mixtures. Selected data from this review is presented in Table 4
and a discussion on the data follows.
It is noted that Concrete Mixtures 1 and 2, which were pro-
duced during the seventies, contained normal water-reducing
admixtures. All other concrete mixtures in Table 4 were made
during the eighties and contained superplasticizing admixtures.
From the water requirement of superplasticized concrete mix-
tures (Nos. 3 to 15), it is clear that within a narrow range of
water contents, 124 to 148 t / m 3, the concrete strengths varied
between 70 and 120 MPa. This confirms the view that, with high-
strength mixtures, the strength of concrete can be very sensitive
to even small changes in the water content.
From the data in Table 4, it is difficult to establish a direct
relationship between the water/cementitious ratio and strength.
For example, Concrete Mixtures 7 and 11, which have the same
water/cementitious ratio (0.28), showed considerably different
strengths, i.e., 72 and 93 MPa, respectively. Also, in this regard,
it is interesting to compare Concrete Mixtures 6, 9, and 10 from
a recent study reported by Read et al. [15]. These three mixtures
have the same water/cementitious ratio (0.27) but significantly
different strengths. Keeping the cementitious content approxi-
mately the same (485 kg/m3), the values for the 28-day avg
strength were 70, 82, and 91 MPa, respectively, for the mixtures
containing 0, 8, and 12% silica fume, respectively. This confirms
that rather than the water/cementitious ratio, it is the combi-
nation of water content and mineral admixture type and dosage
which determines the concrete strength. It is important to note
here that in spite of the increasing dosage of silica fume in Con-
crete Mixtures 6, 9, and 10, the water content was held constant
by the use of increasing dosage of the superplasticizer. Thus,
concrete consistency need not depend on the water content, as
is the case with conventional concrete mixtures. It may be
pointed out here that the typical reported values for slump and
air content of fresh concrete mixtures shown in Table 4 are 175
to 250 mm and 1.5 to 2.5%, respectively.
In regard to mineral admixtures, Concrete Mixtures 2 and 3
contained 20 and 29% Class C fly ash, respectively, whereas
concrete mixture 7 contained 35% slag by weight of cementitious
materials. Mixture 4 and 8 contained 7 to 8% silica fume in
addition to 28 and 30% slag, respectively. It seems that concrete
mixtures of up to 70 or 80 MPa can be made by about 25%
cement replacement with fly ash or slag alone. With higher 28-
day strength requirements, the simultaneous use of silica fume
is helpful. For 90-MPa and higher strength levels, silica fume has
been invariably used in dosages varying from 7 to 12% (avg 10%)
of the total cementitious materials.
Finally, it is interesting to compare the actual mix proportions,
using a wide variety of materials reported in Table 4, with the

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 MEHTA AND A'iTCIN ON HIGH-PERFORMANCE CONCRETE 77

TABLE 4--Mix proportions for selected high-strength concrete mixtures.

Component Materials in 1-m3 concrete batch, kg/m3

Avg Water to
Compressive Cementitious Material Super- Cementitious
Description of Strength, Total Fine Coarse plasticizer, Ratio by Ref.
No. Concrete 28-day MPa PC FA BFS CSF Water Aggregate Aggregate L/m3 Weight No.

1 Water Tower Place, 65 500 60 ...... 178 608 1068 . . .a 0.32 10

Chicago
2 Commerce Tower, 65 390 100 ...... 161 575 1141 . . .a 0.33 11
Houston
3 International First 80 360 150 ...... 148 603 1157 3* 0.29 12
Plaza, Dallas
4 Nova Scotia Plaza, 82 315 ... 135 36 145 745 1130 6 0.30 13
Toronto
5 Experimental column, 90 500 ...... 30 135 700 1100 15 0.25 16
Montreal
6 Laboratory mixture 70 485 . . . . . . . . . 130 762 1143 3.4 0.27 15
7 Laboratory mixture 72 317 . . . 167 ... 133 749 1145 7.0 0.28 15
8 Laboratory mixture 80 315 . . . 155 35 143 744 1142 7.5 0.29 15
9 Laboratory mixture 82 449 . . . . . . 39 130 758 1149 11.0 0.27 15
I0 Laboratory mixture 91 427 . . . . . . 59 132 754 1139 14.9 0.27 15
11 Laboratory mixture 93 450 . . . . . . 50 140 687 1108 17 0.28 14
12 Laboratory mixture 97 500 . . . . . . 42 138 675 1130 10 .0.25 5
13 Laboratory mixture 100 486 . . . . . . 54 135 661 1112 20 0.25 14
14 Laboratory mixture 103 580 . . . . . . 70 140 620 1025 12 0.22 8
15 Laboratory mixture 107 517 . . . . . . 58 126 641 1126 25 0.22 14

°Concrete Nos. 1 and 2 contained only a normal water-reducing admixture; Concrete No. 3 also contained a normal water-reducing admixture in
addition to a superplasticizer.

recommended mix proportions for the first trial batch (Table 3),
which are based on the mix-proportioning method proposed by
the authors. For Grade A concrete (65 MPa), the recommended
mix proportions according to Option 2 of Table 3 (400 kg/m 3
portland cement, 106 kg/m 3 fly ash or slag, and 160 L/m 3 water)
compare well with the actual mix proportions for Concrete Mix-
ture 2 of Table 4 (390 kg/m 3 portland cement, 100 kg/m3 fly ash,
and 16 L/m 3 water). For Grade B concrete (75 MPa), the rec-
ommended mix proportions according to Option 2 of Table 3
(423 kg/m 3 cement, 113 kg/m 3 fly ash or slag with a total 536 kg/
m 3cementitious material, and 150 L/m 3water) compare well with
the actual proportions for the two 80-MPa concrete mixtures
(Nos. 3 and 4) of Table 4. Note that Concrete Mixtures 3 and 4
contain 500 to 510 total cementitious material, including fly ash
or slag, and 145 to 148 L/m 3 water. For Grade C concrete (90
MPa), the recommended mix proportions according to Option
3 of Table 3 are 471 kg/m 3 cement, 75 kg/m 3 fly ash or slag, 42
kg/m 3 silica fume (558 kg/m 3 total cementitious material), and
140 L/m 3 water. Field Concrete 5 contained 530 kg/m 3 cemen-
titious material and 135 kg/m 3 water and compares well with the
recommended mix proportions. Laboratory Mixtures 10 and 11
of Table 4 are similar in mix proportions, except that the total
cementitious materials in the latter is approximately 500 kg/m 3
(because they do not contain any fly ash or slag). Similarly, for
Grade D concrete (105 MPa), the recommended mix proportions
according to Option 3 of Table 3 are 471 kg/m 3 cement, 75 kg/
m 3 fly ash or slag, 42 kg/m 3 silica fume (total 588 kg/m 3 cemen-
titious material), and 130 L/m 3 water. This compares well with
Concrete Mixtures 13 and 15 of Table 4. Concrete Mixture 13
(100 MPa) contained 486 kg/m 3 cement, 54 kg/m 3 silica fume
(total 540 kg/m 3 cementitious material), and 135 L/m 3 water.
Concrete Mixtures 15 (107 MPa) contained 517 kg/m 3 cement,
58 kg/m 3 silica fume (total 575 kg/m 3cementitious material), and
126 L/m 3 water.
Although very high-strength (>80 MPa) concrete mixtures of
Table 4 invariably contain silica fume, Option 2 of Table 3 sug-
gests that this is not essential. If high quality fly ash or slag is
available and adequate curing is insured (which is especially the
ease with massive structures due to moisture retention and adi-
abatic temperature conditions), it is assumed that the ultimate
strength (e.g., 90-day) of concrete mixtures using Option 2 mix
proportions would not be different from Option 3 mixtures.
In regard to fine aggregate and coarse aggregate, the data in
Table 4 show that in the 65 to 120 MPa range the total aggregate
content and the fine/coarse aggregate proportions did not vary
significantly with concrete strength, as expected, in spite of dif-
ferences in aggregates' physical characteristics. On average, ap-
proximately 650 kg/m 3 fine aggregate and 1100 kg/m 3 coarse
aggregate were used with concrete mixtures listed in Table 4,
which compares well with the recommended mix proportions
shown in Table 3.
Concrete Production and Construction Practice
The strength and durability of high-performance concrete de-
pend more on microstructural extremes than on the average
microstructure (for instance, the weakest link in the chain may
be a local concentration of voids or undispersed silica fume).
This is why the sequence of batching, the efficiency of mixing,
the methods of transport and placement, and the degree of con-
solidation and curing play as much a part in determining the
performance of the end product as the selection and propor-
tioning of materials. In this regard, a detailed review of the
production and construction practice for durable concrete ele-
ments is given elsewhere [17], anti-only a summary is presented
below.
The batching sequence and methods should be aimed at pro-
ducing a concrete mixture which is as homogeneous as possible.

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78 CEMENT,CONCRETE, AND AGGREGATES
For instance, an experimental study by the authors (unpublished)
showed that coating of coarse aggregate particles with silica fume
before adding other component materials to the mixer produced
lower strength concrete because the silica fume added in this
manner was not properly dispersed in the concrete mixture. The
standard method is to obtain first a homogeneous mixture of the
coarse and the fine aggregate in the mixer and then add the
cementitious materials followed by water and the superplasti-
cizer. High-speed mixing of superplasticized cement paste alone,
with equipment such as described by Mass [18], subsequently
followed by aggregate addition, is an interesting idea worthy of
exploration for HPC mixtures.
Similarly, to prevent segregation of the concrete mixture, the
equipment and methods for transporting and placing concrete
must be regularly checked. Following placement, consolidation
by vibration is necessary even with flowing concrete mixtures in
order to remove pockets of entrapped air and obtain a uniform
distribution of coarse aggregate and water. Concrete mixtures
with high-cement contents, especially those containing silica
fume, tend to be sticky and difficult to finish. Special vibratory
screeds should be used to obtain a smooth, impermeable "skin,"
which is the first line of defense against corrosive environments.
Finally, proper curing or maintenance of adequate humidity
and temperature conditions for a certain time period is essential
for the hydration reactions of cementitious materials without
which the process of developments of strength and impermea-
bility will be hindered. As long as the concrete temperature is
sufficiently above freezing (viz. >5°C), external moist curing
provides the best way to seal in the mixing water, which is suf-
ficient for hydration. Because HPC mixtures have a higher con-
tent of cementitious materials, there is a tendency to assume that
they require a longer moist-curing period than ordinary concrete.
Working with a high-strength concrete mixture, Asselanis et al.
[19] found that a seven-day moist curing period was sufficient to
make the concrete impervious enough; therefore, further moist
curing is not necessary to enhance the compressive strength.
Concluding Remarks
Unacceptable rates of deterioration in concrete structures,
such as highway pavements, bridge decks, piers, locks, and dams
are causing serious concern about long-term performance of con-
crete. At the same time, the need to extend further the use of
concrete to hostile environments such as seawater and industrial
pollutants is making new demands on concrete for high perfor-
mance.
In developing high-performance concrete, one Of the problems
is the lack of a clear definition as to what constitutes "high
performance." There is increasing awareness that high perfor-
mance should be synonymous with high durability and not with
high strength. Besides strength, the other important properties
which contribute to high durability are high dimensional stability
(i.e., low shrinkage and creep), impermeability, and high work-
ability. In the selection of component materials and mix pro-
portions for a concrete, these requirements can be in conflict
with each other, and, therefore, an adequate understanding of
the concrete microstructure and its influence on the properties
is essential before attempting to develop high-performance con-
crete mixtures that may be suitable for industrial application.
Based on fundamental microstructure-property relationships
in concrete, the authors have described a rational approach for
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the selection of materials and mix proportions for high-perfor-
mance concrete. This approach is used to develop a step-by-step
procedure for determining the mix proportions. Using this pro-
cedure, the calculated mix proportions are given for the first trial
batch for high-performance concrete mixtures in the 60 to 120-
MPa compressive strength range. The calculated mix proportions
compare well with the accumulated field and laboratory expe-
rience of many researchers. This procedure may not be perfect,
but it is simple and provides a rational approach by which mix
proportions for high-performance concrete can be determined
without undertaking extensive laboratory trials.
References
[1] Birchalt, J. D., and Kelly, A., "New Inorganic Materials," Scientific
American, Vol. 248, 1983, p. 104.
[2] Roy, D. M. and Gouda, G. R., "Optimization of Strength in Ce-
ment Pastes," Cement and Concrete Research, Vol. 5, No. 2, 1975,
pp. 153-162.
[3] Mehta, P. K., Concrete: Structure. Properties, and Materials, Pren-
tice-Hall, Inc., New York, 1986.
[4] Mehta, P. K., and Aitcin, P. C., "Microstructural Basis for Selection
of Materials and Mix Proportions for High Strength Concrete,"
Proceedings, Berkeley Conference on High Strength Concrete, May
1990.
[5] Aitcin, P. C., and Mehta, P. K., "Effect of Coarse Aggregate Type
on Mechanical Properties of High-Strength Concrete," ACI Ma-
terials Journal, Vol. 87, No. 2, March-April 1990, pp. 103-107.
]6] Hanna, E., Luke, K., Perraton, D., and Aitcin, P. C., "Rheological
Behavior of Portland Cement Pastes in the Presence of a Super-
plasticizer," ACI SP-119, ACI, Detroit, 1989, pp. 171-188.
[7] Mehta, P. K., "Studies on Mechanisms by which Condensed Silica
Fume Improves the Properties of Concrete," Proceedings, CAN-
MET workshop on condensed silica fume in concrete, Montreal,
Canada, 1987.
[8] Aitcin, P. C., Sarkar, S. L., and Diatta, Y., "Microstructural Study
of Different Types of Very High Strength Concretes," Proceedings,
Materials Research Society Symposium, Vot. 85, 1987, pp. 261-
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[9] Ronneberg, H., and Sandvik, M., "High Strength Concrete for
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[10] High-Strength Concrete in Chicago High-Rise Buildings, Chicago
Committee on High-Rise Buildings, Report No. 5, 1977.
[11] Cook, J. E., "Research and Application of High-Strength Concrete
Using Class C Fly Ash," Concrete International, Vol. 4, No. 7, 1982,
pp. 72-80.
[12] Cook, J. E., "10,000 psi Concrete," Concrete International, Vol.
11. No. 10, 1989, pp. 67-75.
113] Ryell, J. and Bickley, J. A., "Scotia Plaza, High-Strength Concrete
for Tall Buildings," Proceedings, Conference on Utilization of High
Strength Concrete, Stavanger, Norway, 1987, pp. 641-654.
[14] Kawai, T., Yamazaki, N., lmai, M., Tachibana, D., and Inada, Y.,
"Study on Application of 100 MPa Strength Concrete," personal
communication, Shimizu Corp., Tokyo, Japan, 1989.
[15] Read, P., Carette, G., and Malhotra, V. M., "Strength Develop-
ment Characteristics of High-Strength Concrete Incorporating Sup-
plementary Cementing Materials," Proceedings, Symposium on
Utilization of High-Strength Concrete, Berkeley, CA, May 1990.
[•6] Aitcin, P. C., Laplante, P., and Bedard, C., "Development and
Experimental Use of a 90 MPa Concrete," ACI SP-87, ACI, De-
troit, 1985, pp. 51-70.
[17] Mehta, P. K., "Durability of Concrete Exposed to Marine Envi-
ronment," ACI SP-109, ACt, Detroit, 1988, pp. 1-28.
[181 Mass, G. R., "Premixed Cement Paste." Concrete International,
Vol. i1. No. 11, 1989, pp. 82-85.
[19] Asselanis, J., Aitcin, P. C., and Mehta, P. K., "Effect of Curing
Conditions on the Compressive Strength and Elastic Modulus of
Very High Strength Concrete," Cement, Concrete, and Aggregates,
Vol. 10, No. 1, 1989, pp. 80-83.