LIFE WITH SCC AFTER THE

INITIAL PROPORTIONING
CP5

Joseph A. Daczko, FACI

BASF Construction Chemicals

precast.org/education
PRESENTATION OUTLINE

• Definition of Self Consolidating Concrete (SCC)

• SCC Fresh Properties & Test Methods
• Production
• Monitoring Raw Materials
• Batching and Mixing
• Monitoring Concrete Performance
• Placement
• Element Characteristics
• Placement Techniques
• Making Adjustments
• Troubleshooting

precast.org/education
WHAT IS SCC?

“Self-Consolidating
Concrete (SCC) is
highly flowable,
nonsegregating
concrete that can
spread into place, fill
formwork, and
encapsulate the
reinforcement without
any mechanical
consolidation.”

precast.org/education
SCC FRESH PROPERTIES –
THIS IS WHAT MAKES SCC DIFFERENT

3 Primary Characteristics

•Filling Ability
•Passing Ability
•Stability

precast.org/education
TEST METHODS

• ASTM C 09.47
• Filling Ability (Fluidity)
• Slump Flow (C 1611)
• Passing Ability
• J-Ring (C 1621)
• Stability
• VSI (C 1611) - optional
• Column segregation (C 1610)
• Rapid penetration (C 1712)

precast.org/education
PRODUCTION

precast.org/education
IT’S THE PROCESS THAT MATTERS
According to Nick Saban (Head football coach University of Alabama), process
guarantees success. A good process produces good results. Likewise, if the process is
off, the results will suffer.

7
precast.org/education
RAW MATERIAL CONTROL -
POWDERS AND AGGREGATES
• Fineness – Impact filling ability, stability, water and admixture demand
Cement A Cement B Cement C
Mean 391 351 385
Standard Deviation 54 17 23
Range 161 47 67
Minimum 300 321 335
Maximum 461 368 402
Coefficient of Variation 14% 5% 6%
Count 11 7 8
Source; Daczko, Joseph A., “Self-Consolidating Concrete: Applying What We Know”

4
% passing 75µm is
Percent Passing the 75 µm sieve

3.5 considered powder

3
2.5
2 A 3% change could be
1.5
1 equivalent to a 30kg/m3 or
0.5
0
almost 60 lb/yd3 change in
1 4 7 10 13 1619 22 25 2831 34 3740 43 46 4952 55 58 6164 67 70 7376 79 8285 88
Lot ID
powder
Source; Daczko, Joseph A., “Self-Consolidating Concrete: Applying What We Know”
8
precast.org/education
AGGREGATE MOISTURES

precast.org/education
BATCHING – PRODUCTION –
HRWR’S

precast.org/education
BATCHING – PRODUCTION –
HRWR’S

Mixing time requirements are impacted by;

• W/cm ratio (water content)
• Cementitious composition and content
• HRWR type

precast.org/education
MONITORING CONC PERF

precast.org/education
 CONCRETE – DAILY
PRODUCTION QC - EXAMPLE

Source; Daczko, Joseph A., “Self-Consolidating Concrete: Applying What We Know”

13
precast.org/education
 CONCRETE – DAILY
PRODUCTION QC - EXAMPLE

Source; Daczko, Joseph A., “Self-Consolidating Concrete: Applying What We Know”

14
precast.org/education
PLACEMENT

precast.org/education
ELEMENT CHARACTERISTICS

precast.org/education
PLACEMENT TECHNIQUES

precast.org/education
PLACEMENT CONSIDERATIONS – FREEFALL VS.
TREMIE, DROP HEIGHT, PLACEMENT RATE
Truck 3 Truck 4
Wall 9 11 10 12 13 15
Placement Technique Pump Pump Pump Pump Pump Pump
Tremied/Free Fall Tremied Free Fall Tremied Free Fall Tremied Free Fall
Vibration (yes/no) No No Yes Yes No No
Average rating 0.4 1.8 1.2 2.7 0.7 1.0
Source; Daczko, Joseph A., “Self-Consolidating Concrete: Applying What We Know”

precast.org/education
VISCOSITY, PLACEMENT AND
SURFACE VOIDS

precast.org/education
PLACEMENT CONSIDERATIONS - FLOWING
DIRECTION & FORM FILLING DIRECTION

Source; Daczko, Joseph A., “Self-Consolidating Concrete: Applying What We Know”

precast.org/education
 FORMWORK DIMENSION AND RHEOLOGY
IMPACT ON CONCRETE FILLING ABILITY AND
PLACEMENT RATE
Time to flow distance X

Air bubbles direction of escape

Concrete Viscosity

How quickly should I pour?

21
precast.org/education
MAKING ADJUSTMENTS

precast.org/education
CONCRETE – DAILY PRODUCTION QC

Source; Daczko, Joseph A., “Self-Consolidating Concrete: Applying What We Know”

23
precast.org/education
The right data leads to the ability to make
adjustments

precast.org/education
TROUBLESHOOTING

precast.org/education
OUTLINE
• What is Troubleshooting?
• Which SCC properties are most
often the subject of the
troubleshooting process?
• Fresh Properties
• Hardened Properties
• Test results and troubleshooting
TROUBLESHOOTING ASSUMES A
MIXTURE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED
AND IS CURRENTLY IN USE

26 precast.org/education
WHAT IS
TROUBLESHOOTING?
• Troubleshooting is a systematic
approach to problem solving that is
often used to find and correct issues

• Many times it is a process of

elimination
1. Collect all data related to the problem
issue
2. Ask questions to further refine the
data
3. From list of potential causes starting
with more common ones first
4. Test these hypothesis – either with
further questioning or actual tests

27 precast.org/education
PROPERTIES MOST OFTEN
THE SUBJECT OF
TROUBLESHOOTING

• Fresh Properties
• Instability, bleeding, segregation, foaming
• Immediately
• After concrete has been placed
• Slump flow fluctuation
• Too low
• Too high
• Directly after batching
• After transit to the jobsite
• Blocking
• Form not filling

28 precast.org/education
PROPERTIES MOST OFTEN
THE SUBJECT OF
TROUBLESHOOTING
• Hardened Properties
• Surface Finish
• Bugholes
• Concentrated areas of small
bubbles
• Sand streaking
• Pour lines
• Honycombing
• Voids
• Compressive Strength

29 precast.org/education
Using Fresh and Hardened Properties

Source; Daczko, Joseph A., “Self-Consolidating Concrete: Applying What We Know”

30
precast.org/education
precast.org/education
ELEMENTS
Element Characteristic/ Potential Problems
Placement Technique
Reinforcement Level • Inhibition of flow
• Blocking of coarse aggregate causing separation
of aggregate and paste
• Honeycombing
Element Shape Intricacy • Inhibition of flow
• Incomplete filling of form leaving voids
Element Depth • Required free fall causing segregation
• Increased potential for aggregate
segregation/settlement
Importance of Surface • Bugholes / voids on the surface
Finish • Sand streaking
• Discoloration
Element length • Flow distance causing paste to separate from the
aggregate
Wall Thickness • Entrapment of voids on wall surface
• Blocking of aggregate
Coarse Aggregate Content • Blocking
• Insufficient filling of forms
• Poor surface finish
Placement Technique • Entrapped air voids
• Pump pressure causing segregation
• Delays between deliveries causing lift lines
• Casting from multiple locations causing lines

precast.org/education
TYPICAL PROBLEMS AND REMEDIES
Problem Remedy
Bugholes/Voids on • Increase flow
Formed Surface • Adjust placement technique
• Pour slower
• Decrease viscosity
• Adjust aggregate proportions
• Tap or vibrate lightly during casting (architectural/intricate forms)
Honeycombing • Adjust aggregate proportions
• Increase flow
• Increase viscosity
Incomplete Filling of • Increase flow
Form • Adjust aggregate proportions
• Decrease viscosity
Sandstreaking • Increase viscosity
• Decrease flow
Discoloration • Increase viscosity
• Decrease flow
Lift Lines • Evaluate for thixotropy (increase water)
• Adjust placement techniques
• Decrease viscosity
• Increase flow
Aggregate Blocking • Adjust aggregate proportions
• Increase viscosity
Excessive Bleeding • Decrease flow
• Decrease water or HRWR
• Increase viscosity
Slump Loss • Evaluate for thixotropy
• Adjust HRWR dosage
• Add retarder
• Use extended slump HRWR

precast.org/education
PROPORTIONING ADJUSTMENTS
Powder Water C.A. S/A VMA HRWR
Content Content Topsize Ratio Dosage Dosage
Fluidity
Too Low   
Too High   

Viscosity
Too Low   
Too High  

Blocking     

Stability Rating
Too Low  
Too High    
Aggregate Pile  
Mortar Halo    

precast.org/education
LIFE WITH SCC AFTER THE
INITIAL PROPORTIONING
CP5

Joseph A. Daczko, FACI

BASF Construction Chemicals

precast.org/education