PRATHYUSHA

ENGINEERING COLLEGE
DESIGN OF CONCRETE MIX FOR LOW THERMAL EXPANSION
CONCRETE FOR CONSTRUCTING LAUNCH PADS

Batch mates
PIRIYANGAN .B :111416103016
PRASATH P :111416103020
SARATH KUMAR .S :111416103025

EXTERNAL GUIDE: Mr.L. SURESH KUMAR A.E ,CPWD

INTERNAL GUIDE : Ms.P. SARALA M.E Asst.Prof
ABSTRACT
The development of rocket science has become a vital one for
the space explorations and for the growth of Tele-communications.
We had overcome across many hurdles and problems for making
the space trips in a most successful manner. Here our aim is to make
a most suitable and reliable platform the future rocket launching
programs. Launch pad is the most important one to be considered
which is to be engineered with an intensive care. Any failure in this
can cost Millions of human resource, Human work hours and
Human lives. Making a refractory concrete which can withstand a
rapid increase in temperature without undergoing any Structural
deformations and Erosion. These considerations can be achieved
through the High Alumina containing Cements and with suitable
Refractory Aggregates.
Key words : Space explorations, telecommunications, refractory
concrete, High Alumina containing Cements, Refractory Aggregates
INTRODUCTION
The launch pad is an above ground facility from which the
jet powered missile is launched. The term launch pad describes
the central platform which physically supports to mount the
vehicle vertically. It should be made up of high strength
concrete which can withstand high temperatures without any
structural damages. The launch pad may contain a heat
deflection structure which deflects the heat and prevent the
extreme heat from the exhaust. It should with stand the extreme
heat from the thrusters until the launch vehicle gets its full
thrust and should be used continuously for the future projects.
OBJECTIVE
• Our motive is to Design a concrete mix which can withstand
high temperature of 1500°C-2000°C which is exerted by the
thrusters during the launching of space vehicles.

• The concrete surface should be high heat resistance and

should with stand the high temperatures without undergoing any
damages.

• It should not loss its strength at higher temperatures and

should have high strength to with stand the higher loads .
SCOPE
It reduces the cost of launching of space vehicles.
It makes reusable launch pads for future launching plans.
It will be more protective for the future launches.
It makes the future launches in a most successful manner
and add prestige and dignity to our country.
It can be also used in industries where high amount of heat
is generated for the continuous functioning of the industries.
It can be used is construction of chimneys where high
amount of heat is liberated.
It can be used as sewer liners and pipe lines to protect the
structure from erosion and abrasion.
 LITERATURE COLLECTION
S.NO Name of the Tittle Author Published On Topics referred
Publications
Tests for the
computation of
Final Report on the Jiandong Liang, the thermal
1. Louisiana State resistance of the
University, Study of Flame Nasser
Trench Concrete Hossain, 2015 concrete.
Department of Material Kevin Schenker Effect of heat and
Mechanical Engineering duration of
formation of heat
flux around the
surface of the
concrete were
computed.

Amount of
2. McGraw Hill Concrete Technology M L Gambhir 2013 alumina content
Education -Theory and Practice for the calcium
aluminate cement
Major Sources of
Computation of Unsteady Loads in
NASA Unsteady Flow in Dochan Kwak the Launch System
3. Ames Research Center Flame Trench For 2010
Prediction of Cetin Kiris Prediction of
Ignition Ignition
Overpressure Waves Overpressure
S.NO Name of the Tittle Author Published Topics referred
Publications On
General design
IS 10262 (2019): Cement and 2019 procedures for
4. Guide Lines for Concrete HSC, usage of
Bureau of Indian Concrete Mix Design Sectional HRWRA, Target
Standards Proportioning Committee strength mix
Proportioning.
Usage of Calcium
Aluminate cement
5. Elsevier Advanced Concrete John Newman (CAC)as a
Butterworth-Heinemann Technology Ban Seng Choo 2003 refractory concrete
and the properties
of refractory
aggregates.
1. Service
temperatures of
6. American Concrete Refractory Concrete: The ACI Refractory
Institute(ACI) Abstract of State of Committee 547 1979 Aggregates with
Committee 547 the Art Report CAC
2. Process of
Curing, Drying,
Firing and Testing
7 Bureau of Indian IS 456:2000 Plain Cement and Coefficient of
Standards and reinforced Concrete 2000 thermal expansion
Concrete Code Of Sectional of aggregates,
Practice. Committee Effect of size in
W\C ratio.
METHODOLOGY
Data collection

Literary
collection

Material
selection

Attaining
concrete mix
design

Casting of
prototypes

Curing, Firing
and testing of Result analysis
models
 Materials Used:
1.CALCIUM ALUMINATE CEMENT

1. Calcium aluminate cement are cements consisting of hydraulic calcium aluminates.

They are used only in some small scale specialized applications.
2. Its is sued in construction concretes where rapid strength development is required
even at low temperatures.
3. In refractory concrete where strength is required at high temperature.
4. In sewer networks for their high resistance to biogenic sulfide corrosion.

COMPOSITION

5. The main active constituent of calcium aluminate cement is mono calcium aluminate.
6. The cement is made by fusing together a mixture of calcium bearing material and
aluminum bearing material.
7. It is differentiated by replacing silica by high alumina content than ordinary Portland
cement
2. LIME STONE AGGREGATE

1. Lime stone is a sedimentary rock such as greater than 50% of calcium

carbonate(CaCo3).
2. The main chemical composition of the aggregate is calcite.
3. About 10% of the naturally formed sedimentary rocks are of limestone type

REASON FOR SELECTION:

• The coefficient of thermal expansion play a major role in selecting the aggregate for
the mix design.
• Almost the light weight aggregates posses the low thermal expansions for the high
temperatures. On comparing the strength and hardness of these materials
limestone is chosen to be best for the following purpose.
3. POLYCARBOXYLATE ETHER (PCE)

1. To achieve high strength and workability in concrete super plasticizing admixtures

are added to the concrete. It can normally reduce water content up to 30%
without any segregation
2. Polycarboxylate ether is a polymer based super plasticizer which contains negative
ions.
3. When it is mixed with water it mixes with the concrete and forms a layer of
negative ions around the cement particles which gets repelled over and provides
workability for a particular period of time.
4. The main concept this superplasticizer can be explained using the concept of
steric-hindrance
1. ACTUAL STRENGTH OF CONCRETE

Since the concrete is designed for intensive structures where load will acting
highly it is a High Strength Concrete the actual compressive strength of the concrete is
taken as 70Mpa
MIX DESIGN PROPPORTIONS

1. Actual strength = 70Mpa

2. Target strength = 80MPa

3. Aggregate size = 5mm

4. Cement content(CAC) = 485kg\m³

5. Water cement ratio = 0.32

6. Fine Aggregate = 687.45kg\m³

7. Coarse Aggregate = 851.13kg\m³

8. Superplasticizer = 7.275kg\m³
REFERRENCES
1. M L Gambhir. Concrete Technology -Theory and Practice , 2013.

2. Schrefler BA, Brunello P, Gawin D, Majorana CE, Pesavento. Concrete at high

temperature with application to tunnel fire. Computational Mechanics 2002.

3. Kiris, C., Chan, W., Kwak, D., and Housman, J. A., “Time-accurate Computational
Analysis of the Flame Trench,” The Fifth International Conference on
Computational Fluid Dynamics, Seoul, Korea, July 7-11, 2008.

4. Kiris, C., Housman, J., Schauerhamer, D., Gusman, M., Chan, W., and Kwak, D.,
“Time-Accurate Computational Analysis of the Flame Trench Applications,” 21st
International Conference on Parallel Computational Fluid Dynamics, Moffett Field,
CA, USA, May 18-22, 2009. 3

5. Dochan Kwak, Cetin Kiris, “Computation of Unsteady Flow in Flame Trench For
Prediction of Ignition Overpressure Waves”, NASA Ames Research Center, 2010.

6. The ACI Committee 547, “Refractory Concrete: Abstract of State of the Art Report,
American Concrete Institute(ACI) Committee 547, 1979.
Thank You