Use of condensed silica fume for making high-strength, self-consolidating concrete

Abstract

A high concrete strength can be achieved by lowering the water/binder ratio and a high workability by adding a higher dosage of superplasticizer. However, a high-performance concrete with both high strength and high workability cannot be produced by just these means because lowering the water/binder ratio leads to lower workability and there is a limit to the increase in workability that can be attained by adding superplasticizer. To produce a high-strength, high-workability concrete, the concrete strength needs to be increased without lowering the water/binder ratio. This can be done by adding condensed silica fume. In this study, a series of trial mixing aimed at developing high-strength, self-consolidating concrete (mean cube strength >80 MPa and needs no compaction for consolidation) was carried out. Several mixes suitable for making such high-performance concrete have been developed and it was found that the addition of condensed silica fume may, under favourable conditions, increase not only the strength but also the workability of the concrete mix. Based on the trial mix results, charts for the design of high-strength, high-workability concrete mixes made of the studied constituents are presented. | A high concrete strength can be achieved by lowering the water/binder ratio and a high workability by adding a higher dosage of superplasticizer. However, a high-performance concrete with both high strength and high workability cannot be produced by just these means because lowering the water/binder ratio leads to lower workability and there is a limit to the increase in workability that can be attained by adding superplasticizer. To produce a high-strength, high-workability concrete, the concrete strength needs to be increased without lowering the water/binder ratio. This can be done by adding condensed silica fume. In this study, a series of trial mixing aimed at developing high-strength, self-consolidating concrete (mean cube strength >80 MPa and needs no compaction for consolidation) was carried out. Several mixes suitable for making such high-performance concrete have been developed and it was found that the addition of condensed silica fume may, under favourable conditions, increase not only the strength but also the workability of the concrete mix. Based on the trial mix results, charts for the design of high-strength, high-workability concrete mixes made of the studied constituents are presented.