viii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER NO. TITLE PAGE NO.

ABSTRACT iii

LIST OF TABLES xiv

LIST OF FIGURES xvii

LIST OF SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS xxiii

1 INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 GENERAL 1
1.2 SELF COMPACTING CONCRETE 2
1.3 SCM IN SELF COMPACTING
CONCRETE 4
1.4 COPPER SLAG IN SELF COMPACTING
CONCRETE 6
1.5 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 8
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PRESENT
RESEARCH WORK 8
1.7 ORGANIZATION OF THE THESIS 9

2 LITERATURE REVIEW 12
2.1 GENERAL 12
2.1.1 Expansive Agents in Concrete 12
2.1.2 Self Curing Agents in Concrete 19
2.1.3 Metakaolin in SCC 27
2.1.4 Copper Slag in SCC 32
2.2 FINDINGS FROM THE LITERATURE 36
2.3 MOTIVATION FOR THE STUDY 37
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3 MATERIALS 38
3.1 GENERAL 38
3.2 CEMENT 38
3.3 RIVER SAND 41
3.4 COARSE AGGREGATE 42
3.5 SELF CURING AGENT 43
3.6 FLY ASH 45
3.7 COPPER SLAG 47
3.8 NANO METAKAOLIN 50
3.9 EXPANSIVE AGENT 52
3.10 SUPERPLASTICIZER 53
3.11 WATER 53
3.12 OVERVIEW 54

4 EXPERIMENTAL METHODS 55
4.1 METHODOLOGY 55
4.1.1 Mix Preparation 55
4.2 TESTS ON FRESH STATE SELF
COMPACTING CONCRETE 59
4.2.1 Slump Cone Test 59
4.2.2 L-Box Test 60
4.2.3 J-Ring Test 61
4.2.4 V-Funnel Test 62
4.3 HARDENED STATE CHARACTERISTICS 63
4.3.1 Compressive Strength 63
4.3.2 Split Tensile Strength 65
4.3.3 Flexural Strength 66
4.3.4 Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity 67
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CHAPTER NO. TITLE PAGE NO.

4.3.5 Modulus of Elasticity 68

4.3.6 Impact Strength 69
4.3.7 Bond Strength 70
4.3.8 Flexural Performance of RC Beams 71
4.4 DURABILITY TESTS 75
4.4.1 Water Absorption 75
4.4.2 Porosity 77
4.4.3 Sorptivity 77
4.4.4 Rapid Chloride Penetration Test 78
4.4.5 Weight Loss 80
4.4.6 Shrinkage 81
4.4.7 Chemical Attack 81
4.5 SUMMARY 83

5 SYNERGISTIC EFFECT OF EXPANSIVE

AGENT AND SELF CURING AGENT ON
FRESH PROPERTIES OF NANO
METAKAOLIN-COPPER SLAG SC-SCC 84
5.1 GENERAL 84
5.2 FRESH STATE CHARACTERISTICS 84
5.2.1 Slump Flow 86
5.2.2 T- 50 Slump Flow 88
5.2.3 L-Box 89
5.2.4 J-Ring 91
5.2.5 V-Funnel 92
5.3 SUMMARY 94
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6 SYNERGISTIC EFFECT OF EXPANSIVE

AGENT AND SELF CURING AGENT ON
HARDENED STATE PROPERTIES OF NANO
METAKAOLIN-COPPER SLAG SC-SCC 97
6.1 GENERAL 97
6.2 HARDENED STATE CHARACTERISTICS 97
6.2.1 Compressive Strength 97
6.2.2 Flexural Strength 100
6.2.3 Split Tensile Strength 103
6.2.4 Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity 107
6.2.5 Modulus of Elasticity 110
6.2.6 Impact Strength 113
6.2.7 Bond Strength 116
6.2.8 Load Deflection Curve 119
6.2.9 Ductility Factor 122
6.2.10 Energy Absorption Capacity 123
6.2.11 Toughness 124
6.3 SUMMARY 127

7 SYNERGISTIC EFFECT OF EXPANSIVE

AGENT AND SELF CURING AGENT ON
THE DURABILITY OF NANO
METAKAOLIN-COPPER SLAG SC-SCC 129
7.1 GENERAL 129
7.2 DURABILITY CHARACTERISTICS 130
7.2.1 Water Absorption 130
7.2.2 Porosity 132
7.2.3 Sorptivity 134
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7.2.4 Rapid Chloride Permeability Test 135

7.2.5 Weight loss 138
7.2.6 Shrinkage Behaviour 139
7.2.7 Acid Attack 141
7.2.8 Marine Attack 143
7.2.9 Sulphate Attack 146
7.3 SUMMARY 148

8 SYNERGISTIC EFFECT OF EXPANSIVE

AGENT AND SELF CURING AGENT ON
MICROSTRUCTURE OF NANO
METAKAOLIN-COPPER SLAG SC-SCC 149
8.1 GENERAL 149
8.2 MICROSTRUCTURE STUDIES 150
8.2.1 X-Ray Diffraction 150
8.2.2 Scanning Electron Microscope 152
8.2.3 Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy 155
8.3 COST ANALYSIS 158
8.4 SUMMARY 160

9 CONCLUSION 161
9.1 GENERAL 161
9.2 SPECIFIC CONCLUSIONS 163
9.2.1 Fresh State Inferences 163
9.2.2 Hardened State Inferences 164
9.2.3 Durability Inferences 165
9.3 SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION 167
9.4 FURTHER STUDY 168
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REFERENCES 170

LIST OF PUBLICATIONS 183