WHY IS DURABILITY

IMPORTANT TO CONCRETE ?
 Concrete is capable of maintenance-free
performance for decades without the need for
protective coating, except in highly corrosive
environment.

 Durability is an important factor in the life

span of a concrete structure
LOW QUALITY- Methods of
Construction
(Honeycomb & low rebar cover)
 LOW QUALITY
Chloride-induced damage
 LOW QUALITY
Carbonation attack
 LOW QUALITY
Inadequate Compaction
(Honeycomb)
LOW QUALITY
Sheet spalling
LOW QUALITY – Inadequate cover
(Mildew attack)
 Flow Chart of the Factors that Governed the Quality Concrete

Cement Aggregates Quantity

Size Shape Grade Quantity Moisture Content of
Composition Quantity Water

Performance of
Fresh Concrete
Mixing of
Concrete

Transporting
Placing
Compacting

Performance of
Hardened Concrete
Curing
 FACTORS AFFECTING
DURABILITY
Durability of concrete

Physical Mechanical Chemical

Freezing and Abrasion Sulphates

thawing

Acids
Wetting and
drying
Sea Water

Temperature
changes Chlorides
What is permeability ?

 Permeability is the ease with which a fluid

(liquids or gases) can travel thought concrete,
under the action of a pressure differential.
Porosity and Permeability

Illustration of permeability and porosity

Why Permeability is important in
terms of durability of concrete ?
 Since chemical attack takes place within the
concrete mass, the attacking agent must be
able to penetrate through the concrete

 Permeability affects the rate of entry of

moisture which may contain aggressive
chemicals and the movement of water during
heating or freezing.
 Water/Cement Ratio

Cement Paste Concrete

 Water/cement ratio has the greatest influence

on durability because the permeability is
dominated by “large” capillary porosity, rather
than gel pores.
Water/ Cement Ratio
 Permeability

 The permeability decreases as the cement continues

to hydrate and fills some of the original water space.
 The reduction in permeability will be faster for lower
w/c ratio.
Carbonation

 Chemical reaction between atmospheric carbon

dioxide and the products of cement hydration.
 Reinforcing steel is no longer protected against
corrosion at pH 9.5.
 Various factors significantly influence the rate of
carbonation:
 Moisture
 Temperature
 Carbon dioxide concentration.
 PHYSICAL TEST
Test Methods Principle Main application
Indicates the quality and in particular the
Oven dried specimens with known dimension
Absorption cooled in water for 30 minutes
absorption of concrete in relation to
durability

Measure the flow rate of the water through Indicates the degree of protection to
Permeability the concrete reinforce offered by cover.

Measure the flow rate of the water into the

Initial surface absorption surface concrete
Indicates the quality of the concrete

Measure the clerical resistance between Detects leakages in water proof

Leak Detection surface and reinforce membranes

Measure the rate of ingress of oxygen into Enables a maximum theoretical corrosion
Oxygen Dillusion the concrete structure rate to be determined

To estimate the rate of carbonation and

Measure the rate of ingress of Carbon
Carbon Dioxide Dillusion Dioxide into the concrete structure
hence the time scale before possible
reinforcement corrosion

Examining a concrete sample Impregnated Effective protection of cement paste from

Air Entrainment with dye under the microscope freezing and thawing cycles
 TEST STANDARD
British American Other
Test Other Standard
Standard Standard Reference

Absorption BS1881 Part 122 ASTM C642-82

NBN748.18 ISO/DIS
Permeability Figg J.W. 1973
7032

Initial Surface BS1881 Part 208

Absorption

ASTM C457-82
Air Entrainment

BS1881 Part 6 ASTM C856-83

Aggregate type
BS 812 Part 1

BS1881 Part 6
Water/Cement ratio

BS1881 Part 6
Chloride Content AASHTO T260-84

Carbonation Depth RILEM CPC-18

Self-Compacting Concrete
(SCC)
 SCC was developed by Prof. Okamura
from Tokyo University in 1988
 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 for
any
vibration, while maintaining homogeneity
THREE Characteristics of SCC
1. Filling ability into every corners of the
formwork
2. Passing ability through dense
reinforcements
3. High resistance to aggregate segregation
SCC is not necessarily a high-strength
concrete !
General Requirements In Mix Design
1. High volume of paste OPC with fly ash, limestone filler
to avoid excess heat of hydration
2. High volume of fine particles (< 80 micrometre) to
ensure good workability and reduce risk of segregation
or bleeding
3. High dosage of superplastiser to obtain good fluidity.
However, a dosage near saturation amount can lead to
concrete segregation
4. Low volume of coarse aggregate (10-20mm)
 Conventional Self-Compacting
Concrete Concrete

Air Air
W
W W
W Higher
Paste
B Volume
B
1 m3 S Higher
S Sand
Volume
Agg
Agg
 Typical Mix Proportions of SCC

Ingredient Mix 1 Mix 2 Mix 3

Water (kg/m3) 165 200 174

Cement (kg/m3) 220 310 408
Fly Ash (kg/m3) 0 190 45
Slag (kg/m3) 220 0 0

Fine Agg. (kg/m3) 870 700 1052

Coarse Agg. (kg/m3) 825 750 616
HRWR (lit/m3) 4.4 6.5 1.6
VMA (lit/m3) 4.1 7.5 0
Slump Flow Test (mm) 600 600 -750 710
 History of HRWR Development
Water
Year Chemical Base Generation
Reduction

Ligno-sulphonates,
1930 1st 10%
Gluconates

Sulphonated
1970 Melamine/Naphtalin 2nd 20%
polymers

1990 Vinyl-copolymers 3rd 30%

Modified
2000 4th 40%
Polycarboxylates
Workability Enhancement

 PC and fines particles flocculate when mixed with water

 Leads to the formation of open network of particles
 Network voids trap part of the water
 Surface hydration of cement particles impeded
 Fluidity of mixture reduced
 Viscosity of cementitious system increased
 Normal state of the surface of cement grains contain a combination of
positive and negative charges
 Superplasticisers (high negative charge) deflocculate and allow state of
high dispersion
 mobility and workability of cement paste increases
An Illustration of Superplasticiser Content
on Self-Compactibility
Typical Mechanical Properties of SCC
 28-day Compressive strength : 40 to 60 MPa
 28-day Splitting tensile strength : 2.4 to 4.8 MPa
 Elastic modulus : 30 to 36 GPa
 Shrinkage strain : 600 to 800 microns
Test Methods for Workability Properties of SCC

No. Test Property

1. Slump Flow Filling ability

2. L – Box Passing ability
3. U – Box Passing ability
4. V - Funnel Segregation resistance
5. J - Ring Passing ability
 Test Method (1) : Slump flow Test

2
 Test Method (1) : Slump flow Test

 Diameter should be
between 650 and 750
mm

 500 mm diameter
should be reached
within 3 - 6 seconds

 Check homogeneity
3
( No separation /
segregation )
Test Method (2) : L – Box (Swedish Box)
Test Method (2) : L – Box (Swedish Box)

 After opening the gate, concrete should flow 400 mm

in 3 - 6 secs
 Height difference in horizontal part should be less than
20% after flow has stopped
Test Method (3) : U – Box (by Hayakawa)

 For good compactibility, height ≥ 300 mm

Test Method (4) : V – Funnel

 For good flowability, the

flow time shall be < 10 sec
 Some Applications of
Self-Compacting Concrete
Communication Tower in Macao, China

 Concrete requirements:
- Grade 55 MPa
- Tower shaft maintenance
free for 50 years

 SCC mix design per m3:

OPC: 450 Kg
PFA: 100 Kg
Agg. 20mm: 485 Kg
Agg. 10mm: 320 Kg
Fine sand: 815 Kg
Water: 175 Kg
HRWR: 5.0 Kg

 Slump flow: 650 mm for 3 hrs

Road Tunnel at Zurich-Kloten Airport
in Switzerland (1)

Location of road tunnel

Road Tunnel at Zurich-Kloten Airport
in Switzerland (2)
Road Tunnel at Zurich-Kloten Airport
in Switzerland (3)

Walls using Grade 45 SCC

Lightweight Concrete
High density concrete > 2600 kg/m3
Normal weight concrete 2200 - 2600 kg/m3
Lightweight concrete 300 - 1850 kg/m3
• structural 1400-1800 kg/m3
• non-structural 300-1400 kg/m3

Presence of voids:
 Lightweight aggregate concrete
 No-fines concrete
 Aerated/cellular/gas/foamed concrete

Economic considerations
Low self-weight, smaller sections, smaller foundation, smaller
pressure on formwork, total weight to be handled is reduced
therefore higher productivity,
Better thermal insulation,
 Lightweight Concrete
Disadvantages:
• More expensive
• Low strength
• Low abrasion resistant

New application:
• Prestressed concrete
• High-rise building
• Shell roofs,

According to ASTM C330-77: Structural

lightweight concrete must have at least
17MPa (28 day cylinder) compressive
strength and density not more than 1850
kg/m3. Normally density is between 1400-
1800 kg/m3.
Lightweight Aggregate Concrete
High porosity
Natural and manufactured lightweight aggregates
Natural Aggregates:
Diatomite, pumice, scoria, volcanic cinders, tuff
Eg pumice has bulk density between 500-900 kg/m3
and produce concrete of density between 700-1400
kg/m3
 Patented in 1923. Last 15 years
showed a development in production
equipment and better foaming agents.

 Applications- high volume void fills

(especially access is problematic,
e.g sealing redundant sewerage
pipes, wells, basements, mines etc),
reinstatement of utility trenches,
thermal and acoustic insulation, bridge abutments, floor and roof screeding,
road sub-base, bridge arch infills, grouting tunnel walls.

 Advantages- its flowability, self compacting and self levelling nature, light
weight and low dimensional change. Exhibits excellent thermal insulation
properties.
 Basic materials - a blend of sand, cement and water (base
mix) and a pre-formed foam, which in itself is a mixture of foaming
agent (either synthetic - man made chemical such as are used in shampoo &
soap powder, or protein based), water and air.
 As a rule of thumb a foamed concrete is described as having an air content
of more than 25% which distinguishes it from highly air entrained materials.
 Addition of pre-formed foam into a base mix lowers the density of the base
materials whilst increases the yield, with the more foamed added, the lighter
the resultant material.
 Foam added the base mix must be capable of remaining stable and not
collapsing during pumping, placement and curing. (Bubbles size ranging
from 1mm to 2m and of even size)
 Foamed concrete densities ranging from 300kg/m3 to 1700kg/m3. And the
strength produced less than 15 N/mm2.
 Density Applications
(kg/m3)
<300 Insulation boards

350-550 Thermal insulation or fire protection

600-800 Void filling such as for landscaping, block filling

and roof decking
800-900 Building blocks, partitions and parapets

1100-1400 Prefabricated and cast in place walls, floors and

structural toppings
1600-1800 Slabs, foundations and load bearing components
Preparation of foamed concrete
Foam Generator