high-performance concrete - u of s · pdf filelow absorption astm c 642 2% to 5% ... high...

High-Performance Concrete


Characteristics of High-Performance Concretes

■ High strength■ High early strength■ High modulus of elasticity■ High abrasion resistance■ High durability and long life in

severe environments■ Low permeability and diffusion■ Resistance to chemical attack


Characteristics of High-Performance Concretes

■ High resistance to frost and deicer scaling damage

■ Toughness and impact resistance

■ Volume stability■ Ease of placement■ Compaction without

segregation■ Inhibition of bacterial and

mold growth


Materials Used in High-Performance Concrete (1)

Control settingHydration control admix.Reduce water-cement ratioHigh-range water reducers

FlowabilitySuperplasticizersCalcined shaleCalcined clay/ MetakaolinFly ash / Slag / Silica fume Cementing material /

Durability / High strength

Blended cementCementing material / DurabilityPortland cement

Primary Contribution/Desired PropertyMaterial


Materials Used in High-Performance Concrete (2)

Improve workability/reduce paste Optimally graded aggr.DurabilityPolymer/latex modifiers

Control alkali-silica activityASR inhibitorsReduce shrinkageShrinkage reducers

Reduce cement and water contentWater reducersControl steel corrosionCorrosion inhibitors

Accelerate settingAcceleratorsControl settingRetarders

Primary contribution/Desired propertyMaterial


Selected Properties of High-Performance Concrete (1)

2% to 5%ASTM C 642Low Absorption

—ASTM G 59High Resistivity

Less than 0.07% Cl at 6 monthsAASHTO T 259/260

Chloride Penetration

500 to 2000 coulombsASTM C 1202Low Permeability

0-1 mm depth of wearASTM C 944Abrasion Resistance

2-4 MPa @ 3-12 hrs.or 1-3 daysASTM C 78H-E Flex. Strength

20-30 MPa @ 3-12 hrs.or 1-3 daysASTM C 39H-E Comp. Strength

40-140 MPa @ 28 to 91 daysASTM C 39High Strength

Criteria that may be specifiedTest MethodProperty


Selected Properties of High-Performance Concrete (2)

Less than normal concreteASTM C 512Low creep

Less than 400 millionthsASTM C 157Low shrinkage

Rating 0-1 or mass loss 0 to 0.5 kg/m3 after 50-300 cyclesASTM C 672High resistance to

deicer scaling

Durability Factor 95-100 @ 300 -1000 cycles

ASTM C 666 Procedure A

High resistance toF/T damage

More than 40 GPaASTM C 469High Mod.of Elast. (E)

0.1% max. exp. @ 6 mos.ASTM C 1012Sulphate attack

No deterioration after 1 yr.sat. solution in wet/dry environment

Resistance to chemical attack

1000 x 10-13 m/sWood, Wilson, LeekLow diffusion coeff.

Criteria that may be spec.Test MethodProperty


High-Early-Strength Concrete

■ High-early compressive strengthASTM C 39 (AASHTO T 22)20 to 28 MPa (3000 to 4000 psi) at 3 to 12 hours or 1 to 3 days

■ High-early flexural strengthASTM C 78 (AASHTO T 97)2 to 4 MPa (300 to 600 psi) at 3 to 12 hours or 1 to 3 days



■ Type III or HE high-early-strength cement

■ High cement content 400 to 600 kg/m3

(675 to 1000 lb/yd3)■ Low water-cementing materials ratio

(0.20 to 0.45 by mass)■ Higher freshly mixed concrete

temperature■ Higher curing temperature

May be achieved by —



■ Chemical admixtures■ Silica fume (or other

supplementary cementing materials)

■ Steam or autoclave curing■ Insulation to retain heat of

hydration■ Special rapid hardening cements

May be achieved by —


Strength Data for Fast-Track Bonded Overlay

2.5 (359)5.7 (830)40.7 (5900)28 days2.1 (309)5.0 (722)34.2 (4960)7 days2.1 (302)4.2 (604)23.9 (3467)24 hours1.6 (225)3.4 (494)17.6 (2546)12 hours1.4 (200)2.7 (393)13.0 (1883)8 hours1.1 (160)2.0 (287)7.0 (1020)6 hours0.9 (120)0.9 (126)1.7 (252)4 hours

AgeBond strength,

MPa (psi)Flexural strength,

MPa (psi)Compressive strength,

MPa (psi)


Strength Development of HE Strength Concrete

Cement = 390 kg/m3

(697 lb/yd3) w/c = 0.46


Strength Development of HE Strength Concrete

Cement = 504 to 528 kg/m3

(850 to 890 lb/yd3) w/c = 0.46


Effect of Blanket Insulation


High-Strength Concrete■ 90% of R/M concrete

20 MPa - 40 MPa @ 28-d (most 30 MPa – 35 MPa)

■ High-strength concrete by definition —28 day – compr. strength≥ 70 MPa (10,000 psi)


High-Strength Concrete Materials

■ Base selection on: ◆ mortar-cube tests◆ comparative concrete strengths at 28,

56, 91 days■ Use cement yielding highest concrete

strength at extended ages (91-days)■ Cement should have min. 7-day mortar

cube strength of 30 MPa (4350 psi)■ Trial mixture with cement contents

between 400 and 550 kg/m3 (675 and 930 lb/yd3)

Cements —



■ 9.5 - 12.5 mm (3/8 - 1/2 in.) nominal maximum size gives optimum strength

■ Combining single sizes for required grading allows for closer control and reduced variability in concrete

■ For 70 MPa and greater, the FM of the sand should be 2.8 – 3.2. (Lower may give lower strengths and sticky mixes)

Aggregates —



■ Fly ash, silica fume, or slag often mandatory

■ Dosage rate 5% to 20% or higher by mass of cementing material.

■ Some specs. – silica fume 10% max.

Supplementary Cementing Materials —



■ Use of water reducers, retarders, HRWRs, or superplasticizers —mandatory in high-strength concrete

■ Air-entraining admixtures not necessary or desirable in protected high-strength concrete.

◆ Air is mandatory, where durability in a freeze-thaw environment is required ie. bridges, piers, parking structures

◆ Recent studies: ★ w/cm ≥ 0.30—air required ★ w/cm < 0.25—no air needed

Admixtures —


High-Strength Concrete

■ Central Plant or Truck Mixers■ Truck mixing — reduce loads to

90% of rated capacity■ Prequalification of concrete

suppliers is recommended■ Field trials with full loads delivered

to the site or a mock-up are essential to assess the batching, mixing, transporting and placing systems to be used

Mixing —


High-Strength Concrete

■ Delays in delivery and placing must be eliminated

■ Consolidation very important to achieve strength

■ Slump generally 180 to 220 mm (7 to 9 in.)

■ Little if any bleeding—fog or evaporation retarders have to be applied immediately after strike off to minimize plastic shrinkage and crusting

■ 7 days moist curing

Placing, Consolidation, and Curing


Mix Proportions and Properties of High-Strength Concrete

0.220.29Water to cementing materials ratio

C + SFC + SF + FA

11792Compressive strength, 28d, MPa124105Compressive strength, 91d, MPa

254248Slump, mm

1.461.05Retarder, Type D, liters/m3

56.549.9Modulus of elasticity, 91d, GPa527677Drying shrinkage, 369d, millionths

20.1111.6HRWR Type F, liters/m3

—59Fly ash, kg/m3

8924Silica fume, kg/m3

564475Cement, Type I, kg/m3


Mix Proportions and Properties of High-Strength Concrete

0.220.29Water to cementing materials ratio

C + SFC + SF + FA

17,00013,300Compressive strength, 28d, psi18,03015,170Compressive strength, 91d, psi

109.75Slump, in.

3827Retarder, Type D, fl oz/yd3

8.207.24Modulus of elasticity, 91d, million psi527677Drying shrinkage, 369d, millionths

520300HRWR Type F, fl oz/yd3

—100Fly ash, lb/yd3

15040Silica fume, lb/yd3

950800Cement, Type I, lb/yd3


■ Cement: (865 lb/yd3)■ w/c: 0.25■ Silica fume: (72 lb/yd3)■ Fine aggr.: (1155 lb/yd3)■ HRWR: (420 oz/yd3)■ 28d strength: (17,200 psi)■ 91d strength: (21,000 psi)

■ Cement: 513 kg/m3

■ w/c: 0.25■ Silica fume: 43 kg/m3

■ Fine aggr.: 685 kg/m3

■ HRWR: 15.7 L/m3

■ 28d strength: 119 MPa■ 91d strength: 145 MPa

Two Union Square Seattle, 1988


High-Durability Concrete

■ 1970s and 1980s focus on —High-Strength HPC

■ Today focus on concretes with high durability in severe environments resulting in structures with long life —

High-Durability HPC


High-Durability Concrete

■ Abrasion Resistance■ Blast Resistance■ Permeability■ Carbonation■ Freeze-Thaw Resistance■ Chemical Attack■ Alkali-Silica Reactivity

(helps combat)■ Corrosion rates of rebar

(high resistivity)

Durability Issues That HPC Can Address


■ Cement: 398 kg/m3 (671 lb/yd3)■ Fly ash: 45 kg/m3 (76 lb/yd3)■ Silica fume: 32 kg/m3 (72 lb/yd3)■ w/c: 0.30■ Water Red.: 1.7 L/m3 (47 oz/yd3)■ HRWR: 15.7 L/m3 (83 oz/yd3)■ Air: 5-8%■ 91d strength: 60 MPa (8700 psi)

High-Durability ConcreteConfederation Bridge, Northumberland Strait, Confederation Bridge, Northumberland Strait, Prince Edward Island/New Brunswick, 1997Prince Edward Island/New Brunswick, 1997


Self-Consolidating Concrete

■ developed in 1980s — Japan■ Increased amount of

◆ Fine material (i.e. fly ash or limestone filler)

◆ HRWR/Superplasticizers■ Strength and durability same as

conventional concrete

Self-consolidating concrete (SCC) also known as self-compacting concrete —flows and consolidates on its own


Self-Consolidating Concrete


Portland cement (Type I) 297 kg/m3 (500 lb/yd3)

Slag cement 128 kg/m3 (215 lb/yd3)

Coarse aggregate 675 kg/m3 (1,137 lb/yd3)

Fine aggregate 1,026 kg/m3 (1,729 lb/yd3)

Water 170 kg/m3 (286 lb/yd3)

Superplasticizer ASTM C 494, Type F (Polycarboxylate-based) 1.3 L/m3 (35 oz/yd3)

AE admixture as needed for 6% ± 1.5% air content

SCC for Power Plant in Pennsylvania—Mix Proportions


J-Ring Test for SCC


Reactive-Powder Concrete (RPC)■ Properties:

◆ High strength — 200 MPa(can be produced to 810 MPa)

◆ Very low porosity

■ Properties are achieved by:◆ Max. particles size ≤ 300 µm◆ Optimized particle packing◆ Low water content◆ Steel fibers◆ Heat-treatment


Mechanical Properties of RPC

1.227510-12 m2/sAbrasion02mmCarbonation

10090RDFFreeze-thaw30<1103 J/m2Fracture Toughness

60 (8.7 x 106)40 (5.8 x 106)GPa (psi)Modulus of Elasticity8 (1160)MPa (psi)Tensile strength40 (5800)7 (1000)MPa (psi)Flexural strength

200 (29,000)80 (11,600)MPa (psi)Compressive strength

RPC80 MPaUnitProperty


Reactive Powder Concrete

high-performance concrete - u of s · pdf filelow absorption astm c 642 2% to 5% ... high...

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