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Self Compacting Concrete
Self Compacting Concrete
The use of SCC will lead to a more industrialized production, reduce the technical costs
of in situ cast concrete constructions, improve the quality, durability and reliability of
concrete structures and eliminate some of the potential for human error. It will replace
manual compaction of fresh concrete with a modern semi-automatic placing technology
and in that way improve health and safety on and around the construction site.
However, this type of concrete needs a more advanced mix design than traditional
vibrated concrete and a more careful quality assurance with more testing and checking,
at least in the beginning, when using (SCC).
Self-compacting concrete (SCC) has been described as "the most revolutionary
development in concrete Construction for several decades".
Originally developed to offset a growing shortage of skilled labour, it has proved
beneficial economically because of a number of factors, including:
faster construction
reduction in site manpower
better surface finishes
easier placing
improved durability
greater freedom in design
thinner concrete sections
reduced noise levels, absence of vibration
safer working environment
For the purposes of the specifications, the following definitions apply:
1) Self-compacting concrete (SCC)
Concrete that is able to flow under its own weight and completely fill the formwork, even in
the presence of dense reinforcement, without the need of any vibration, whilst maintaining
homogeneity.
2) Binder
The combined cement and hydraulic addition in a self-compacting concrete.
3) Filling ability (unconfined flowability)
The ability of SCC to flow into and fill completely all spaces within the formwork, under its
own weight.
4) Passing ability (confined flowability)
The ability of SCC to flow through tight openings such as spaces between steel reinforcing
bars without segregation or blocking.
5) Segregation resistance (stability)
The ability of SCC to remain homogeneous in composition during transport and placing.
Main advantages of SCC over conventional concrete
In the column marked "U-flow" the concretes that are SCC, according to the criteria
adopted, are shown in bold characters.
W/C: water-cementitious material ratio
S/A: sand to total aggregate ratio
Table 3: shows typical mix proportions of (SCC) in 1970s and 1980s
Requirements of self compacting concrete
SCC differs from conventional concrete in that its fresh properties are vital in
determining whether or not it can be placed satisfactorily. The various aspects of
workability which control its Filling ability, its Passing ability and its Segregation
resistance all need to be carefully controlled to ensure that its ability to be placed
remains acceptable.
Figure 4 shows the bleeding capacity as a function of the slump level for three different
concretes with a cement factor of 300-350-400 kg/m3 in the absence of superplasticizer.
The slump was increased by increased the amount of mixing water. When the slump is
over 175 mm the bleeding increases too much and this was the reason why ACI in 1973
did not recommend slump higher than 175 mm.
Fig.4: Bleeding capacity as a function of slump for concretes not containing additives
With the advent of superplasticizers, flowing concretes with slump level up to 250 mm
were manufactured with no or negligible bleeding (Fig.5), provided that an adequate cement
factor was used. In the middle of 1970s, it was suggested to define rheoplastic as a
concrete, which, besides being very flowable, is also very cohesive and therefore has a low
tendency to segregation and bleeding. The most important basic principle for flowing and
cohesive concretes including SCCs is the use of superplasticizer combined with a relatively
high content of powder materials in terms of Portland cement, mineral additions, ground
filler and/or very fine sand. A partial replacement of Portland cement by fly ash was soon
realized to be the best compromise in terms of rheological properties, resistance to
segregation, strength level, and crack-freedom, particularly in mass concrete structures
exposed to restrained thermal stresses produced by the heat of hydration of the cement.
Table 4: density and strength of cores taken from .5,1.0,3.0m from the surface of 4.7m thick
slab foundation placed without vibration at all
a) B)The role of silica fume
Silica fume or micro silica (very fine amorphous silica particles < 1 m) was studied as
concrete mineral admixture in the early 1950s at the Norwegian Institute of Technology.
However, only in the mid 1970s, after the advent of superplasticizers, silica fume both in
practice and in laboratory started in several Scandinavian countries: Norway, Sweden,
Denmark and Iceland. After then, research work and practical use of silica fume in concrete
started in many countries outside Europe. Silica fume and superplasticizer are
complementary materials to manufacture self-leveling concretes with great cohesion of the
fresh mix. Due to this special behavior, silica fume in the presence of superplasticizer can
compensate the absence of fine materials; such as fly ash or ground limestone in relatively
lean cement mixtures (about 300 kg/m3).
The use of Viscosity Modifying Admixtures (VMA) is definitely the most Innovative
material for the present self-compacting concretes with respect to those manufactured
in the 1970s and 1980s. These admixtures (0.1- 0.2% by mass of cementations
materials) allow the manufacture of self-compacting concrete with a reduced volume of
fine materials and Minimizing bleeding and coarse aggregate segregation by thickening
the paste and retaining the water in the skeleton.
D)Other recent advance for SCC
Due to the progress in the last 30 years, concrete can be considered to be one of the
most innovative building materials. Even for the SCC technology there are promising
advances related to new available ingredients. Two of these are discussed below.
Ground Fly Ash
Ground fly ash (GFA) was studied by Collepardi et al for manufacturing SCC with improved
properties in terms of lower bleeding capacity and higher compressive strength with
respect to corresponding concretes where fly ash (FA) or ground limestone (GL) was used
as cementations fillers.
Table5 indicates that, at equal slump flow properties, in the presence of GFA the bleeding
capacity is lower than that with GL or FA. On the other hand, due to its higher reactivity
GFA increases the compressive strength of SCC with respect to that of the corresponding
mixtures containing FA or GL.
Table 5: properties of fresh SCC mixtures
Fine powder from recycled aggregates
Corinaldesi et al. have found that the use of fine powder from recycled aggregates
produced by grinding demolished concrete performs very well as fine filler for the
manufacture of SCC. The behavior of this powder in reducing segregation and increasing
compressive strength is much better than fly ash and very close to that of silica fume.
These results appear to be very encouraging and promising for the production of SCC in
agreement with the requirements needed for a sustainable progress.
Fig.6 Cube-compressive strength as a function of time of SCC with ground fly ash (GFA),
fly ash (FA) and ground limestone (GL).
Mix design
Before any SCC (or SFR SCC) is produced at a concrete plant and used at a construction
site the mix has to be designed and tested. During this evaluation the equipment and the
local materials used at the plant have to be tested to find new concrete mixes with the right
mixing sequences and mixing times valid for that plant and material used and also suitable
for the element to be cast. Various kinds of fillers can result in different strength;
shrinkage and creep but shrinkage and creep will usually not be higher than for traditional
vibrated concrete.
General requirements in the mix design
A high volume of paste: the friction between the aggregates limits the spreading and
the filling ability of SCC. This is why SCC contains a high volume of paste (cement +
additions + efficient water + air), typically 330 to 400 l/m3, the role of which is to maintain
aggregate separation.
A high volume of fine particles (<80 m): in order to ensure sufficient workability while
limiting the risk of segregation or bleeding, SCC contains a large amount of fine particles
(around 500 kg/m3). Nevertheless, in order to avoid excessive heat generation, the
Portland cement is generally partially replaced by mineral admixtures like limestone filler
or fly ash (cement should not be used as a filler).
The nature and the amount of filler added are chosen in order to comply with the strength
and durability requirements.
A high dosage of superplasticiser: superplasticisers are introduced in SCC to obtain the
fluidity. Nevertheless, a high dosage near the saturation amount can increase the proneness
of the concrete to segregate.
The possible use of a viscosity agent (water retainer): These products are generally
cellulose derivatives, polysaccharides or colloidal suspensions. These products have the
same role as the fine particles: minimizing bleeding and coarse aggregate segregation by
thickening the paste and retaining the water in the skeleton. The introduction of such
products in SCC seems to be justified in the case of SCC with high water to binder ratio (for
house building for example).
On the other hand, they may be less useful for high performance SCC (strength higher than
50 MPa) with low water to binder ratio. For intermediate SCC, the introduction of viscosity
agent has to be studied for each case.
Viscosity agents are assumed to make SCC less sensitive to water variations in water
content of aggregates occurring in concrete plants. Because of the small quantities of
viscosity agents required, however, it may be difficult to achieve accuracy of dosage.
A low volume of coarse aggregate: It is possible to use natural rounded, semi-crushed or
crushed aggregates to produce SCC. Nevertheless, as the coarse aggregate plays an
important role on the passing ability of SCC in congested areas, the volume has to be
limited. On the other hand, the use of coarse aggregate allows optimizing the packing
density of the skeleton of the concrete and reduction of the paste volume needed for the
Target workability. Generally speaking, the maximum aggregate size, Dmax, is between 10
and 20 mm. The passing ability decreases when Dmax increases, which leads to a decrease
of the coarse aggregate content. The choice of a higher Dmax is thus possible but is only
justified with low reinforcement content. Admixtures added to SCC can have a retarding
effect on strength and the temperature development in the fresh concrete, and this will have
to be borne in mind in the construction process. Suppliers of admixtures can produce
various admixtures suitable for different weather conditions and temperatures.
Initial mix composition
Further modifications will be necessary to meet strength and other performance requirements
Laboratory trials should be used to verify properties of the initial mix composition. If
necessary, adjustments to the mix composition should then be made. Once all requirements
are fulfilled, the mix should be tested at full scale at the concrete plant or at site.
In the event that satisfactory performance cannot be obtained, then consideration should be
given to Fundamental redesign of the mix. Depending on the apparent problem, the
following courses of action might be appropriate:
using additional or different types of filler, (if available);
modifying the proportions of the sand or the coarse aggregate;
using a viscosity-modifying agent, if not already included in the mix;
adjusting the dosage of the superplasticizer and/or the viscosity-modifying agent;
using alternative types of superplasticizer (and/or VMA), more compatible with local
materials;
adjusting the dosage of admixture to modify the water content, and hence the
water/powder ratio.
In designing the mix it is most useful to consider the relative proportions of the key
components by volume rather than by mass.
Procedure for mix design
An example of a procedure for efficiently designing SCC mixes is shown below. It is based
on a method developed by Okamura.
F) Concrete tests
The concrete composition is now determined and the superplasticizer dosage is finally
selected on the Basis of concrete tests.
Requirements for constituent materials
Cement
All types of cements conforming to EN 197 are suitable. Selection of the type of cement will
depend on the overall requirements for the concrete, such as strength, durability, etc. C3A
content higher than 10% may cause problems of poor workability retention.
Sand
All normal concreting sands are suitable for SCC. Both crushed or rounded sands can be
used. Siliceous or calcareous sands can be used.
The amount of fines less than 0,125 mm is to be considered as powder and is very important
for the rheology of the SCC. A minimum amount of fines (arising from the binders and the
sand) must be achieved to avoid segregation.
Coarse Aggregates
All types of aggregates are suitable. The normal maximum size is generally 16-20 mm;
however particle sizes up to 40 mm or more have been used in SCC. Consistency of grading
is of vital importance.
Regarding the characteristics of different types of aggregate, crushed aggregates tend to
improve the strength because of the interlocking of the angular particles, whilst rounded
aggregates improve the flow because of lower internal friction.
Gap graded aggregates are frequently better than those continuously graded, which might
experience greater internal friction and give reduced flow.
Admixtures
The most important admixtures are the Superplasticizers (high range water reducers), used
with a water reduction greater than 20 %.
The use of a Viscosity Modifying Admixture (VMA) gives more possibilities of controlling
segregation when the amount of powder is limited. This admixture helps to provide very
good homogeneity and reduces the tendency to segregation.
Additions
Additions are commonly used in SCC due to the need for substantial contents of fine
particles. All additions conforming to the EN standards are suitable.
Specification & Guidelines for Self-Compacting Concrete Due to the special rheological
requirements of SCC, both inert and reactive additions are commonly used
To improve and maintain the workability, as well as to regulate the cement content and so
reduce the heat of hydration. Type II additions can significantly improve the long-term
performance of the concrete.
Mixing of concrete
Before starting production, the employees involved must be informed about SCC and
taught how to handle this new type of concrete. Most common mixers can be used for
producing SCC. Both forced action mixers, such as paddle-mixers, and gravity mixers,
such as free-fall-mixers, are suitable. Truck-mixers can be used but these are less efficient
and require more attention and longer mixing times. The mixing time may be somewhat
longer than for traditional vibrated concrete and depends mainly on the amount of filler
and fine material in the mix. Different mixing orders have been investigated and found to
work, e.g. by adding all material at the beginning of mixing or by adding superplasticiser
and/or water after a while. Consequently, suppliers have to find their own most suitable
mixing order for the concrete mix chosen. SCC is more sensitive to the water content in
the mix than traditional vibrated concrete and because of this it is necessary to measure
the moisture content in the aggregates and to take into account the water content in the
admixtures before the remaining water is added.
Ttypical Batching procedure used for construction of millennium tower (in U.K)
I. Half of cement, filler, sand, gravel and water were mixed for four to five minutes.
II. All the superplasticiser was added.
III. The remaining cement, filler, sand, gravel and water were added.
IV. All the rheology modifier was added.
V. Everything was truck-mixed for four to five minutes.
VI. Slump flow was measured.
The addition of superplasticiser at a later stage of the mixing leads to better flowability.
Useful tests at the concrete plant to verify the mix, in addition to normal testing, are the
slump flow, T-50, the Stability Sieving Test (GTM), the L-box and for SFR SCC also the J-
ring test and the Fiber Content Test.
Transport
The delivery note ought to contain the following information in addition to the normal
information:
Slump flow target value and acceptance range.
Production time (time when it was produced).
Before starting to use SCC (and SFR SCC) at a construction site the employees involved
must be informed about this new type of concrete and taught how to handle it. After having
used SCC in some castings, it is recommended to have a meeting to evaluate the
experience and discuss the results with all the personnel involved. Before the SCC is used
at the site, the person responsible for receiving shall check the Concrete visually or by a
slump flow test according to the quality plan to see if the consistence is acceptable and
make sure that there is no sign of segregation.
Fig.8A: Placing of SCC (without vibration) Fig.8B: Placing of SCC in congested reinforcement
Surface finish
Fig.9 show the good surface finish of (SCC) in structure cast in Sweden
SCC we have found that the bond between the old and fresh concrete is equal to or better
than the case when traditional vibrated concrete is used.
Working environment
A Sweden professor called byfors presents costs based on data from Swedish concrete
frame contractors indicating that nearly 50% of total construction costs are related to
manpower. Furthermore the item others includes remedial work associated with making
good defects such as honeycombing and grout loss. Byfors concludes that, although
material costs will undoubtedly rise as a result of using SCC, saving can be made in labour
costs associated with formwork, concrete and remedial work.
Formwork 20 12 32
8 12 20
Reinforcement
Concrete 4 27 31
Others 15 2 17
Total 47 53 100
Many different test methods have been developed in attempts to characterize the
properties of SCC. So far no single method or combination of methods has achieved
universal approval and most of them have their adherents.
Table 7: Various test methods of the SCC properties in lab. And field
The slump flow is used to assess the horizontal free flow of SCC in the absence of
obstructions. It was first developed in Japan (1) for use in assessment of underwater
concrete. The test method is based on the test method for determining the slump. The
diameter of the concrete circle is a measure for the filling ability of the concrete.
It can be used on site, though the size of the base plate is somewhat unwieldy and level
ground is essential. It is the most commonly used test, and gives a good assessment of
filling ability. It can be argued that the completely free flow, unrestrained
By any boundaries, is not representative of what happens in practice in concrete
construction, but the test can be profitably be used to assess the consistency of supply of
ready-mixed concrete to a site from load to load.
Interpretation of result
The higher the slump flow (SF) value, the greater its ability to fill formwork under its own
weight. A value of at least 650mm is required for SCC. There is no generally accepted advice
on what are reasonable
Tolerances about a specified value, though 50mm, as with the related flow table test, might
be appropriate.
2)- U box test method (passing ability)
Assessment of test
The test is used to measure the filling ability of self-compacting concrete. The apparatus
consists of a vessel that is divided by a middle wall into two compartments, shown by R1
and R2 in Fig.
An opening with a sliding gate is fitted between the two sections. Reinforcing bars with
nominal diameters of 13 mm are installed at the gate with center-to-center spacing of 50
mm. This creates a clear spacing of 35 mm between the bars. The left hand section is filled
with about 20 liters of concrete then the gate lifted and concrete flows upwards into the
other section. The height of the concrete in both sections is measured.
It provides a good direct assessment of filling ability this is literally what the concrete
has to do modified by an unmeasured requirement for passing ability. The 35mm gap
between the sections of reinforcement may be considered too close. The question remains
open of what filling height less than 30 cm. is still acceptable.
Interpretation of result
If the concrete flows as freely as water, at rest it will be horizontal, so H1 - H2 = 0. Therefore
the nearer this test value, the filling height, is to zero, the better the flow and passing
ability of the concrete.