Al albayt University

Department of Civil Engineering

Construction Materials
CE 704351
Dr. Rami Haddad

1
Concrete As A Structural Material

Concrete Ingredients :

Cement
+ Aggregate + Water

(binding) (FA+CA)

2
Concrete is a widely used construction material because of :

Its ease of construction ( Molding, Mixing, ... ect).

Low cost of its Ingredients

Availability of its Ingredients, (aggregate & cement).

Its good durability.

3
Additives that could be added to concrete:

Pozzolan, Fly Ash, Blast-Furnace Slag,

Admixtures, Polymers, Fibers.

Concrete Curing :

Water Curing

Steam Curing

Autoclaving

4
Aggregate Role In Concrete

Considerations:

1) Cheap filler in the Cementing Medium, or

2) Coarse aggregate as mini-masonry joined by mortar
3) Second phase in two phases material (first phase is
binding cement)
4) Reducing the shrinkage of concrete (shrinkage of
cement >> Shrinkage of concrete).
5) Reducing the large heat generated by reacting cement.
6) lower tendency to chemical attack as compared to
cement Paste: (aggregate is in general a chemically
stable material)

5
Good Concrete

a. Satisfactory in its hardened state “Strength, Density,

Durability, etc.”

b. Satisfactory in its fresh state (setting, compaction,

cohesive).

6
Composite Material

concrete is a two-phase material.

Particle Phase.
Inclusion

Host or Matrix
phase

7
Mechanical Properties

The mechanical properties of concrete is controlled by

Individual Aggregate Particles.
Matrix
Interface

The non-Linear behavior of concrete is explained by the

presence of the interfaces and the development of
micro-cracking at these interfaces under load.

These micro-cracks develop progressively making varying angles

with applied stress leading to progressive increase in local stress
intensity, thus in the strain magnitude.

Therefore, strain increases at faster rate than the applied stress

causing the -E diagram to bend over.

8
Mechanical Properties: Stress-Strain Diagram

Aggregate

Concrete
Stress

Interface or
Paste Transition Zone

Strain
9