INNOVATIVE USE OF FINE AND

ULTRA-FINE MATERIALS IN HIGH

PERFORMANCE CONCRETE

by
Dr J D BAPAT
AMBUJA CEMEMT: CONCRETE TALK
NASHIK
19 OCTOBER 2012
 CONVENTIONAL
Vs HPC
CONVENTIONAL CONCRETE IS FOUND DEFICIENT IN:
• STRENGTH
• DURABILITY IN SEVERE ENVIRONS: SHORTER SERVICE
LIFE & HIGHER MAINTENANCE
• CONSTRUCTION TIME: SLOWER STRENGTH GAIN &
LONGER RELEASE TIME OF FORMS
• ENERGY ABSORPTION CAPACITY: FOR EARTHQUAKE-
RESISTANT STRUCTURES
• HIGHER REPAIR AND RETROFITTING
– DESIGNED TO EXCEED THE PERFORMANCE OF
ORDINARY CONCRETE, HIGH PERFORMANCE
CONCRETE (HPC) SUCCESSFULLY REMOVES
THE ABOVE DEFICIENCIES.
 ACI DEFINITION OF
HPC
• HIGH-PERFORMANCE CONCRETE:
– “CONCRETE MEETING SPECIAL
COMBINATIONS OF PERFORMANCE &
UNIFORMITY (UNIT WT., AIR CONTENT,
SLUMP) REQUIREMENTS THAT CANNOT
ALWAYS BE ACHIEVED ROUTINELY
USING CONVENTIONAL CONSTITUENTS &
NORMAL MIXING, PLACING & CURING
PRACTICES”
 MEHTA & AITCIN
DEFINITION
• MEHTA AND AITCIN SUGGESTED THE
TERM HIGH PERFORMANCE
CONCRETE (HPC) FOR CONCRETE
MIXTURES THAT POSSESS THE
FOLLOWING THREE PROPERTIES:
– HIGH-WORKABILITY
– HIGH-STRENGTH &
– HIGH DURABILITY
 HIGH PERFORMANCE
CONCRETE
• FLOWABILITY/PUMPABILITY: EASIER
• WORKABILITY/COMPACTABILITY: EASIER
• BLEEDING: NONE OR NEGLIGIBLE
• FINISHING: QUICKER
• SETTING TIME: QUICKER
• EARLY STRENGTH (UP TO 7-DAY): HIGH
• ULTIMATE STRENGTH- 90DAY: HIGHER
• CRACK RESISTANCE: HIGHER
• PLASTIC SHRINKAGE: LOWER (WITH PROPER CURING)
• THERMAL SHRINKAGE: LOWER
• DRYING SHRINKAGE: LOWER (WITH PROPER CURING)
• DURABILITY
– RESISTANCE TO PENETRATION OF CL IONS: VERY HIGH
– ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY: VERY HIGH
– RESISTANCE TO REINFORCEMENT CORROSION: HIGH
– RESISTANCE TO SULFATE ATTACK: VERY HIGH
– RESISTANCE TO ALKALI-SILICA EXPANSION: VERY HIGH
• COST
– MATERIALS: DEPENDS UPON MIX
– LABOR: SIMILAR
– LIFE CYCLE: VERY LOW
• ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS: CO2 EMISSION REDUCTION
 MICROSTRUCTURE: TRADITIONAL VERSUS HPC

C3A + GYPSUM + WATER = ETTRINGITE = 3CaO.Al2O3.3CaSO4.32H2O

 CONCRETE & HPC IN
INDIAN STANDARD
• IS 456-2000 COVERS PLAIN &
REINFORCED CONCRETE

• BS 89 (2008) OF RDSO, INDIAN

RAILWAYS GIVES GUIDELINES FOR
HPC FOR BRIDGES
 COMPARISON:
IS 456 & BS 89
FOR REINFORCED CONCRETE

CONCRETE IS 456 HPC BS 89

(i) MINERAL ADMIXTURES FA, GGBS, SF, RHA, MK FA, GGBS, SF
(ii) ADDITION LIMITS (%) FA: 15-35, GGBS: 25-70 FA: 20-35, GGBS: 50-70
(iii) CONCRETE M 20-M 80 M 40-M 80
(iv) CEMENT CONTENT (kg/cu.m)
EXCLUDING ADMIXTURE (MAX) 450 450
INCLUDING ADMIXTURE (MIN) --- 380
(v) w/b RATIO(MAX) 0.4-0.55 0.33-0.4
(vi) CHLORIDE (MAX, kg/cu.m) 0.4-0.6* 0.2-0.3
(vii) SULPHATE SO3 (% CEMENT m) 4 4
(viii) CL ION PERMEABILITY -- < 800 COULOMBS
(IX) DESIGN SHRINKAGE STRAIN 0.03% ---
(X) CREEP COEFF @ 28 D LOADING 1.6** ---
* INCLUDING PRE-STRESSED
** creep coeff. = (ultimate creep strain)/(elastic strain at the age of loading)
 SELECTED PROPERTIES

ACHIEVABLE IN HPC
• HIGH STRENGTH: 70-140 MPa @ 28-91 D
• HIGH EARLY STRENGTH: 20-30 MPa @ 3-12 h
OR 1-3 D
• HIGH EARLY FLEXURAL STRENGTH: 2-4 MPa @ 3-
12 h OR 1-3 D
• HIGH MODULUS OF ELASTICITY > 40 GPa
• ABRASION RESISTANCE: 0-1 mm DEPTH OF WEAR
• LOW PERMEABILITY: 500-2000 COULOMBS
• CHLORIDE PENETRATION < 0.07% Cl AT 6 MONTHS
• LOW WATER ABSORPTION: 3-5%
 MORE THAN ONE TYPES OR
PROPERTIES OF HPC
MAY BE REQUIRED
• MORE THAN ONE OF THE PROPERTIES OF HPC
MENTIONED MAY BE REQUIRED FOR A GIVEN
PROJECT
• A HIGH RISE STRUCTURE MAY REQUIRE
CONCRETE WITH HIGH-ULTIMATE STRENGTH, HIGH
MODULUS OF ELASTICITY, HIGH PUMPABILITY &
THE ABILITY TO BE PLACED WITHOUT
CONSOLIDATION
• MORE THAN ONE HPC MAY BE REQUIRED ON A
PARTICULAR PROJECT
• THE SAME HIGH-RISE STRUCTURE MAY ALSO
REQUIRE A CONCRETE WHICH HAS A HIGH
RESISTANCE TO CORROSION DAMAGE FOR AN
ATTACHED PARKING STRUCTURE
 WHY
MINERAL ADMIXTURES IN
HPC?
• HIGHER ULTIMATE STRENGTH
• IMPROVED WORKABILITY
• REDUCED BLEEDING
• REDUCED HEAT OF HYDRATION
• REDUCED PERMEABILITY
• INCREASED RESISTANCE TO REINFORCEMENT CORROSION
• INCREASED RESISTANCE TO CARBONATION
• INCREASED RESISTANCE TO SULFATE ATTACK
• INCREASED RESISTANCE TO ALKALI-AGGREGATE REACTIVITY
(AAR)
• LOWER OR COMPARABLE COSTS
• REDUCED SHRINKAGE

• BENEFITS VARY DEPENDING ON THE TYPE & QUALITY OF MINERAL

ADMIXTURE, PROPORTION USED, OTHER MIX INGREDIENTS, MIXING
PROCEDURE, FIELD CONDITIONS AND PLACEMENT.
 ADDITIONAL CEMENTITIOUS
WITH MINERAL ADMIXTURES

• SECONDARY HYDRATION: ONE OF THE

PRIMARY BENEFITS OF MINERAL
ADMIXTURE IS ITS REACTION WITH
AVAILABLE LIME AND ALKALI IN
CONCRETE, PRODUCING ADDITIONAL
CEMENTITIOUS (C-S-H) COMPOUNDS:
• C3S/C2S + H2O = C-S-H + Ca(OH)2
• Ca(OH)2 + SiO2 (FROM ADMIXTURE) = C-
S-H
 LIMITATIONS OF
MINERAL ADMIXTURES

➤ HIGH CARBON FLY ASH MAY

REDUCE DURABILITY DUE TO ITS
POTENTIAL FOR DECREASED AIR
ENTRAINING ABILITY
➤ REDUCED EARLY STRENGTH
➤ REDUCED HEAT OF HYDRATION IN
COLDER CLIMATES
 MINERAL
ADMIXTURES

• FLY ASH (FA)

• BLAST FURNACE SLAG (BFS)
• RICE HUSK ASH (RHA)
• METAKAOLIN (MK)
• SILICA FUME (SF)

• For detail information, read Book:

• Mineral Admixtures in Cement and Concrete b
y Dr J D Bapat, CRC Press, USA
 HPC

FLY ASH
 RELEVANCE OF FA
UTILISATION
IN INDIA
• COAL MAJOR FUEL FOR POWER GENERATION (.) 60% POWER
PRODUCED USING COAL (.) INDIAN COAL HAS LOW
CALORIFIC VALUE (3000-3500 k cal/kg) & VERY HIGH ASH
CONTENT (30-45%) RESULTING IN HUGE ASH GENERATION (.)
CURRENT ASH GENERATION 175 MILLION t/a
• FA PRODUCED IN MODERN POWER STATIONS IS OF GOOD
QUALITY(.) CONTAINS LOW S & VERY LOW UNBURNED C i.e.
LESS LOI (.) MOST NEW THERMAL POWER STATIONS HAVE
DRY FA EVACUATION & STORAGE SYSTEM (.) FA FROM ESP
PNEUMATICALLY EVACUATED & STORED IN SILOS (.) FROM
SILOS, IT IS LOADED IN OPEN TRUCK/ CLOSED TANKERS OR
BAGGED
• IN THE ESP, THERE ARE 6-8 FIELDS (ROWS) DEPENDING
UPON DESIGN (.) FIELD AT THE BOILER END CALLED AS 1st
FIELD & COUNTED SUBSEQUENTLY 2nd , 3rd ONWARDS (.)
FIELD AT CHIMNEY END IS LAST(.) COARSE FA COLLECTED
IN FIRST FIELDS. FINENESS OF FA PARTICLES INCREASES IN
SUBSEQUENT FIELDS.
FA PARTICLES ARE SPHERICAL &
OF SIMILAR SIZE AS
PORTLAND CEMENT PARTICLES

Magnification 2000x
 FA REQUIREMENTS:
IS 3812
• Fe2O3 + Al2O3 + SiO2 = MIN 70% (GRADE I, BITUMINOUS) &
MIN 50% (GRADE II, LIGNITE)
FOR GRADE I
• SiO2 = MIN 35%
• MgO = MAX 5%
• SO3 = MAX 2.75%
• ALKALIS = MAX 1.5% Na2O (Na2O + 0.658K2O)
• LOI = MAX 12%
• BLAINE FINENESS: MIN 320 m2/kg
• 28 DAY COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH > 80% OF PLAIN CEMENT
MORTAR
• LIME REACTIVITY, DRYING SHRINKAGE AND SOUNDNESS BY
AUTOCLAVE EXPANSION IS ALSO SPECIFIED
SAMPLE FA: ASTM
C618
TUNNEL OF DELHI METRO RAIL
CORPORATION
WHERE FA HAS BEEN USED
 TREMIE SEAL CONCRETE
WITH FA IN BANDRA-WORLI
SEA LINK PROJECT
RAJASTHAN ATOMIC POWER
PROJECT (RAPP) USED
CONCRETE WITH FA
 FINE FA OR FFA
• ALSO TERMED AS ULTRA-FINE FA
• MEAN PARTICLE DIA OF
CONVENTIONAL FA: 20-30 MICRONS
• MEAN PARTICLE DIA OF FINE FA :
1-5 MICRONS
• LOW UNBURNED CARBON
• OBTAINED BY GRINDING &/OR AIR
SEPARATION
 FFA REMOVES
FA LIMITATIONS
• HIGHER EARLY STRENGTH & HIGHER HEAT OF
HYDARTION DUE TO FASTER & COMPLETE
REACTION
• BETTER DURABILITY WITH LESS CARBON & FINER
PARTICLES REACTING COMPLETELY
• AT 5-15% REPLACEMENT FFA CONTRIBUTES MORE
TO CONCRETE STRENGTH GAIN & PERMEABILITY
REDUCTION THAN COMMON FA & PERFORMS
COMPARABLE TO HIGHLY REACTIVE POZZOLANA
SUCH AS SILICA FUME
• CONCRETE DURABILITY PROPERTIES LIKE
RESISTANCE TO ALKALI-AGGREGATE REACTION,
SULFATE ATTACK, CORROSION ARE ENHANCED BY
FFA
 SF & FFA
COMPARED
• CONCRETE CONTAINING FFA COULD BE
PRODUCED WITH ONLY 50% OF HIGH-
RANGE WATER REDUCER (HRWR) DOSAGE
IN COMPARISON TO SILICA FUME (SF)
CONCRETE.
• KEVIN D. COPELAND et. al. [IN “ULTRA FINE
FLY ASH FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE
CONCRETE” ASCE CONFERENCE, 2001]
REPORT USE OF FFA WITH AV PARTICLE
SIZE OF 3 MICRON & 90% < 7 MICRON
 HPC

FA BLENDS
WITH
OTHER MINERAL ADMIXTURES
 LIGHTWEIGHT HPC
WTH FA-MK BLEND
BENICIA-MARTINEZ BRIDGE, SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA CROSSING
ACROSS THE CARQUINEZ STRAIT (2.3 km)
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CALTRANS)

CASE STUDY PRESENTED BY GANAPATHY MURUGESH OF

CALTRANS IN HPC BRIDGE VIEWS, ISS. 49, MAY-JUNE 2008
 LIGHTWEIGHT HPC
WTH FA-MK BLEND
BENICIA-MARTINEZ BRIDGE (2.3 km), CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION (CALTRANS)

• ENGINEERING MARVEL WITH INCORPORATION OF SEVERAL UNIQUE

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION FEATURES

• EVEN EXCLUDING THE 150 Y LIFE CYCLE ASPECT, INITIAL COST OF

LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE, CAST-IN-PLACE SEGMENTAL STRUCTURE WAS
LOWEST, IN COMPARISON TO: STEEL TRUSS BRIDGE; STEEL BOX-GIRDER
BRIDGE; CONCRETE CABLE-STAYED BRIDGE. MORE THAN 30 MIX DESIGNS
EVALUATED

• BRIDGES: HPC IS REQUIRED FOR EARLY HIGH STRENGTH, GREATER SPAN,

REDUCED DEPTHS OF MEMBERS

• SPECIAL REQUIREMENT: BRIDGE REQUIRED TO SURVIVE & REMAIN OPEN

TO TRAFFIC AFTER A MAJOR SEISMIC EVENT

• KEY TO ACHIEVING LONG SPAN LENGTHS WAS THE CHOICE OF

LIGHTWEIGHT HIGH PERFORMANCE CONCRETE
 LIGHTWEIGHT HPC
WTH FA-MK BLEND
BENICIA-MARTINEZ BRIDGE (2.3 km), CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CALTRANS)

• SAND-LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE USED NORMAL WEIGHT

SAND & LIGHTWEIGHT COARSE AGGREGATE TO PRODUCE
CONCRETE WITH LOWER DENSITY (.) ANTICIPATED HIGHER
CREEP & SHRINKAGE & LOWER MODULUS OF ELASTICITY
CHARACTERISTICS EXPECTED WITH LIGHTWEIGHT
CONCRETE, RESULTED IN STRINGENT MATERIAL
PROPERTIES SPECIFIED FOR CONSTRUCTION

• CONCRETE MIX PROPORTION (kg/cu.m): 494 (ASTM TYPE II-V)

CEMENT, 29 FA (TYPE F), 58 MK, 509 SAND, 731 LIGHTWEIGHT
AGG.,180 WATER FOR w/b = 0.31(.) SHRINKAGE-REDUCING,
HYDRATION-STABILIZING, HRWR ADMIXTURE ADDED.
 LIGHTWEIGHT HPC
WTH FA-MK BLEND
BENICIA-MARTINEZ BRIDGE (2.3 km), CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CALTRANS)
• SPECIFIC HPC PROPERTIES:
– Density = 1920 kg/cu.m
– Compressive strength = 69-76 MPa
– 28-d modulus of elasticity = 26200 MPa
– 180-d shrinkage = 0.042%
– 365-d specific creep = 0.22 millionths/psi

• QUALITY & CONSISTENCY OF LIGHTWEIGHT HPC

ACHIEVED FOR OVER 46,000 CU M CONCRETE,
OVER 2 Y PRODUCTION.
 HPC

GROUND GRANULATED
BLAST FURNACE SLAG (GGBS)

• ONE t PIG IRON FRON BF GENERATES 250-350 kg SLAG (.)

INDIA PRODUCES APPROX 10 MTPA BFS & 55% GETS
UTILISED IN CEMENT (.) DEPENDS UPON GRANULATION
CAPACITY.
 HIGH STRENGTH HPC WITH
FINE GGBS
REPORTED BY WANG LING et.al.,
CHINA BUILDING MATERIALS ACADEMY, PRC

• GGBS < 4000 BLAINE F-GGBS: 5000-8000 BLAINE

• C. AGG. (5-20 mm) = 1085, F. AGG. (2.9 mm) = 665 kg/m3
• BINDER = 500, w/b = 0.3, SLUMP = 230 mm, ADMIXTURE = 1.3%
• COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH (MPa):
CEMENT (43 G, 500 kg) CEMENT (350 kg) + 8000 B F-GGBS (150 kg)

3D 56.4 76.7

7D 60.0 88.3

28 D 70.7 93.6

60 D 74.1 99.0
 HPC

SILICA FUME (SF)

 HPC WITH SF FOR
HYDRO POWER STRUCTURE

• REPORTED BY JITENDRA THAKUR, DY.

CHIEF ENGINEER, JAYPEE (HYDRO DIV.)
• TEHRI (UTTARANCHAL) HP SPILLWAY
STRUCTURE
• HPC REQUIRED FOR HIGHER RESISTANCE
TO ABRASIVE, EROSIVE & CAVITATIONAL
ACTION OF MOVING WATER (15,500 cu.m/s,
55-60 m/s ) (.) STRUCTURES ARE
LINED/COATED WITH HPC TO ENHANCE
PERFORMANCE.
 HPC WITH SF FOR
HYDRO POWER STRUCTURE

TYPICAL DAMAGED SPILLWAY

 HPC WITH SF FOR
HYDRO POWER STRUCTURE

TYPICAL CAVITATION ON SPILLWAY

 HPC MIX FOR
TEHRI DAM PROJECT
• M 70 MIX INGREDIENTS IN kg/cu.m
• CEMENT 53 G 380
• SF 38
• CA-1 (20 mm) 680
• CA-2 (10 mm) 454
• FA-1 ( Crushed stone) 265
• FA-2 ( Natural sand) 491
• WATER 142
• SP (% m BINDER) 1.75
• w/b 0.34
• SLUMP (INITIAL), mm 185
• SLUMP (45 min), mm 120
• COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH, MPa
• 3-D 51
• 7-D 61
• 28-D 75
• ABRASION RESISTANCE (%, 72 h)*
HIGH SPEED (3360 rpm) 2.75
LOW SPEED (1100 rpm) 0.94

*ASTM C1138: Test container containing concrete specimen is submerged underwater. Steel
balls of different diameters acting as foreign debris in water would be agitated by a
rotating agitation paddle at a specific speed for a specific period, generally up to 72 h.
 HPC

RICE HUSK ASH (RHA)

 RICE HUSK ASH
(RHA)
• OBTAINED FROM COMBUSTION OF RICE HUSK
(RH) UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS OF
SURROUNDING ENV., TEMP. & RES. TIME IN
COMBUSTOR & SUBSEQUENT SIZE REDUCTION.
• RHA FROM MODERN FLUIDISED OR CYCLONIC
BED HAS HIGH SURFACE AREA: 20 - 40 m2/g, EVEN
MORE (.) COMPARABLE WITH THAT OF SILICA
FUME (SF)
• APPLICATION NOT WIDELY COMMERCIALISED DUE
TO: NON-AVAILABILITY OF RHA OF DESIRED
POZZOLANIC CHARACTERISTICS ON A LARGE
SCALE (.) LACK OF AWARENESS ABOUT
POTENTIAL OF RHA AS MINERAL ADMIXTURE
• BEHAVES DIFFERENTLY FROM SF DUE TO LARGE
INTERNAL POROSITY
 RELEVANCE OF RHA
FOR SUSTAINABILITY OF
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

• PRESENTLY CONSIDERED AS
AGRICULTURAL WASTE & USED AS FUEL
• PADDY HAS POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE 4 %
ITS MASS OF ASH
• 2030 ASIA: 600 – 774 MT PADDY, 120 – 155
MT RH
• HUGE SCOPE TO RECOVER RH HEAT
VALUE (3300 – 3600 kcal/kg) TO GENERATE
POWER & TO USE RHA PRODUCED IN
CEMENT & CONCRETE
 REQUIREMENTS FOR
LARGE SCALE APPLICATION OF
RHA IN CONSTRUCTION

• GOVT OF INDIA RHA MISSION: TO CREATE

GENERAL AWARENESS ABOUT BENEFITS OF
USING RH IN POWER GENERATION & RHA IN
CEMENT & CONCRETE
• VIABLE METHOD OF COLLECTION,
TRANSPORTATION OF RH FROM PADDY FIELDS TO
RHA PRODUCING UNIT
• TECHNO-ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE METHOD TO
PRODUCE & PROCESS RHA ALONG WITH
COGENERATION OF POWER, TO SUIT THE LOCAL
CONDITIONS
• NATIONAL STANDARDS ON THE QUALITY
ASSESSMENT & THE USE OF RHA IN CEMENT &
CONCRETE.
 HPC WITH RHA
Reported by: A. Salas et al. /
Cement & Concrete Research 39 (2009) 773–778

• MATERIALS & MIX:

– CEMENT: ASTM TYPE V PC, 3770 BLAINE, 28-D: 46.7 MPa
– SF: m2/kg BET = 27000 & 0.1 MICRON AV.
– T-RHA (UNTREATED): m2/kg BET = 24000 & 19 MICRON AV.
– Ch-RHA (HCL TREATED): m2/kg BET = 2,74,000 & 17
MICRON AV.
– BINDER: 440 kg/m3 WITH 10% SF/RHA, w/b = 0.45,
SLUMP: 152-178 mm
– AGGREGATE: FA-1 = - 2.38 mm, FA-2 = - 9.51 mm
& CA BASALT = – 19 + 4.75 mm
– SP: FORMALDEHYDE BASED, 0.4-1.9%
– RHA REQUIRED HIGHER SP DOSAGE
 HPC WITH RHA
Reported by: A. Salas et al. /
Cement & Concrete Research 39 (2009) 773–778

• STRENGTH & DURABILITY (TESTS AS PER ASTM)

• FRESH CONCRETE REQUIRES HIGHER SP DOSAGE IN CASE OF RHA,
IN COMPARISON TO CONTROL & SF
• ELASTIC MODULUS (GPa) & FLEXURAL STRENGTH (RUPTURE
MODULUS, MPa)
ELASTIC FLEXURAL
– CONTROL 29.1 3.7
– SF 31.8 5.1
– T-RHA 30.2 4.5
– Ch-RHA 32.1 5.4

• RAPID CHLORIDE ION PERMEABILITY TEST (RCPT, COULOMBS)

COULOMBS
– CONTROL 3529 MODERATE
– SF 970 VERY LOW
– T-RHA 1413 LOW
– Ch-RHA 960 VERY LOW
 MIXING HPC

• HORIZONTAL TWIN SHAFT CONCRETE

MIXER FOUND TO PERFORM BETTER
THAN DRUM TYPE IN TERMS OF LESSER
MIXING TIME, IMPLYING GREATER
ECONOMY IN OPERATION
• FIRST MIX BINDER WITH A PORTION OF
SP & PART OF WATER (.) THEN ADD
AGGREGATE WITH REMAINING PORTION
OF SP, DISSOLVED IN REST OF WATER.
 CURING HPC
• MUST BE CURED QUITE DIFFERENTLY FROM
ORDINARY CONCRETE DUE TO DIFFERENCE IN
SHRINKAGE BEHAVIOR
• WHEN HPC IS NOT WATER CURED IMMEDIATELY
FOLLOWING PLACEMENT OR FINISHING, IT IS
PRONE TO DEVELOP SEVERE PLASTIC SHRINKAGE
BECAUSE IT IS NOT PROTECTED BY BLEED WATER
& LATER ON DEVELOPS SEVERE AUTOGENOUS
SHRINKAGE DUE TO ITS RAPID HYDRATION.
• CRITICAL CURING PERIOD FOR ANY HPC RUNS
FROM PLACEMENT OR FINISHING, UP TO 2-3 DAYS
LATER & MOST CRITICAL PERIOD IS USUALLY
BETWEEN 12-36 H. SHORT TIME DURING WHICH
EFFICIENT WATER CURING MUST BE APPLIED TO
HPC IS SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGE OVER
ORDINARY CONCRETE.
 CURING HPC
• INITIATING WATER CURING AFTER 24 h IS TOO LATE (.)
MOSTLY GREAT DEAL OF PLASTIC & AUTOGENOUS
SHRINKAGE ALREADY OCCURRS & CAPILLARY/PORE
NETWORK GETS DISCONNECTED IN MANY PLACES (.)
COMPACT MICROSTRUCTURE DOES NOT ALLOW EXTERNAL
WATER PENETRATE VERY DEEP INTO CONCRETE.
• WATER PONDING OR FOGGING IS THE BEST WAY TO CURE
HPC (.) ONE OF THESE TWO METHODS MUST BE APPLIED AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING PLACEMENT
OR FINISHING.
• WATER CURING CAN BE STOPPED AFTER 7 DAYS BECAUSE
MOST CEMENT AT CONCRETE SURFACE GETS HYDRATED &
FURTHER WATER CURING HAS LITTLE EFFECT ON
DEVELOPMENT OF SHRINKAGE
• BEST THING TO DO IS TO PAINT HPC OR TO USE A SEALING
AGENT, SO THAT LAST WATER THAT REMAINS IN
CONCRETE CAN BE RETAINED TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS
HYDRATION
 ICI-JDB
CERTIFICATE OF PROFICIENCY
IN DURABILITY OF CONCRETE
(C-PDC)

• DATES: 20-24 (MON-FRI) MAY 2013

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