A Seminar Report On

HIGH PERFORMANCE CONCRETE

In partial fulfilment of requirements for the

Master of Technology In Structural engineering

SUBMITTED BY:

RAKESH KUMAR ROLL NO 211037

Under the Guidance of :

Dr. H. K. SHARMA

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING NIT KURUKSHETRA, HARYANA

ABSTRACT
A new class of concrete that exhibits greatly improved strength and durability properties has recently been developed. The Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) tested in this research is a steel fiber reinforced concrete consisting of an optimized gradation of fine powders and a very low water/cement ratio. The research discussed herein provides a thorough characterization of the UHPC material properties examined at the Federal Highway Administrations Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center. Strength testing has produced results significantly greater than those established for conventional concretes. Compressive strengths range from 18 ksi for ambient air cured UHPC to 28 ksi for steam cured UHPC. Tensile strength tests have been completed using both direct tests such as the mortar briquette and an indirect test, namely the split cylinder. Tensile strengths range from 0.9 to 1.7 ksi depending on the curing procedure and the test method employed. Durability testing has also demonstrated the enhanced characteristics of UHPC. Rapid chloride penetration results have scaling results indicate that UHPC exhibits a high resistance to this form of environmental attack ranged from extremely low to very low, and the freeze-thaw.

Introduction
High performance concrete (HPC) has been defined as concrete that possesses high workability, high strength and high durability. ACI (American Concrete Institute) has defined HPC as a concrete in which certain characteristics are developed for a particular application and environment. Under the ACI definition durability is optional and this has led to a number of HPC structures, which should theoretically have had very long services lives, exhibiting durability associated distress early in their lives. ACI also defines a high-strength concrete as concrete that has a specified compressive strength for design of 6,000 psi (41 MPa) or greater. High Performance Concrete (HPC) is a concrete made with appropriate materials combined according to a selected mix design; properly mixed, transported, placed, consolidated and cured so that the resulting concrete will give excellent performance in the structure in which it is placed, in the environment to which it is exposed and with the loads to which it will be subject for its design life. Mix proportions for highperformance concrete (HPC) are influenced by many factors, including specified performance properties, locally available materials, local experience, personal preferences, and cost. With todays technology, there are many products available for use in concrete to enhance its properties. The primary application for HPC have been structures requiring long service lives such as oil drilling platform, long span bridges and parking structures. HPC still requires good construction practice and good curing to deliver high performance.

Characteristics

of

High-

Performance Concretes
1.COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH
Compression testing of cylinders was the primary means used to determine the compressive strength of the UHPC. This test method was also used as the control parameter to ensure consistency between batches. The standard size cylinder had a diameter of 3 in. and a pre-end preparation length of 6 in. All the cylinders discussed in this paper had their ends prepared with an end grinder, and their final lengths were approximately 1.95 times their diameter. The cylinders were all tested according to ASTM C39 except that the load rate was changed to 150 psi/sec. Preliminary testing has indicated that this increase in rate does not affect the strength or the modulus of the UHPC significantly enough to influence the test results. The rate change was necessary to ensure that test specimens would reach the level of load required for failure in a reasonable timeframe.

2 .TENSILE STRENGTH
Concrete tensile strength is a property that is often disregarded due to the inherently brittle nature of the material and its low overall tensile capacity. UHPC exhibits significantly improved tensile strength, both before and after cracking. In structural applications, this tension capacity permits higher precracking tensile loads, elevates post cracking section stiffnesses, and provides a greater ability to withstand environmental attacks

which utilize cracks to provide rapid ingress to interior concrete regions. In order to use the tensile strength of UHPC, it must first be quantified. Many test methods have been developed to directly or indirectly measure the tensile strength of concrete. A number of these methods have been used in this research program, as each test provides different information on this material behavior characteristic

3. SHRINKAGE
A limited shrinkage study has been completed on the early age shrinkage behavior of UHPC. This work was completed in conjunction with the alkali-silica reaction (ASR) study that is discussed later. Here, 1 in. by 1 in. UHPC bars with 11 in. length were cast and cured. The shrinkage testing was completed according to ASTM C157. The initial reading was acquired immediately after stripping of the molds. The final reading was taken after the curing procedure had been completed, or at 28 days for the Ambient Air cured specimens. Table 5 provides the results of these tests. The Steam and Delayed Steam cured specimens exhibited similar shrinkage, while the Tempered Steam specimens shrank approximately half as much. The Ambient Air cured specimens exhibited the most shrinkage. Table 5. Measuremen Shrinkage of t Time Shrinkage UHPC Mortar Bars Tested (Days After (%) Bars. Curing Casting) Method Standard Initial Final Average Deviation Steam 6 1.1 4.1 0.047 0.002 Ambient Air 6 1.1 28.1 0.062 0.004 Tempered 6 1.2 4.1 0.025 0.001 Steam Delayed 6 1.1 18.0 0.050 0.002

Steam

4. DURABILITY OF UHPC
The durability of UHPC in terms of its resistance to internal and external environmental attack was also studied. These investigations included chloride ion penetration, abrasion, ASR, freeze-thaw, and scaling testing. RAPID CHLORIDE ION PENETRABILITY Rapid chloride ion penetrability tests were completed on UHPC specimens according to ASTM C1202. The electrical current was recorded at 1 minute intervals over the 6 hour timeframe, resulting in the total coulombs passed value shown in Table 6. Two or three specimens were completed for each condition and specimens were tested at both 28 and 56 days. The results show that the rapid chloride ion permeability is minimal, regardless of the curing regime applied. Also, it is of note that the penetrability decreased significantly between 28 and 56 days for specimens from the Ambient Air curing regime.

5. ABRASION RESISTANCE
Abrasion resistance can be an important parameter for any concrete that is exposed to contact with other materials. The abrasion resistance of UHPC was measured through testing according to ASTM C944 in which a rotating abrading wheel bears on and wears away the concrete surface for a period of two minutes. One modification to the standard test method was made in this program. The reported test results are the product of 10 total minutes of abrasion representing five two-minute cycles completed on each specimen. The abrasion testing was performed on three specimens from each of the four curing regimes. However, as abrasion resistance

is highly dependent on the surface condition of the concrete, each specimen was tested on three different surfaces. First, all specimens were tested on the surface formed by casting UHPC against the steel mold in which they were produced. Following these tests, the cast (and now abraded) surface was sandblasted until it displayed a uniform texture. The testing was then repeated for this sandblasted surface. Finally, the testing was again repeated for all the specimens subsequent to having the test surface ground plane using a cylinder end grinder. Abrasion resistance is directly related to the strength of concrete. This makes high strength HPC ideal for abrasive environments. The abrasion resistance of HPC incorporating silica fume is especially high. This makes silicafume concrete particularly useful for spillways and stilling basins, and concrete pavements or concrete pavement overlays subjected to heavy or abrasive traffic. Holland and others (1986) describe how severe abrasionerosion had occurred in the stilling basin of a dam; repairs using fiber-reinforced concrete had not proven to be durable. The new HPC mix used to repair the structure the second time contained 386 kg/m3 (650 lb/yd3) of cement, 70 kg/m3 (118 lb/yd3) of silica fume, admixtures, and had a water to cementing materials ratio of 0.28, and a 90-day compressive strength exceeding 103 MPa (15,000 psi). Berra, Ferrara, and Tavano (1989) studied the addition of fibers to silica fume mortars to optimize abrasion resistance. The best results were obtained with a mix using slag cement, steel fibers, and silica fume. Mortar strengths ranged from 75 MPa to 100 MPa (11,000 psi to 14,500 psi). In addition to better erosion resistance, less drying shrinkage, high freeze-thaw resistance, and good bond to the substrate were achieved. In Norway steel studs are allowed in tires; this causes severe abrasion wear on pavement surfaces, with resurfacing

required within one to two years. Tests using an accelerated road-wear simulator showed that in the range of 100 MPa to 120 MPa (14,500 psi to 17,000 psi), concrete had the same abrasion resistance as granite (Helland 1990). Abrasion-resistant highway mixes usually contain between 320 and 450 kg/m3 (539 and 758 lb/yd3) of cement, plus silica fume or fly ash. They have water to cementing materials ratios of 0.22 to 0.36 and compressive strengths in the range of 85 to 130 MPa (12,000 to 19,000 psi). Applications have included new pavements and overlays to existing pavements

6. FREEZE-THAW RESISTANCE
The freeze-thaw resistance of UHPC was tested according to ASTM C666. This specification calls for repeated cycling of specimens between the temperatures of 0 and 40 Fahrenheit. Periodically, the cycling is stopped and the dynamic modulus of elasticity of the specimens is measured. The test is based on the premise that the repeated freezing and thawing will cause microscopic degradation of the concrete resulting in a decreased dynamic modulus of elasticity. Prisms measuring 3 in. by 4 in. by 16 in. were used as specimens in this series of tests. Prior to initiation of the testing, all specimens were at least 28 days old. Figure 10 provides the results from 300 cycles of freeze-thaw testing. The results show that the Steam, Tempered Steam, and Delayed Steam cured specimens all retained dynamic modulus characteristics close to their original characteristics. The Ambient Air cured prisms displayed a continuous increase in dynamic modulus throughout the testing. As every cycle contains a period of time when the prisms are standing in water, it is likely that this water recharge continued the curing process during the months of freeze-thaw testing.

7. SCALING RESISTANCE
Scaling resistance was measured in accordance with ASTM C672. This specification calls for ponding a calcium chloride solution on the concrete surface, then freezing the specimen for 18 hours followed by 6 hours of thawing. Two UHPC specimens from each curing regime were tested, with the solution ponded on surfaces created by forming against a steel mold. For the UHPC specimens discussed here, 50 cycles were completed. After 50 cycles, the texture of the test surfaces was visually altered; however, no scaling was measured or observed. Corrosion staining was evident near the exposed ends of some fibers.

8. Permeability
The durability and service life of concrete exposed to weather is related to the permeability of the cover concrete protecting the reinforcement. HPC typically has very low permeability to air, water, and chloride ions. Low permeability is often specified through the use of a coulomb value, such as a maximum of 1000 coulombs. Test results obtained on specimens from a concrete column specified to be 70 MPa (10,000 psi) at 91 days and which had not been subjected to any wet curing were as follows : Water permeability of vacuum-saturated specimens: Age at test: 7 years Applied water pressure: 0.69 MPa Permeability: 7.6 x 10-13 cm/s Rapid chloride permeability (ASTM C 1202): Age at test, years Coulombs The dense pore structure of high-performance concrete, which makes it so impermeable, gives it characteristics that make it eminently suitable for uses where a high quality concrete would not

normally be considered. Latex-modified HPC is able to achieve these same low levels of permeability at normal strength levels without the use of supplementary cementing materials. A large amount of concrete is used in farm structures. It typically is of low quality and often porous and with a rough surface, either when placed or after attack by farmyard wastes. Gagne, Chagnon, and Parizeau (1994) provided a case history of the successful application of high performance concrete for agricultural purposes. In one case a farmer raising pigs on a large scale was losing about 1 kg per pig through diarrhea. This problem was resolved by reconstructing the pig pens with high performance concrete. Cited as beneficial properties in this application were: Surface smoothness that is compatible with the sensitive skin of a piglet Non-slip surface Good thermal conductivity resulting in uniform distribution of heat Impermeable surface to resist the growth of bacteria and viruses Easy to place

Self-Consolidating Concrete
Definition
SCC which stands for Self-Consolidating Concrete, or SelfCompacting Concrete, has many other names. It is also called High-Workability Concrete, Self-Leveling Concrete1, or Flowing Concrete.2 All the above terms are used to describe a highly workable concrete that needs little to no vibration during placement.3 It is in want of a standard definition, but may be nominally considered a concrete mix of exceptional deformability during casting, which still meets resistance to segregation and bleeding.4 Inadequate vibration of normally consolidated concrete in heavily congested areas has led to surface defects and inadequate bond with the rebar.5 Because of its low viscosity during pouring, self-consolidating concrete can fill heavily reinforced areas under its own weight, without applying vibration. SCC is also used to create super-flat floors (1mm over a length of 4m) without post-pour leveling.6 The highly flowable nature of SCC is due to very careful mix proportioning, usually replacing much of the coarse aggregate with fines and cement, and adding chemical admixtures. It depends on the sensitive balance between creating more deformability while ensuring good stability, as well as maintaining low risk of blockage.

Viscosity Modifying Admixtures

Viscosity Modifiers are used to stabilize the rheology of SCC. They essentially thicken the mix to prevent segregation.34 This viscosity buildup comes from the association and entanglement of polymer chains of the VMA at a low shear rate, which further inhibits flow and increases viscosity. At the same time, added VMA causes a shear-thinning behavior, decreasing viscosity, when there is an increase in shear rate.35 There are various types of VMAs, most of which are composed of either polymer or cellulose-based materials, which grab and hold water. The most important aspect is that they do not change any properties of the mix besides viscosity.36 One of the most well-known VMAs is welan gum, which is a natural type of water soluble polysaccharide. When used in large quantities, it has proven very effective in stabilizing the rheology of SCCs.37 Several commercial VMAs are also on the market and their chemical compositions are propriety secrets. Currently, these commercial brands and welan gum are known to be very expensive, increasing cost of the mix by at least 20%. Consequently, there is a great deal of ongoing research in the materials sciences, often with financial support from industry, to develop cheaper VMAs with equally reliable high performance. One study coming out of Ryerson University in Canada tested four newly engineered polysaccharide-based VMAs. Performance of four mixes with each of these new VMAs was compared to two types of control mixes, one with welan gum and a one with a commercial VMA from a Canadian producer. Results showed that performance of the newly developed admixtures matched, or even beat, the control mixes in properties of slump flow, segregation, bleeding, flow time, setting time, and compressive strength. An important characteristic to note is the increase in setting time caused by addition of VMAs. This occurs because the VMA polymer chains become absorbed onto cement grains and interfere with the precipitation of various minerals into solutions that influence the rate of hydration and setting.

STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES
The basic ingredients used in SCC mixes are practically the same as those used in the conventional HPC vibrated concrete, except they are mixed in different proportions and the addition of special admixtures to meet the project specifications for SCC. The hardened properties are expected to be similar to those obtainable with HPC concrete. Laboratory and field tests have demonstrated that the SCC hardened properties are indeed similar to those of HPC. Table 3 shows some of the structural properties of SCC. Items Air content (%) Items Water-binder ratio (%) Compressive strength (age: 28 days) (MPa) Compressive strength (age: 91 days) (MPa) Splitting tensile strength (age:28 days) (MPa) Elastic modulus (GPa) Shrinkage strain (x 10-6) SCC 4.5-6.0 25 to 40 40 to 80 55 to 100 2.4 to 4.8 30 to 36 600 to 800

Compressive Strength
SCC compressive strengths are comparable to those of conventional vibrated concrete made with similar mix proportions and water/cement ratio. There is no difficulty in producing SCC with compressive strengths up to 60MPa.

Tensile Strength

Tensile strengths are based on the indirect splitting test on cylinders. For SCC, the tensile strengths and the ratios of tensile and compressive strengths are in the same order of magnitude as the conventional vibrated concrete.

Bond Strength
Pull-out tests have been performed to determine the strength of the bond between concrete and reinforcement of different diameters. In general, the SCC bond strengths expressed in terms of the compressive strengths are higher than those of conventional concrete.

Modulus of Elasticity
SCC and conventional concrete bear a similar relationship between modulus of elasticity and compressive strength expressed in the form E/(fc)0.5, where E = modulus of elasticity, fc =compressive strength. This is similar to the one recommended by ACI for conventional normal weight concrete.

Benefits of SCC
The technologically advanced components of SCC work together to create a mix that produces numerous benefits. It offers many advantages for contractors, ready-mix producers, and precast concrete fabricators: For Contractors: Reduced vibration effort and noise during placing Ability to fill complex forms with limited accessibility More uniform distribution in areas of closely bunched reinforcement Rapid pumping of concrete Uniform and compact surface Less surface voids and need for rubbing and patching Improved aesthetics of flatwork for less effort

Reduced labor and construction time

For Ready-Mix Producers:43,44 Better perception from customers by offering a technically advanced, higher value concrete mixture Offers a product that saves customers time and money Faster truck turnaround More efficient use of mixing equipment and delivery Easily expands variety of products offered without adding more equipment (eg, tilt-up, flatwork, walls, etc.) Improved aesthetics of final product For Cast-in Place Fabricators: All the above, plus Controlled environment allows easier quality control Easier to achieve qualities of an optimally designed mix Can better guarantee properties due to tight quality control Faster slump loss means concrete is ready for steam-curing quicker

In order for these parties to reap the benefits of SCC, they need an increased understanding of SCCs complex nature. Declines in skilled labor and quality control in the construction industry will make this a more challenging task for users. At the same time, developers still need to provide set procedures and ways for users to quantify the qualities of mix characteristics.

Standards
As mentioned before, there are as yet no standard definitions or specifications for SCC. The term workability includes flowability, mouldability, cohesiveness, and compactibility of fresh concrete. Flowability is related to consistency. Cohesiveness is a measure of compactibility and finishability, usually measured by ease of dowelling and visual judgement of resistance to segregation.Given that workability is so broadly defined by numerous other factors, measuring the properties of High-Workability Concrete has gone in all directionsSome believe SCC should not be defined as a new product. New products require all new testing and approval from ACI and ASTM. Since it is still a developing technology, many appreciate the flexibility to develop mixes according to project requirements, currently the industry practice. Until test methods to quantifiably characterize the concrete mix are standardized, the following are several industry measurement standards used for the time being.

Flowability:
This characteristic is often termed slump flow as opposed to slump because the initial low viscosity of the SCC causes the concrete in a standard slump test to spread out and flatten so much, the height difference becomes too little to accurately correlate with the flowability of the mix, not to mention the difficulty in measuring the height of the slumped sample. Therefore, slump flow is measured as the horizontal distance of spreading. Usually, this dimension is 20-30 inches.47 In the slump flow test a standard slump cone is used and SCC is typically poured in without consolidation efforts.The flow diameter (Fd) is the mean diameter measured in two perpendicular directions. Some researchers recommend a slump flow value between 500 to 700 mm. At less than 500 mm, the mix may have trouble flowing in a confined space. Slump flow exceeding 700 mm could lead to segregation of the mix.49

the L-box test measures the ability of SCC to flow in a confined space. It tests to see if the concrete can flow through an L-shaped box with several grilles of rebar designed to inhibit flow. Another way to measure deformability through restricted areas is the Vfunnel test. . After concrete is filled into the funnel, the bottom outlet is opened and the time until flowing stops is measured. To be termed an SCC, it is generally required that this flow time be less than 6. The T50 test measures rate of flow in terms of the time required for SCC to reach 19-3/4 inches (or 50 cm) in diameter in the slump flow test.53 Bui et al. states that the flow time of SCC should be no larger than 12 seconds.

Stability:
Stability is the characteristic of SCC to resist segregation. It is often quantified with the Visual Stability Index, which ranges from 0 to 3 in increments of 0.5. Another, more exact segregation test, is to pour 2 liters fresh concrete over a 5 mm mesh and measure the mass of mortar passing though the screen in 5 min. The segregation index (SI) of a stable concrete should be less than 5%.

SCC technology originated in Japan in the early 1980s,59 arising out of durability concerns due to poor compaction on the job site.60 Use of SCC quickly became widespread in Japan, especially since the government implemented a plan to use SCC for 50% of all concrete jobs by 2003. It then spread to Europe in the 1990s after invention of polycarboxylate superplasticizers. In the UK, The Concrete Society has issued official measures to expand the use of SCC as a means of replacing vibratory compaction. In the US and Canada, SCC technology is available mostly in the form of proprietary concrete mixes from ready-mix producer subsidiaries of cement manufacturers such as Lafarge and Lehigh. It is also available as specialized admixtures combining superplasticizer and viscosity modifiers. Given how important maintaining mix quality of SCC is for its successful performance, using SCC demands increased attention and skill. In particular, superplasticizer dramatically increases the sensitivity of the mix to water. This allows little room for error in mix proportioning, which can become problematic in-field when weather and timing can not always be controlled by the contractor. In light of this, most applications of SCC in the US have been limited to precast construction due to tighter quality control ensured in-plant compared to in-field.63 However, the industry has shown eagerness to expand its use. Whereas in 2000, only about 10% of the precast industry had tried SCC, by 2003, the number jumped to almost 90%, of which 40% used it on a regular basis. Some notable projects have utilized SCC in Canada. One is the Toronto International Airport, where concrete had to be pumped upwards from the ground to form 101-foot tall columns. Another project in Vancouver, B.C used SCC so little patching would be required for highly visible, outrigger columns. In Asia, SCC was used for a monolithic foundation mat in Singapore where the concrete needed to reach massive dimensions in a short amount of time. In the US, a high-strength SCC was imperative for constructing tightly reinforced elements poured in below-freezing weather for the 68-story Trump Tower in New York City.65 SCC has also shown

Application

successful application for residential projects, such as homes for Habitat for Humanity in the Houston area.

Conclusion
In conclusion, self-consolidating concrete is an exciting technology that has found many successful applications. Although the concept has been around for a few decades, new products are still emerging and better mix proportioning strategies are still in development. The new generation of polycarboxylate-based superplasticizers has taken SCC a giant step forward. Meanwhile, multiple viscosity modifying admixtures are available, while researchers continue to seek better and cheaper recipes. While there is no set definition for SCC yet, for now the concrete construction industry generally follows certain methods of measuring mix properties to define an SCC. The absence of an established industrial standard for SCC allows more creativity in tailoring a mix to specific job requirements. At the same time, the lack of standards means devising a successful mix depends on the expertise of the producer and contractor. Therefore, it is clear that educating manufacturers and contractors is the crucial first step in expanding the use of SCCs extremely promising technology.