Key Engineering Materials Vols.

525-526 (2013) pp 621-624

Online available since 2012/Nov/12 at www.scientific.net
© (2013) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland
doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.525-526.621

Evaluation of Setting Time in Ultra High Performance Concrete

Sung-Wook Kim1,a,Jung-Jun Park1,b,Doo-Youl Yoo2,c, and Young-Soo Yoon2,d

1
Structural Engineering Research Division, Korea Institute of Construction Technology, Goyang,
411-712, Korea
2
School of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, Korea University, Seoul,
136-713, Korea
a
swkim@kict.re.kr, jjpark@kict.re.kr, cdooyoul@korea.ac.kr, dysyoon@korea.ac.kr
b

Keywords: Ultra-High-Performance Concrete, Setting Time, Chemical Shrinkage

Abstract. Ultra high performance concrete (UHPC), characterized by a high strength and high
ductility, is also subjected to large shrinkage due to its low water-to-binder ratio and its large content
in high fineness materials. The large amount of autogenous shrinkage of UHPC can induce crack on
structural member when it was restrained with reinforcement and form. However, shrinkage of
UHPC in plastic state is not generating confining stress, which is the main cause of initial crack.
Normally, the setting time in concrete is an index to distinguish shrinkage which occur confining
stress or not. An estimation of setting time is conducted in compliance with ASTM C 403 till now
however, that test standard reveals error of results due to discordance of test condition as following
with concrete type. This study therefore evaluated setting time of UHPC through the modified test
method which was proposed by KICT. Test results and analyses proved a discrepancy of setting time
between ASTM and proposed method. The proposed method put faith in evaluation of setting time in
accordance with UHPC.

Introduction
Ultra High performance Concrete shows a large amount of shrinkage due to low water-to-binder ratio
(W/B) and an abundant quantity of binders. UHPC is a cementitious composite reducing the W/B
ratio down to 0.2 and admixing high fineness admixtures and high-elastic steel fiber. However, its
low W/B compared to conventional concretes, the admixing of large quantities of admixtures and the
absence of coarse aggregates lead to large autogenous shrinkage and large risk of occurrence of
shrinkage cracking at early age[1].
Since the shrinkage cracking behavior of concrete is influenced by the shrinkage development speed
and size according to age as well as by the development of strength, stress relaxation and degree of
restraint, this behavior is extremely complex. An accurate evaluation of setting time of UHPC is
needed in order to estimate autogenous shrinkage strain as first step of prediction crack behavior of
UHPC at early age. Especially, the surface of UHPC would be dried when it is exposed on the air after
casting soon. The dried surface of specimen influenced setting time test result as earlier time. The
importance of evaluation for setting time is provided because shrinkage before visco-elastic behavior
does not make a restrained stress on the UHPC. Accordingly, this study performs setting test
considering 3 types of treatment on the surface of UHPC

Materials and Mix Design

The test adopts type 1 Portland cement, fine aggregates with grain size smaller than 0.5 mm, filler
with granulometry of 2 µm and 98% content of SiO2, and silica fume (SF) with specific surface area
of 200,000 cm2/g. W/B ratio of 0.2 is used for the mix of UHPC. Polycarbonate superplasticizer is
admixed to secure workability. Table 1 lists the mix proportions. This is one of normalized mix
proportion on the level of 200MPa compressive strength. Steel fiber which is used on the mixture of
UHPC was excluded in these tests.

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622 Advances in Fracture and Damage Mechanics XI

Table 1. Mix proportion of UHPC (by weight ratio)

Nomenclature W/B Cement SF Filler Sand SP
UHPC 0.2 1 0.25 0.30 1.10 0.012
where SF = Silica Fume, SP = Superplasticizer

Test of Setting Time

Test of setting time of UHPC was carried out by ASTM C 403[2] which was similar to KS F 2436
[3] as following of Fig.1. The penetration time and depth in order to measure setting time were 10
seconds and 25mm relatively. When vicat spindle reached at 25mm during on 10seconds, the
setting time after casting UHPC on test bowl was recorded. Generally, the initial setting time is
defined when the internal stress of matrix by vicat spindle reach to 3.5N/mm2. Hence the final
setting time is defined when the internal stress of matrix will be reached to 28.5N/mm2.
As following of ASTM C 403 test method, a curing membrane or an impermeable membrane is
recommended to prevent evaporation on the surface of specimen. However, a membrane must be
removed when vicat spindle puts into concrete. Whenever a membrane was removed on the specimen,
the surface of specimen would be evaporated. The evaporation of surface on the specimen influences
the stress of penetration resistance. Especially, the influence of evaporation will be more sensitive
because W/B is very low in UHPC. In this study, 3 types of coverage which were an impermeable
membrane, a membrane forming compound, and a paraffin oil applied in order to prevent evaporation.
Fig.2 showed each test specimens installed in laboratory.

Fig. 1 Measuring of setting time on UHPC Fig. 2 Specimens for setting time

Test Results and Discussion of Setting Time

Fig.3 revealed test results of setting time each conditions. The initial and final setting time in the
specimens covered with paraffin oil on the top of specimen represented a middle value among 3 types
of specimen. When test was carried by ASTM C 403 method out, setting time could be represented as
Eq.(1) .
Log ( PR) = −b + aLog(t ) (1)

Where, PR is stress of penetration resistance, and a, b are constants of regression. The constants a and
b were induced from setting time test results. Table 2 represented values of a, b.

Table 2. Comparison of setting time and a,b constants according to test methods
Type a b R2 Initial Set (hours) Final Set (hours)
ASTM C 403 10.5742 24.0086 0.9930 5.60 6.82
Paraffin oil 12.2736 28.7182 0.9884 6.06 7.17
Membrane 10.1610 23.6676 0.9941 6.57 8.06
 Key Engineering Materials Vols. 525-526 623

Test results indicated that when ASTM C 403 was

applied, setting time revealed earlier than other
tests. It proved that evaporation occured on the
surface of UHPC. Hence, In case of using
membrane forming compound as auxiliary
measures to prohibit evaporation, setting time was
measured later than other tests because the
component matters included with membrane
forming compound influenced to delay settlement
of UHPC.
On the other hand, setting time in case of covering
surface by paraffin oil revealed intermediate value. Fig.3 Comparison of setting time
However there is no evidence that paraffin oil
didn’t accelerate or delay hydration of UHPC. One of test methods for verifying influence of agents
on hydration of cementitious materials is a chemical shrinkage tset.

Test Results of Chemical Shrinkage

Chemical shrinkage was measured in
compliance with ASTM C 1608 (Procedure
A)[4]. Cement paste was placed in 50mL
Erlenmeyer flasks with a height of 10mm.
Demineralized and distilled water was placed
into the recipients without disturbing the
paste. The quantity of water fixed with weight
according to rate of W/C=40%,50%,60%, all
3cases, Fig. 4 shows test installation of
chemical shrinkage. The volume change was
measured by using a pipette with a minimum
scale of 0.01mL. To prevent evaporation of
water, a silicon rubber stopper was inserted Fig.4 Test set-up for chemical shrinkage
into the flask and paraffin oil was dropped onto the top of the water. The flasks were left in a water
bath at 23±1°C during the test. The position of meniscus in the pipettes was first recorded 1 hour after
putting water. During the first 24 hours, the position of meniscus was recorded at intervals of 1 hour,
and after that it was measured at every 1 to 24 hours.

Test Results and Discussion of Chemical Shrinkage

Fig.5 shows test results of chemical sjrinkage.
Although W/C were different respectively, test
results of chemical shrinkage revealed almost
same values. It means that paraffin oil didn’t
influence on hydration of UHPC. The density of
paraffin oil is around 0.85~0.94, it is lower than
water of 1. Therefore, paraffin oil can not be
distilled with water, and don’t supply any matter
for hydration.
In its final analysis, when paraffin oil uses by
coverage material to prohibit evaporate mixing
water, setting time can be evaluated accurately. Fig.5 Test results of chemical shrinkage
624 Advances in Fracture and Damage Mechanics XI

Hence, the surface of UHPC after mixing can be easily

dried due to its low water-to-binder ratio and its large
content in high fineness materials. Fig.6 shows test
results of setting time according to coverage moment of
paraffin oil. The exposure time of UHPC after casting
applied on 0, 10, 30, 60, 120 min. before putting paraffin
oil. Test results revealed that initial and setting time was
more earier according to longger exposure time. When
setting time was compared with case of 0 and 120min.
exposure time, there was a gap about 1 hour. In case of
comparing with 60min. and 120min., setting time
displayed almost same in Fig.6. The results represented
that the exposured surface of UHPC on the air dried
easily, and setting time of UHPC was influenced by Fig.6 Setting time according to exposure
conditions of surface.

Conclusions
This study compared the setting time between a present test method and a proposed method. On the
condition of 3types of treatment of the surface of UHPC, setting time tests were carried out, and the
following conclusions can be drawn from the results.
1) The test results of setting time of UHPC by ASTM C 403 can make an error. Although an
impermeable membrane was applied to prohibit evaporation of water on the surface of UHPC,
evaporation would be occurred a little.
2) The initial and final setting time in the specimens covered with paraffin oil represented a middle
value among 3 types of specimen. On the other hand, setting time by ASTM C 403 method was earlier
than paraffin oil method, and a membrane forming compound method was measured later than that of
method.
3) The test results of chemical shrinkage represented that paraffin oil didn’t influence on hydration
of UHPC, when paraffin oil uses by coverage material to prohibit evaporation for mixing water,
setting time of UHPC can be evaluated accurately.
4) The large amount of autogenous shrinkage of UHPC can induce crack on structural member at
early age. In order to distinguish shrinkage which occurs confining stress or not, setting time is an
important index, and should be evaluated exactly.

Acknowledgements
This study was carried out as a partial research of the “Development of Ultra High Performance
Concrete for Hybrid Cable Stayed Bridges” in the Korea Institute of Construction Technology. The
authors express their gratitude for the support.

References
[1] Korea Institute of Construction Technology: Development of Ultra High Performance Concrete
for Hybrid Cable Stayed Bridges, Research Report, KICT 2011-067 (2011).
[2] ASTM C 403/C 403M, Standard Test Method for Time of Setting of Concrete Mixtures by
Penetration Resistance, American Society of Testing Materials, (2008).
[3] KS D 2436, Test Method for Time of Setting of Concrete Mixtures by Penetration Resistance,
Korean Standards, (2007).
[4] ASTM C 1608, Standard Test Method for Chemical Shrinkage of Hydraulic Cement paste,
American Society of Testing Materials, (2007).
Advances in Fracture and Damage Mechanics XI
10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.525-526

Evaluation of Setting Time in Ultra High Performance Concrete

10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.525-526.621