DURABILITY OF SELF-COMPACTIN CONCRETE (SCC)

Rudolf Hela (1)

(1) The Technical University, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Department of Material

Engineering, Brno, Czech Republic

Abstract
The research of SCC especially under the effect dof cyclic freeze and thaw process and in
combination of freezing with chemical defrosting substances is not too much described in
profesional publications. This paper is concerned with the manufacture problem of self-
compacting concrete, containing special aerating additives to achieve values usual with
normal aerated concrete. The test methods for determining the rheology of fresh SCC are
described including the determination of aeration measure. Further the results received in tests
with hardened concrete are published – compression strength, E-moduli. Mainly the durability
was checked by frost resistance measuring methods and under the effect of chemical
defrosting salts. In they way the possibility of utilization of SCC even in climatically
demanding conditions was proved.

1. INTRODUCTION
A new trend in designing of complex-form and heavily reinforced structures showed that
compacting of concrete by vibrating may be difficult in some cases and, at the same time, it
may strongly depend on a human factor. It was found out in lots of cases that after the
formwork was removed, the fresh concrete had not reached all the points, it had not been
uniformly and perfectly homogenous and the structure had been thus adulterated. These
reasons gave rise to the development of self-compacting concretes (SCC). Such concrete was
applied in practise for the first time in the mid-80s during underwater concreting in Japan.
Ten years later, the SCC technology began to be used also for common concreting, especially
for concreting of complex heavily reinforced structures. There were more reasons for SCC
development. The concern was to replace the qualified personnel performing compacting and
to reduce adverse environmental impacts on human organism. Side benefit in the
prefabricated-elements plants is an increased life-service of moulds and formwork.

1
 Their methods of designing, manufacture and possibilities of practical application are
sufficiently known compared to the issues of durability of SCC exposed to cycle-action of
frost and de-icing chemicals. This field has not been researched more comprehensively yet
and limits a possible use of SCCs e.g. in highway construction or under severe climatic
conditions. This paper deals with the problems of aerated self-compacting concretes,
especially their durability.

2. SELF-COMPACTING CONCRETE - THE TECHNOLOGY OF THE PRESENT

DAY
Final quality problems of concrete structures contributed to the development of self-
compacting concretes. Insufficient compacting can fundamentally influence the final
physical-mechanical properties of concrete.
The self-compacting concrete is expected to perfectly fill the formwork or mould only by
its own weight without any external action, to displace air pores and, thanks to its high
fluidity, to level avoiding segregation of individual components. To fulfil such requirements,
the fresh concrete must show special properties. On the one hand, it must show high fluidity
and flowability, on the other hand, the mixture should have such a highly stable structure that
the cementing compound is in a position of a stabilising additive impeding segregation.
Composition of SCC has also a positive impact on some mechanical properties. Grains of
coarse aggregate do not fit tightly; there is a layer of fine ingredients between them, which
prevents concentration of pressure on grain edges during loading. The result is a higher
strength of concrete. Increasing fluidity simultaneously increases the fresh concrete tendency
for segregation, i.e. the risk of sedimentation and segregation of aggregate components with
the density of 2600 – 2800 kg/m3 in cementing compound which density is lower. However,
the measures preventing segregation of individual concrete components may not obstruct the
displacement of air bubbles, which is a necessary condition for air displacement, and perfectly
compact concrete. Such requirements are met when larger quantity of fine fractions (up to
0.25 mm) is used in concrete with simultaneous addition of highly efficient superplasticizers
of a sufficiently long efficiency. It is decisive for successful application of SCC that the
concrete prepared for placing in formwork shows an optimum workability. Thus, the self-
compactness of concrete is a property determined by the following parameters:
− Ability to flow (fluidity) of concrete – is secured not by the quantity of mix water but by
adding a suitable plasticizer and a limited volume of aggregate,
− High resistance to segregation – is secured by maintaining a low water-cement ratio and
reducing the volume of aggregate, viscosity-ensuring compounds and optimum quantity
of aggregates with the grain size up to 0.25 mm which are also delivered in the form of
industrial wastes,
− Self-levelling ability,
− Ability to displace air pores, and
− Mixture stability

3. AERATED SCC
Aerated concretes, the composition and pore structure of which extend a life-service of the
structures exposed to humidity, frost or de-icing chemicals, become more widely used in

2
resent years. Air-entraining agents and plasticizers are used in manufacture of such concretes
as their efficiency improves the properties both of the fresh and hardened concrete.
Air-entraining agents, dosed in the concrete, create small pores of 25 – 300 µm, serving
as a space into which expending ice of larger volume, generated under negative temperatures
from the water soaked to the concrete, may release. Commonly compacted concrete contains
1 – 2 % of pores larger than 300 µm. Using air-entraining agents efficiently increases the
quantity of pores to the total volume of up to 4 - 7 %, of which cc 2 to 3 % are effective pores
with the required distance of individual pores characterised by the so called spacing factor.
With highly fluid concretes and when plasticizers are used, equivalent change of micropores
content cannot be expected when air content is changed in fresh concrete.
Aerated fresh concrete is used especially for building of structures exposed to adverse
climatic conditions. These are, in particular, transport areas exposed to weather and de-icing
salts, park garages and entries, concrete dam walls and other structures.
However, the issues of repeated testing of aerated concretes have not been still solved.
This applies especially to testing of air content in fresh concrete by means of pressure method
where the dependence between the air content in fresh concrete before being placed to the
structure and its actual condition after placing and compacting has not been determined.
Further, no correlation exists between the air content in fresh concrete (pressure method) and
characteristics of air pores in hardened concrete (spacing factor) and concrete resistance to
frost, water and de-icing chemicals.
Self-compacting concretes are generally more difficult to be aerated than common
compact concretes. The reason is, in particular, the fact of poor interaction of air-entraining
agents and superplasticizers based on polycarboxylates containing antifoam components.
Some manufacturers of concrete admixtures have developed new types of air-entraining
agents suitable for use with polycarboxylate admixtures.

4. EXPERIMENTAL PART
The objective of a set of experimental works was to design formulations of aerated SCC in
combination with admixtures based on secondary waste raw materials, especially power-plant
fly ashes. The research results should provide information about the use possibilities of
aerated self-compacting concretes in the areas requiring a high durability of concrete exposed
to frost, salts and de-icing chemicals with the stress laid on the high fluidity of concrete.
Changes of mechanical-physical properties of concrete were observed at the same time due to
a different admixture used and how such differently selected variants could show themselves
in porous structure of concrete.
Designed formulations were tested to optimise a suitable combination and a dose of
superplasticing air-entraining agent securing the rate of aeration in fresh concrete of
approximately 4.5, 5.5 and 6.5%. At the same time, the impact of dosing of such air-
entraining agents on durability of concrete exposed to cyclic freezing was observed and also
resistance of surfaces exposed to frost and de-icing chemicals was determined. Rheological
properties of fresh concretes were studied as well as their suitability for the SCC technology.
Hardened concretes were tested for compressive strength, absorptivity, volume weight and
dynamic modulus of elasticity by means of non-destructive ultrasonic method.
The CEM I 42.5 R cement, superplasticizers based on polycarboxylethers in combination with
air-entraining agent was used for manufacture of test samples. Power-plant fly ash was used

3
as an admixture. Aggregate was heavy fraction of 0-4 mm and 4 – 8 mm and crushed fraction
8-16 mm.

4.1. Testing of rheological properties of fresh concrete

The following tests were used to evaluate rheological properties of fresh self-compacting
concrete: modified slump test, Orimet + JRing test, L-Box test, V-Funnel test and U-Box test.
4.1.1. Slump test
This test is used for evaluation of fluidity and consistency of fresh self-compacting
concrete. In Europe, turned-up slump cone is used. After the cone is lifted, the concrete
completely runs out and spreads over a flat plate. Slumping time of the concrete creating the
cake of 500 mm diameter and maximum cake diameter are measured. The test is very simple
and it determines whether the concrete is sufficiently fluid and whether it separates water. The
slumping time to create a 500-mm cake gives useful information of what speed it takes the
concrete to get to its destination. However, such test is not fully reliable because a “quick”
concrete can be mixed which slumps to a 500-mm cake for less than 1 second but it does not
spread anymore and thus it does not comply with the test. The required slumping time t50
varies from 1 to 5 seconds.
4.1.2. L-Box test
Self-levelling ability of concrete and its tending for blocking is detected during this test.
Basically, we can evaluate the ability of aggregate to flow in fresh SCC and blocking of
aggregate by reinforcement. Fresh concrete must flow through the reinforcement rods
avoiding any blocking of individual aggregate grains by reinforcement and subsequent change
of concrete composition. The principle of the test consists in fresh concrete passing between
the vertical and horizontal parts of L-Box structure. After release of the partition dividing
these two parts, the concrete passes through the reinforcement due to its own weight and
fluidity.
4.1.3. Orimet + JRing test
This test method most corresponds to the actual placement of concrete to formwork. 600-
mm long tube with 100 mm diameter located 500 mm above the ground is used. Concrete
flows out from the tube to the ring provided with reinforcement. The reinforcement is placed
uniformly around the circumference of a ring with circular pitch corresponding to the size of
maximum grain. Flowing out of the tube, the concrete passes through this ring. Concrete
should never block and aggregate inside the ring, it should flow freely through JRing and
spread over a flat plate. Orimet measures flow time (FT), which is getting shorter with
increasing workability. It is also the measure of viscosity conditioning the fluidity of fresh
concrete.
4.1.4. V-funnel test
It is used to determine the fluidity of concrete mixture with maximum aggregate grain of 22
mm. After filling, the time is measured required by the concrete to flow out of the V-shaped
container with a shutting flap on the bottom. After such a procedure, the Funnel can be again
filled with concrete that is, this time, allowed to stand in the container for 5 minutes.
4.1.5. U-Box test
Especially fluidity of self-compacting concrete is measured. The test apparatus
comprises of a container vertically parted by a wall into two parts with a sliding door between
them. Rods with 35-mm pitch are located in front of the door. Higher part of U-box is filled

4
with fresh concrete and after the sliding door is opened, concrete flows upwards to the second
part.

5. TEST EVALUATION
Six concrete formulations whose rheological properties met the requirements for general
criteria of self-compacting concrete were designed. Aeration percentage in fresh concrete
ranged from 4.5 to 6.5 %. Impact of aeration on physical-mechanical properties of concrete
was observed as well as concrete durability when exposed to frost and chemical de-icing salts.
At the same time, influence of fly-ash admixture on concrete during cyclic action of freezing
and basic physical-mechanical properties, including modules of elasticity, were studied.
Results of the tests performed are given in the following tables and graphs.

Table 1: Determination of rheological properties of the concerned formulations

Formulation designation
Observed parameter
1A 1B 1C 2A 2B 2C
3
Volume weight of FC (kg/m ) 2330 2240 2240 2320 2300 2280
Slump test in time 0min.: max. cake (mm) 685 700 695 680 685 675
Slump test in time 100min.: max. cake (mm) 655 665 670 660 665 645
1)
Slump test in time 0min.: value T50 (sec) 3.0 2.8 3.0 3.0 2.9 3.0
1)
Slump test in time 100min.: value T50 (sec) 3.5 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.1 3.2
2)
Or.+JRing in time 0min.: outflow time (sec) 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.1 3.1 3.2
2)
Or.+J.Ring in time 100min.:outflow time (sec) 3.4 3.0 3.3 3.3 3.4 3.5
3)
Or.+J.Ring in time 0min.:level difference (mm) 2 1 1 1 1 1
3)
Or.+J.Ring in time 100min.: level difference (mm) 3 2 2 2 3 2
V-Funnel in time 0min.: outflow time T (s) 6.0 5.9 6.0 6.3 6.1 6.2
V-Funnel in time 100min.: outflow time T (s) 6.3 6.2 6.1 6.4 6.3 6.4
U-Box in time 0min: blocking ratio (-) 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
U-Box in time 100min: blocking ratio (-) 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
L-Box in time 0min.: blocking ratio (-) 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
L-Box in time 100min.: blocking ratio (-) 0.97 0.98 0.97 0.99 0.97 0.97
Air content in fresh concrete (%) 4.6 5.5 6.2 4.6 5.2 6.2

Table 2: Determination of hardened concrete properties of the concerned formulations

Observed parameters Formulation designation
1A 1B 1C 2A 2B 2C
3
Volume weight of HC (kg/m ) 2300 2210 2210 2300 2280 2250
Compressive strength at 28 days (MPa) 53.9 41.6 50.1 57.6 52.5 50.4
Strength in bending tension (MPa) 4.2 3.7 4.2 5.0 4.9 4.9
Concrete absorptivity before de-icing chemicals (%) 2.46 2.52 2.69 2.31 2.42 2.59

5
 Surface resistance to de-icing chem. 100 cycl.(g/m2) 645 345 465 915 810 460
Frost-resistance factor (-) 1.00 0.99 1.00 0.99 1.00 0.99
Air content in hardened concrete (%) 5.89 6.64 7.38 4.69 5.36 6.51
Dynamic modulus of elasticity (GPa) 47,4 48,8 47,0 47,2 50,9 49,6

65
60
compression strength

55
50
[MPa]

45
40
35
30
1A 1B 1C 2A 2B 2C
mix design no.

Graph 1 Determination of concrete compressive strength of the concerned formulations

1000,0
900,0
800,0
2
waste quantity [g/m ]

700,0
600,0
500,0
400,0
300,0
200,0
100,0
0,0
1A 1B 1C 2A 2B 2C
mix design no.
Graph 2 Determination of concrete resistance to water and de-icing chemicals

6
 10,0
fresh concrete
9,0 hardened concrete
8,0
7,0
6,0
air content [%]

5,0
4,0
3,0
2,0
1,0
0,0
1A 1B 1C 2A 2B 2C
mix design no.

Graph 3 Comparison of air content in fresh and hardened concrete

52
dynamic modules of elasticity [GPa]

51

50

49

48

47

46

45
1A 1B 1C 2A 2B 2C
mix design no.

Graph 4 Development of dynamic modules of elasticity

6. CONCLUSION
The results of research should provide information on possible utilisation of aerated self-
compacting concretes in the areas requiring high durability of concrete exposed to frost, salts
and de-icing chemicals. At the same time, changes of physical-mechanical properties of
concrete were studied when different air-entraining agents and different rates of aerated fresh
concretes were used and, subsequently, how such differently selected variants may show
themselves in porous structure of concrete, characterised by spacing factor and quantity of
effective pores. Further, response to frost-resistance coefficient was observed when frost
resistance was determined and area weight waste was observed when surface resistance to

7
frost and chemical de-icing salts were determined. The obtained results proved a real
possibility of manufacture of aerated SCCs which obtained excellent results in the tests of
fluidity, resistance to segregation and other ones (see the results listed in Table No.1) and they
also demonstrated a very good frost resistance and, in the case of formulations 1 B and 1 C,
also a good resistance to frost and chemical de-icing salts. It turns out that, though the aerated
SCCs with an optimum content of air are highly frost-resistant and they have a relatively high
strength, their resistance to the action of chemical de-icing salts at simultaneous cyclic
freezing and de-freezing is not so high. This is obviously a negative impact of the used kind
of an active admixture, the power-plant fly ash in this case.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The experimental works and this paper have been made under the support of the Project
MPO ČR č FI-IM/184 of the research programme VV CEZ MSMT 261100008 DT5 and
GAČR 103/04/0668

REFERENCES
[1] Sterman, S. and Marsden, J.G., 'Silane coupling agents', Ind. Engng. Chem. 58 (3) (1966) 33-77.
[2] Alexander, K.M., Wardlow, J. and Gilbert, D., 'Aggregate-cement bond, cement paste strength
and the strength of concrete', in 'The Structure of Concrete', Proceedings of an International
Conference, London, September, 1965 (Cement and Concrete Association, London, 1968) 59-81.
[3] Crank, J., 'The Mathematics of Diffusion', 2nd Edn (Clarendon, Oxford, 1975).