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Methodology for Mix Proportioning of Roller-Compacted Concrete, Based on a

Strategy of Voids Minimization in Compacted Aggregate

Conference Paper · October 2019

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 5th International Symposium on Advances in Civil and Environmental Engineering
Practises for Sustainable Development (ACEPS-2017)

Methodology for Mix Proportioning of Roller- Compacted

Concrete, Based on a Strategy of Voids Minimization in
Compacted Aggregate

J.M.K.P. Jayasinghe1, C.K. Pathirana2, H. Abeyruwan2

1
Moragahakanda Kaluganga Development Project
2
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Peradeniya
SRI LANKA
E-mail:chin@civil.pdn.ac.lk

Abstract: The use of Roller-Compacted Concrete (RCC) is popular in construction of concrete gravity
dams due to its ability to overcome problems facing with the use of conventional concrete. In this
research, an RCC mix was developed proportioning the aggregate combination resulting the least void
content.
Concrete aggregate of nominal maximum sizes of 38 mm, 25 mm, and fine aggregate comprising river
sand and crusher dust were used. Coarse and fine aggregate of each size was tested separately and
combined in different proportions to yield the least void content.
The optimized proportions of coarse and fine aggregate thus obtained were then blended to minimize
the void content in the mix. Five water cement ratios; 0.40, 0.45, 0.50, 0.55 and 0.60 were selected
for mix proportioning.
Mixing different aggregates, having different maximum sizes and grading, increases the packing
density of the aggregate blend and density of RCC. Comparison of theoretical and experimental
densities shows that the strategy of void minimization in compacted aggregate is a satisfactory method
for mix proportioning of RCC.

Keywords: Roller compacted concrete, Mix design, Optimum aggregate packing

1. INTRODUCTION

Roller-Compacted Concrete (RCC) was developed around the 1970s to overcome problems facing in
construction of concrete gravity dams with conventional concrete in continuous placement, such as
large heat of hydration, and high cement requirement.
This study develops a mix design method for roller-compacted concrete based on the minimization of
voids in compacted aggregate with different particle size distributions.

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

formula (Brouwers, 2006) shown below.

formula;

D = Particle Size (mm)

Dmin = Minimum Sieve size (mm)
Dmax = Maximum Sieve size (mm)
q = Exponent

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 5th International Symposium on Advances in Civil and Environmental Engineering
Practises for Sustainable Development (ACEPS-2017)

Exponent in the equations varies within a range of 0.25 to 0.35 according to the previous studies. This
change occurs due to the actual conditions such as surface texture and shape of the aggregates
(Brouwers, 2006).
Previous study on mix proportioning and properties of roller-compacted concrete for pavement using
lignite fly ash reveals that the best compressive strengths were obtained when void volume to paste
volume ratio is in the range of 1.02 to 1.05 (Tangtermsirikul & Aoyagi , 1999).

3. METHODOLOGY
Aggregates of nominal sizes of 38 mm, 25 mm, river sand and crusher dust were used in various
proportions to provide the least void content. Following tests were performed in the process of finding
best mix proportions of aggregates using ASTM Standards.
Sieve analysis of aggregates - C136/C136M - 14
Compacted density of coarse and fine aggregates - C29/C29M - 16
Water absorption of aggregates, relative density for coarse aggregates - C127-15, and for fine
aggregates - C128 - 15

Initially, two coarse aggregates were mixed in various proportion to gain the lowest void content. Same
method was followed for the selected fine aggregates. After optimizing fine aggregates and coarse
aggregates separately, both mixes were blended together in various proportion again to yield the
minimum void content.

Cement paste was provided to fill the minimized void content in the optimized aggregate blend in mix
design calculations. Five water-cement ratios were selected (0.40, 0.45, 0.50, 0.55 and 0.60) in the
mix design. The paste content was calculated to fill a void volume of 1.05 with 5% margin of excess.

Water absorption by the materials was tested separately for the materials, and required mix
proportions were calculated for the RCC mix. Finally, experimental densities were observed and
compared with theoretical densities to assess the validity of the mix designing procedure.

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.1. Optimization of Coarse Aggregate Blend

Particle size distribution of selected aggregates was as follows.

Figure 1 Particle size distribution of coarse aggregate samples

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Practises for Sustainable Development (ACEPS-2017)

Figure 1 shows the particle size distribution curves of the aggregate blends of 25 mm max aggregate
sample and 38 mm max aggregate sample. In between it shows the particle size distribution curve of
the optimized coarse aggregate blend.

Figure 2 Variation of Void ratio with coarse aggregates

Nine (9) samples were prepared with various aggregate mix proportions and tested for compacted
density according to C29/C29M - 16. In calculating the void ratios, average of 3 trials for each
combination was considered. Figure 2 shows variation of void ratios with 25/38 aggregate
percentages.
It can be observed that the minimum void ratio is 39 % at 55% of 38 mm and 45% of 25 mm aggregate
combination.

4.2. Optimization of Fine Aggregate Blend

Figure 3 Particle size distribution of fine aggregate samples

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 5th International Symposium on Advances in Civil and Environmental Engineering
Practises for Sustainable Development (ACEPS-2017)

In this research, crusher dust and river sand were chosen as fine aggregates, and Figure 3 shows the
particle size distribution curves of those.

Figure 4 Variation of void ratio with Fine aggregates

Ten (10) samples were prepared with various aggregate mix proportions and tested for compacted
density according to C29/C29M - 16. In calculating the void ratios, average of 3 trials for each
combination was considered. Figure 4 shows the variation of void ratios for fine aggregate
combinations.
One hundred percent crusher dust gives the minimum void ratio of 28 % and no reduction was
observed as a result of blending with river sand as shown in Figure 4.

4.3. Optimization of selected blends of Coarse and Fine Aggregates

Selected blends of coarse and fine aggregates were mixed in various proportions and the compacted
densities were tested according to C29/C29M - 16.
The optimum density was observed as 2152 kg/m3 in Figure 5 for the equal proportions of coarse and
fine aggregate blends.

Figure 5 Variation of compacted density of compacted aggregate mix with crusher dust
percentage

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Practises for Sustainable Development (ACEPS-2017)

Void content of each aggregate blend was calculated using the compacted densities and specific
gravities of aggregates. Figure 6 shows the variation of void volume against the percentage of crusher
dust in the aggregate mix. Lowest void volume percentage was observed as 20 % with equal amounts
of crusher dust and coarse aggregate.

Figure 6 Variation of void percentage of compacted aggregate mix with crusher dust
percentage

Particle size distribution of the optimized aggregate and theoretical gradation based on the F s
formula was drawn in the same graph to check the exponent of the F fitting
scenario. Exponent of F (Figure 7).

Figure 7 Particle size distribution of optimized aggregate blend and best fitting theoretical
curve

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Practises for Sustainable Development (ACEPS-2017)

Cement paste is applied at 105% of void volume to achieve best compressive strength according to
the previous researches (Tangtermsirikul & Aoyagi , 1999). Paste was designed for five water cement
ratios (0.40, 0.45, 0.50, 0.55 and 0.60), and actual densities were checked after casting the roller
compacted concrete cubes.
Experimental densities and theoretical densities were compared to check the validity of the mix design
method.

4.4. Degree of Compaction Reached in RCC mixes

By comparing experimental densities and theoretical densities, degree of compaction can be
calculated and its variation with W/C is displayed below.

Figure 8 Variation of fresh compacted density of roller-compacted concrete with

water/cement ratio

Figure 8 shows the variation of compacted densities of fresh roller-compacted concrete specimens. All
specimens have achieved 97% compaction.
The highest degree of compaction was achieved at w/c ratio of 0.5 while the least degree of
compaction of 97 % was achieved at w/c ratio of 0.4.

5. CONCLUSIONS

1. Mixing different aggregates having different maximum sizes and grading allows to reach increased
packing density of the aggregate blend and density of roller - compacted concrete.
2. According to the observations, crusher dust is more efficient than river sand in filling voids in the
coarse aggregate blend.
3. Particle size distribution of optimized aggregate blend shows an exponent of 0.2
formula.
4. Degree of compaction of the specimens shows that actual mixes achieved satisfactory compaction
compared to theoretical values. This shows that mix design using the strategy of void minimization
is a successful method in designing roller-compacted concrete mixes.

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6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Gratitude is extended to the staff of Materials laboratory, University of Peradeniya, and the staff of
Moragahakanda - Kaluganga development project.

7. REFERENCES
ASTM, 2006. American Society for Testing Materials, ASTM C 136-06. Anual Book of ASTM
Standards, Concrete and Aggregates, Volume 04.02, pp. 95-99.

ASTM, 2007. American Society for Testing Materials. ASTM C 127-07. Anual book of ASTM
standards, concrete and aggregates, Volume 04.02, pp. 78-83.

ASTM, 2007. American Society of Testing Materials, ASTM C 128-07a. Anual Book of ASTM
Standards, Concrete and Aggregates, Volume 04.02, pp. 84-90.

ASTM, 2016. American Society for Testing Materials, ASTM C 29/C 29M. Anual Book of ASTM
Standards, Concrete and Aggregates, Volume 04.02, pp. 01-05.

Brouwers, H., 2006. Topics in cement and concrete research. Weimar, s.n., pp. 1-0273-1-0275.

Tangtermsirikul, S. & Aoyagi , Y., 1999. Mix Proportioning and Properties of Roller-Compacted
Concrete Pavement using Lignite Fly Ash. ACI materials Journal, Volume 172, pp. 169-784.

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