Construction Materials Concrete Technology laboratory

Mix design & Proportioning

Specified characteristic strength-Grade 60 Target mean strength- 73.1N/mm2 with standard deviation of 8N/mm2 for less than 40 results

Concrete Mix Design-Trial Mix

British Mix Design Method (DOE) is adopted. A wrong method for C60 concrete which is classified as high strength concrete. DOE is suitable for targeted strength smaller or equal to 40N/mm2 without any admixture. Over-designed ( 67.2N/mm2@7-day >51.2N/mm2)
The graph on the left shows the strength development of concrete contains 335kg/m3 cement with Type I is the Ordinary Portland cement. By assuming that percentage of gained strength V.S. time do not change with the cement content for the small mass of concrete (i.e. a 100mm cube). We can find that the compressive strength at 7-days is about 70% of that in 28-days. (i.e.73.1x0.7=51.2)

Concrete Mix Design-Trial Mix

Too much cement content (661.6kg/m3 > 500kg/m3 given by the teacher) may result in thermal cracks after one day to two/three weeks. The early thermal cracks are due to the C3S and C3A in the cement which have a rapid rate of hydration and medium to very high heat of hydration. Data ( Concrete Technology, p. 168) shows that cracks will occur if the peak temperature of the concrete and the surrounding temperature is larger than 20C for flint gravel and 40C for limestone aggregate. It is, however, the occurrence of cracks also affected by the fineness, relative humidity, ambient temperature, size of the structure, curing methods, heat capacity & coefficient of thermal expansion of the constituent materials.

The graph shows the development of heat of hydration of different Portland cements cured at 21C with w/c 0.4. Type I is the Ordinary Portland cement. It will expect that the value will be higher for w/c 0.32. The fineness, relative humidity, ambient temperature, size of the structure, curing methods, heat capacity affects the dispersion of heat and result the increase in temperature. Thermal expansion affects the strain due to temperature changes.

Concrete Mix Design- Modified

Absolute volume approach is adopted. Mainly based on past experience (Tips from the lecture notes and the laboratory technician). Cement content is between 400-500kg/m3 w/c ratiois between 0.35 to 0.25. It can be as low as 0.20. Cement content of 450kg/m3 with w/c 0.32 produces about 73N/mm2 compressive strength. Aggregate / cement ratio is between 3.5 4.5 Aggregate should be no more than 10% of flaky/elongated particles. Coarse / fine aggregate ratio is between 1.5 1.8. It can be high as 2.0. Large size aggregate should be avoided in order to prevent micro-cracking, shrinkage, creep. Super-plasticizer should be fully compatible with cement. PFA is preferable.

Concrete Mix Design- Modified

The above tips can be explained in the following: Limited w/c ratio Abrams Law (1919)

fc

K1 K 2w / c
Compressive Strength Vibration Hand compaction

Shows the compressive strength is a function of w/c but not the amount of cement used. The compressive strength increases with the decrease in w/c ratio. The w/c ratio should have a maximum value for the production of high strength concrete (> 60N/mm2). The minimum w/c ratio is given is due to the insufficiency of compaction as the graph shown on the right hand side.

Insufficiently Compacted Concrete

Fully Compacted Concrete

Water/Cement Ratio

Concrete Mix Design- Modified

Limited cement content & aggregate/cement ratio Experiments shows that retrogression occurs when a mix of very low water-cement ratio and high cement content (>530kg/m3) is used with large size of aggregate. This combines with the effect of heat of hydration (in slide 3), shrinkage limit the maximum amount of cement content. The control of the strength and cost also limit the cement content & aggregate/cement ratio. Since the range of w/c ratio is limited, the effect of water absorption ability increases when there is a higher aggregate/cement ratio. The effect will lower if the ratio is lower. A balance should be reached with considerable workability ( i.e less super-plasticizer is used). From the experience the value should be 3.5 4.5. The limited aggregate/cement ratio also limtis the range of cement content.

Aggregate / cement 3.5 - 4.5

Maximum cement content 500kg / m3 Aggregate 1750 2250kg / m3 Cement content 388 642kg / m3 Rejected those > 500kg/m3 Cement content 400 500kg / m3

Concrete Mix Design- Modified

Aggregates- limited in 10% of flaky/elongated particles The mass of flaky & elongated particle are expressed as flakiness index & elongation index. The British standard has put a limit on flakiness index and elongation index in both the design of normal or high strength concrete due to the fact that the higher the index , the lower the workability. The specified value is , of course higher than 10%. We want to reduce the reduction of the workability by the flaky/elongated particles by setting the value at lower than 10%. It would be better if the value is zero, but it is impossible for normal operation, especially for crushed rock, due to the mechanical disintegration from the parent rock. Aggregate with thickness
less than 0.6 times the mean sieve size is classified as flaky.

Aggregate with length more than 1.8 times the mean sieve size id classified as elongated.

Concrete Mix Design- Modified

Aggregates- maximum size of aggregate Experiments shows that the strength decreases when the increase in the size of aggregate in the high strength concrete. The increase in size of aggregate reduce the bonding area in the transition zone and hence a larger stress is result when load is applied. Discontinuities is also resulted.

Diagrammatic representation of the composition of hardened cement paste

Concrete Mix Design- Modified

Super-plasticizer (S.P.)
The design of super-plasticizer is based on trial and error. There is a point where an increase in super-plasticizer but no decrease in w/c ratio. It is the optimum dosage, but we have not done such a test in the laboratory. The use of super-plasticizer is used for the following three purposes: Increase a higher workability by maintain the same strength of concrete. Increase the strength of concrete by reducing the w/c ratio and maintain the same slump. Reduce the amount of cement used and maintain the same workability and slump. During the mix of concrete, we do the trial and error during the mix of concrete. (1)It is found that the effect is much significant if we add the super-plasticizer in the water then in the concrete than directly add it on the concrete. (2) The increase of slump is not quite significant in the later stage of addition. These are because:

1. 2.

3.

Concrete Mix Design- Modified

1.

2.

The super-plasticizer works by disperse the cement grains and release the trapped water. The S.P. will spread more evenly over the cement grains if it is added with water. And adding the dosage seperately is similar to re-dosing in Fig. 2. There is moisture loss during the mixing. Since the trial and error approach is adopted during the mixing, more time is taken for mix and the slump test. The addition of S.P. Further worsen the phenomenon by accelerate the speed of loss of slump, Fig 3.

Fig.3

Fig.2

Concrete Mix Design- Modified

Pulverized Fly ash (PFA) The PFA used in the mix is Class F PFA. It is mainly composed of SiO2.It does not have cementitious properties itself. The properties are result the reaction with Ca(OH)2.

PFA can act as micro-filler. It reduces the size of capillary pores and increase the are of bonding. It reduce the present of micro-cracking which is a great concern in the high strength concrete.

Concrete Mix Design- Modified

The PFA produced in Hong Kong does not have water-reducing property During the mixing, we even found that it may lower the workability as the fine / total aggregate ratio is 0.36 which is within the acceptable range. (Given by the laboratory technician). It is due to the increase in wetted surface area. The reaction of PFA is slow because its glass material, which prevent it from reaction, breaks when PH value is at least 13 and it takes a considerable time for the gain of PH . The presence of PFA can help cement gel to block the pores and hence a reduction in permeability. The increase in permeability can help to educe sulfate attack. PFA react with Ca(OH)2 which is one of the causes of sulfate attack. PFA can also minimize the allkali-silica reaction.

Concrete Mix Design- Modified

The design of the amount of PFA is based on the following chart ( for rough estimation from the result of trial mix).

The chart shows the influence of percentage of direct replacemet of PFA on the relative strength

Compaction
Vibrating table is used for the compaction of the fresh concrete. It provides an uniform vibration and relatively reliable means of compaction. Significance of Compaction Compaction removes the entrapped air and make the constituents closer together. The compaction has direct influence on the strength of the concrete. It is, however, over-compaction will result in segregation which the separate the mixture into a layer of cement paste and a layer of aggregate. The non-uniformity will result in a lower strength. It is expected that the same mix content will have a lower strength in the site than that makes in the laboratory as internal vibrators are commonly used with larger in size. More air is entrapped.

Bleeding
A thin layer of water with some grey flocs floating on the surface is observed (Bleeding) It is, however, the bleeding is not quite obvious and serious. Serious bleeding may be fatal to the strength of concrete due to the following reasons: 1. The top layer of concrete may be too wet, a weak layer can be resulted.
2. The bleeding water may be trapped on the underside of large aggregate and result in poor bonding. The water flow to the upper part of the concrete in one direction and result in high permeability in the direction and lower the resistance of the concrete. 3. If the speed of evaporation of the bleeding water is faster than the bleeding rate, plastic shrinkage cracks may be resulted.

Results

Mix proportion

Cement 450kg / m3 PFA 112.5kg / m3 Water 185kg / m3 Agg fin 614kg / m3 Agg cor10 360kg / m3 Agg cor 20 716kg / m3 Superplasticiser 1.249kg / m3

Three cubes are tested each time. The Average Compressive strength v.s. time is plotted below.

The estimated density of fresh concrete: 2437.5 kg/m3 The cost for 1m3 concrete:$285.19

Results

Average slump test result = 20mm which is smaller than the required range. Two cylinders are used in the splitting test. The average splitting test result = 132.2kN Calculated tensile strength of concrete = 4.688N/mm2 Cylinder compressive test =56.55N/mm2 Static modulus of Elasticity=33300N/mm2

Failure mode There are three phrase in the high strength concrete : Mortar , Aggregate, Mortar-Aggregate inter-phase . From the observed failure mode of the concrete. It is found that the concrete fail in interface at day 2 and the failure mode becomes matrix failure at 7,14,28 days.

Interface failure

Matrix failure

Discussion on the results

Although the splitting test give a more uniform results than other tension test, the experimental tensile strength is not the actual tensile strength. It is about 5-12% higher than the direct tensile strength. The direct tensile strength is about 4.1854.465N/mm2. The early rapid increase in the compressive strength is caused by the reaction of C3S

Discussion on the results

Relation between Tensile & compressive strength If the compressive strength is determined by cubic test British Stabdard method ft = 0.12(fc)0.7 is used. If the compressive strength is determined by cylinder test ACI method ft = 0.3(fc)2/3 is used. The calculation shows that the ACI method of 4.42N/mm2 is much closer to the tested tensile strength of 4.688N/mm2 while that is the British Standard is 2.52N/mm2. Relation between cubic compressive strength & cylindrical compressive strength cylindrical compressive strength=0.67 cubic compressive strength Calculation shows that 0.67 cubic strength = 52N/mm2 while that in the measured cylinder test is of 56.55N/mm2

Conclusion:
The study of concrete property cannot replace the significance of the test of sample from the concrete mixture in the industry. The study, however, give the direction for adjustment and hence can save more effort and materials .

References:

A.M. Neville, J.J. Brooks, Concrete Technology (1987) British Standard structural use of concrete Part1, British Standard Institution (1985) Lecture notes for CSE 308, C.S. Poon (2007)

Acknowledgement: