Self Compacting Concrete for the Tallest Building in India

S.A. Reddi Value Engg. Consultant Dy MD (Retd), Gammon India Ltd

ACECON, IIT- Madras

07 Dec,2010

SCC in Palais Royale, Mumbai

320m tall residential green building, Mumbai Columns earlier designed with 60 MPa concrete & Fe 415 reinforcement; large size of columns, congested reinforcement not accepted 80 MPa Self Compacting Concrete (SCC) with Fe 500 reinforcement to reduce congestion SCC enabled concreting without vibration 80 MPa concrete reduced column sizes About 30% reduction in cost of columns

Why High Strength SCC ?

Reduced water content, adding mineral admixtures modify the micro-structure of conc Reduced water content results in decreased porosity, refinement of capillary pores in matrix Water content ranges between 120 150 ltrs per m3 of concrete; flowability ensured by adding PC based super plasticizer M 80 SCC ( first time in India ) reduces space occupied by columns, increases floor area

Self Compacting Concrete Impact on LEED Rating

In the fresh state SCC ensures flowability and pumping qualities, reduces segregation, bleeding and plastic shrinkage Concrete containing fly-ash enables reduction in cement content, helps in Green Rating 21 of the min 26 points reqd for LEED Certification realized by appropriate use of concrete Palais Royale, Mumbai is a Platinum Rated Construction.

High Strength SCC for High Rise Buildings International Experiences

Trump Tower Hotel, Chicago used SCC for the foundation raft and columns in certain regions High Strength SCC up to 110 MPa (Cylinder) 3800 m3 SCC pumped in 24 hours for the raft 30 different concrete mixes used; mixes contain different %ages of super plasticizers, different amounts of cement, fly-ash, slag, silica fume SCC mix has max aggregate size of 10mm Modulus of Elasticity tested thoroughly

Palais Royale Tower, Mumbai Brief Description

Height : 320m Tallest in India (2008) Foundations : Raft, upto 3.5m thick, Grade M40 - Basements, Superstructure - Columns : SCC M80, M60 - Slabs, Beams : M60 Concrete - Pre-tensioned flat slabs at lower levels Basement + 80m height utilized for car parks, sports facilities, Building Management Systems (BMS) Precautions against Fire & Fire Fighting measures

320m Tall Palais Royale

Platinum Rated Green Building, Mumbai
Extensive use of natural light, ventilation, wind mill for power, solar panels for hot water Wind tunnel tests for the tall structure and for interference from neighboring high-rises Structural design proof checked by US Consultants Separate Consultants for BMS, Services, Electrical, Acoustic, Lift, Environment, Fire, Windows, Faade, Waterproofing, Waste Mgt

Palais Royale Tower, Mumbai Materials for SCC

OPC 53 Grade from selected factory Processed fly-ash from Nashik Silica Fume imported / Metakaolin PC based super plasticizer imported Coarse aggregates from local quarries Fine aggregates from Gujarat / Crushed Sand from Local Sources Water from local sources

Palais Royale Tower, Mumbai Mix Proportioning, Trial Mixes

Trial Mixes from April 2007 onwards No Ready Mix Supplier willing to provide SCC 80 Mpa Grade ; Concrete mixed at site Cement content limited to 400 Kg. per m3 Processed Fly-ash : 200 Kg. PC based super plasticizers : 0.8 1.2 % All trial mixes conducted at site, with concrete produced by computer controlled batch plant Slump flow : 700 800mm

Self Compacting Concrete Sensitive to small changes

SCC is much more sensitive to small changes in materials, mix proportions & production variables than conventionally placed concrete; the potential consequences can be severe Control of workability critical; If the slump flow is less, there is no opportunity to vibrate; if more, SCC significantly increases the potential for severe segregation Engineers at site specially trained

Self Compacting Concrete Test Methods

Filling Ability evaluated by slump flow test Passing Ability evaluated with the J ring test Segregation Resistance with the column segregation test These tests are conducted during mix proportioning stage; once the mix is approved, only slump flow and T50 tests are continued during actual production

Modulus of Elasticity ACI 237R

Related to compressive strength, aggregate type and content, and unit weight of the concrete Adjustments in mix proportions, will influence the elastic modulus of the SCC For equal compressive strength, the elastic modulus of SCC can be as much as 10 to 15% lower than that of conventional concrete of similar compressive strength due to the required adjustments of mixture proportions to make SCC

Modulus of Elasticity Site Trials

A Large no of trials conducted at the site laboratory The values varied in the range of 30-50 gPa The structural designs re-evaluated

Mock up Trials for Segregation

Full scale mock ups conducted with different levels of free fall of concrete With free fall more than 0.5 m, segregation noted ; The top half of the column consisted only mortar Free fall restricted to less than 0.5 m

Aesthetics
SCC provides improved surface appearances and aesthetics in finished concrete. Pour lines, bug holes, honeycombs, and other surface imperfections are largely reduced The fluidity of SCC and the elimination of vibration will result in improved aesthetics Selection of form-release agents is important in achieving the desired smooth finish.

Self Compacting Concrete Choice of Admixtures

Always include PC based super-plasticizer; Viscosity Modifying Agent (VMA) optional Aim at reasonable Workability Retention (max. one hour from the time of mixing) Evaluate suitability of dosage in lab & production trial batches; dosage adjusted to reach target slump flow once the mix is proportioned As PC based admixtures are generally tailormade, uniformity & quality should be ensured

Self Compacting Concrete Cement Content

Cement content should be minimized; powder content composed of mineral admixtures such as fly-ash, GGBS etc. SCC in Nuclear Power Projects in India, cement limited to 250 Kg/m3 ; and fly-ash also 250 Kg/, m3 for concretes up to 50 MPa For 80 MPa concrete, mix successfully designed with cement content not exceeding 350 Kg/m3

Self Compacting Concrete Should not be Vibrated

Vibration not needed for SCC, it may be detrimental; vibration damages the three dimensional structure. Works Cube Test : The concrete should be filled in one layer for the full height of the cube mould; the sides of the mould may be lightly tamped with a wooden mallet; otherwise no other form of vibration should be attempted

Transit mixer
SCC delivered to a job site by concrete truck . Because of the fluidity of SCC mixes the volume of SCC placed into a truck should not exceed the 80% capacity of the drum (ASTM C 94/C 94M).
Monitoring is important to ensure that SCC does not spill out of a concrete truck (rear or front discharge) whenever the truck goes up or down a steep incline.

Self Compacting Concrete

Pilot Test Batches (Production Conditions)
Conduct full-scale production trial batches (mock-ups) for each proposed SCC mix, to verify filling ability, passing ability and segregation resistance Visually observe concrete flow around reinforcing bars and the lack of honeycomb, aggregate or mortar pockets, surface air void The elements should have similar dimensions, reinforcement configuration as the work

TOP LEVEL

+ 317.60M

GENERAL DETAIL
NOTES
* DRAWING NOT TO BE SCALED, ONLY WRITTEN DIMENSIONS TO BE FOLLOWED. * FOR STRUCTURAL DETAILS REFER R.C.C. CONSULTANT'S DRAWING. * FOR SIDE MARGIN REFER SANCTIONED LAYOUT. * ANY AMBIGUITIES OR DISCREPANCIES SHOULD BE CLEARED WITH THE ARCHITECT BEFORE PROCEEDING THE WORK. * THE LINING OUT AS SHOWN ON THIS DRAWING TO BE CHECKED ON SITE WITH ARCHITECTS AND CLEARED FOR CONSTRUCTION ONLY AFTER PROPER VERIFICATION OF DIMENSIONS OF OPEN SPACES AT SITE

TOP LEVEL + 317.60M

TOP LEVEL

+317.60M

Elev 229 to 285.5

N
LEVEL + 28 5.50M

LVL 42

+ 27 2.2

LVL 41

+ 26 1.7

28TH LEVEL [41] 3RD SKY VILLA LEVEL 4TH SERVICE LEVEL

LVL 40

+ 25 4.8

27TH LEVEL [40] HACIENDA APARTMENT

LVL 39

+ 24 7.9

26TH LEVEL [39] 5TH REFUGE LEVEL

LVL 38

+ 23 9.5
3RD SERVICE LEVEL 25TH LEVEL [38] 2ND SKY VILLA LEVEL

LVL 37

+ 22 9.0
2ND SERVICE LEVEL 24TH LEVEL [37] 1ST SKY VILLA LEVEL

Each Sky Villa will have car park, car lift, swimming pool, garden etc.
LEVEL + 285.50M LEVEL +285.5

Sky Villas
Duplex Ht ~10.5m

* S A S

LVL 36

+ 22 2.1

23RD LEVEL [36] 4TH REFUGE LEVEL

LVL 35

+ 21 5.2

22ND LEVEL [35] HACIENDA APARTMENT

LVL 34

+ 20 8.3

21ST LEVEL [34] HACIENDA LEVEL

LVL 33

+ 20 1.4

20TH LEVEL [33] HACIENDA APARTMENT

LVL 32

+ 19 4.5

19TH LEVEL [32] HACIENDA APARTMENT

LVL 31

+ 18 7.6

18TH LEVEL [31] 3RD REFUGE LEVEL

LVL 30

+ 18 0.7

17TH LEVEL [30] HACIENDA APARTMENT

LVL 29

+ 17 3.8

Palais Royale Tower

Elevation

16TH LEVEL [29] HACIENDA APARTMENT

LVL 28

+ 16 6.9

15TH LEVEL [28] HACIENDA APARTMENT

LVL 27

+ 16 0.0

14TH LEVEL [27] HACIENDA APARTMENT

LVL 42 + 272.2

LVL 26

+ 15 3.1

13TH LEVEL [26] 2ND REFUGE LEVEL

LVL 25

+ 14 8.9

12TH LEVEL [25] SKY APARTMENT

LVL 42

+272.2

LVL 24

+ 14 4.7

11TH LEVEL [24] SKY APARTMENT

LVL 23

+ 14 0.5

10TH LEVEL [23] SKY APARTMENT

LVL 22

+ 13 6.3

9TH LEVEL [22] SKY APARTMENT

LVL 21

+ 12 9.4

8TH LEVEL [21] HACIENDA APARTMENT

LVL 20

+ 12 2.5

7TH LEVEL [20] HACIENDA APARTMENT

LVL 19

+ 11 5.6

6TH LEVEL [19] 1ST REFUGE FLOOR

LVL 41 + 261.7 LVL 41 +261.7

3RD SKY VILLA 4TH SERVICE LEVEL

27TH LEVEL [40] HACIENDA APARTMENT

28TH LEVEL [41] 3RD SKY VILLA LEVEL

LVL 18

+ 10 8.7

5TH LEVEL [18] HACIENDA APARTMENT

LVL 17

+ 10 1.8

4TH LEVEL [17] HACIENDA APARTMENT

LVL 16

+ 94.9

LVL 40 + 254.8
3RD LEVEL [16] SKY APARTMENT 2ND LEVEL [15] SKY APARTMENT 1ST LEVEL [14] SKY APARTMENT

LVL 15

+ 90.7

Apartment Refuge

LVL 14 LVL 13

+ 86.5 + 82.3

[13] SERVICE FLOOR

LVL 12

+ 78.1

[12] GIRDER LEVEL

ADVANCE DRAFT COPY

LVL 39 + 247.9
NORTH

26TH LEVEL [39] 5TH REFUGE LEVEL

LVL 11

+ 69.7

[11] 3RD AMENITY

TITLE

PROJECT

LVL 10

+ 52.9

[10] 2ND AMENITY

LVL 09

+ 44.5

[9] 1ST AMENITY

LVL 38 + 239.5

LVL 08

+ 36.1

[8] PODIUM 7
REVISIONS

LVL 38
Revision Date Description

+239.5

LVL 07

+ 31.9

[7] PODIUM 6

3RD SERVICE LEVEL LEVEL [38] VILLA 2ND SKY VILLA LEVEL 2RD25TH SKY

LVL 06

+ 27.7

[6] PODIUM 5

LVL 05

+ 23.5

[5] PODIUM 4

LVL 04

+ 19.3

[4] PODIUM 3

LVL 03

+ 15.1

[3] PODIUM 2

LVL 02

+ 10.9

[2] PODIUM 1
JOB NO. : DATE : 29 /1 2/07

DRG NO. : 2 03 - EL

DRAWN : SHEFALI

SCALE :

REVISION : R8.0

LVL 37 37 + 229.0 LVL +229.0

1st SKY VILLA

Palais Royale Tower Worli, Mumbai

Raft completed
~

Palais Royale Nov 08

Palais Royale Concrete Placer Boom in Action

Palais Royale Reinforcement

Fe 500 grade Couplers replace laps 40 dia bars for columns; grouping reduces congestion Prefab reinforcement cages for columns, beams & slabs, manufactured at site using computerized equipments & lifted by tower cranes

Palais Royale Tower 80 MPa SCC

Cement : 350 - 400 kg Silica fume : 10 % Water : 135 litres Aggregates : Local PC based admix : 0.8 1.0 % Viscosity Modifier : 0.2 % Concrete produced at site batch plant

Palais Royale Tower

SCC - Issues Addressed
Workability : slump flow requirements Free fall of concrete vs segregation Slump loss - production to placement Maximum dosage of PC based admixtures Use of viscosity modifier Choice of quality fine aggregate Maximum size of coarse aggregate Formwork pressures : DIN 18218 Pressure of Fresh Concrete on Vertical Formwork (draft)

Palais Royale Tower

SCC - Issues Addressed (concluded)
Mockup trials on full scale columns - verification of filling ability - surface finish quality - cores to verify uniformity thru the height - cores tested for compressive strength, compared with corresponding cube strength In production from March 2008; 28 days work strength range : 90 - 100 MPa Standard deviation of works cubes ~ 3 MPa 40000 cum of SCC already placed (Oct.2010)

Palais Royale Tower

SCC - Problems Encountered
Slump flow : the end user insists on a slump flow of more than 800mm, against international norm of 650-700 mm; higher slump flow means heavy dosages of admixtures, resulting in more air bubbles in concrete, possible segregation of concrete during placement etc. Coarse aggregates : the originally contracted quarry encountered difficulties in supply; aggregates from alternate quarry are flaky Admixtures : variable quality by same supplier

Palais Royale Tower, Mumbai SCC Production

2 Nos. 45m3 Batch Plants installed at site Max Conc temperature at pour point : 30 0 C Chilling Water Plant installed at site QC lab at site with 300 t cube testing machine Equipment for cement testing, slump flow test, V funnel flow time, L box, T-500 at site Fresh SCC properties tested at the Batch Plant and at the delivery point

Palais Royale Tower, Mumbai SCC Production

Full scale trials for mixing time to ensure complete mixing Trials for mixing time of 30,45, 60, 75, 90 secs One minute (60 secs) mixing time chosen based on properties observed during trials Silica fume : Use as powder / slurry; after extensive discussions with International Experts and the authors observations in Europe, used as powder

Palais Royale Tower, Mumbai SCC Transportation, Placement

Transported by 6 m3 truck mixers Placed by High Pressure concrete pumps located at ground level and special 125mm dia concrete pipeline Concrete pipeline fixed vertically; self climbing concrete placer booms distribute the concrete at the floor level Concrete placed in columns through flexible pipe fitted to the 125mm pipeline

Palais Royale Tower, Mumbai Quality Checks for Fresh Concrete

Routine tests for each truck load of concrete : - slump flow test (700 800mm) - flow time test by V Funnel (5 7 seconds) - passing ability test by L Box (90 95%) - T 500 test (3 5 seconds) Tests were conducted at the delivery point before concrete was discharged by the truck mixer; only mixes satisfying the norms were fed to the concrete pump

Palais Royale Tower, Mumbai

Quality Checks for Hardened Concrete
Standard 150mm cubes tested Concrete filled to the top of the mould in one operation No tamping rod for compaction Entrapped air expelled by lightly tamping the outside of the mould with wooden mallet Curing & Testing specimens as per IS Codes

Any comments, queries, suggestions are welcome

reddibharathi@rediffmail.com