Pre-packed Concrete

Pre-packed aggregate concrete (PAC) is concrete that is made by

forcing grout into the voids of a mass of clean ,graded coarse aggregate densely
prepacked in formwork .PAC is used where placing conventional concrete is
extremely difficult ,such as where massive reinforcing steel and embedded items
are present ,in water repair ,concrete and masonry repair ,or where shrinkage of
concrete must be kept to a minimum.

Graded aggregates similar to the substrate concrete will be placed

firstly in the formwork.

• After the placement of graded aggregates, cement grout will be injected into the
formwork from THE BOTTOM.
• The resulting concrete will be in excellent quality in proper implication.

For the purpose of this repair method,grout typically consist of sand

,cement ,pozzolana ,plasticizer/super plasticizer and an air entraining agent (for
anticipated freeze and thaw problem,if required). The pozzolana and the
plasticizer /super plasticizer are used to impact flowability to the grout. The
coarse aggregate is washed to remove all fines and screened just prior to
placement .grout is then injected through forms to provide the cementing
matrix.grouting is begum at the bottom of the pre-placed aggregate.

For the purpose of this repair method,grout typically consist of

sand ,cement ,pozzolana ,plasticizer/super plasticizer and an air entraining
agent (for anticipated freeze and thaw problem,if required). The pozzolana and
the plasticizer /super plasticizer are used to impact flowability to the grout. The
coarse aggregate is washed to remove all fines and screened just prior to
placement .grout is then injected through forms to provide the cementing
matrix.grouting is begum at the bottom of the pre-placed aggregate.
Characteristics of the grout are affected by the water content,sand grading
,cement, pozzolana and the types and amount of admixtures .For each design
of grout mixture, there are optimum amounts of fillers and admixtures to produce
the best pumpability or consistency .Proper proportioning for the structural grout
mix components is necessary to get the required strength and durability of the
finished pre-placed aggregate concrete .trail mix design is necessary for each
job.

In underwater repair ,injection of grout at the bottom of the PAC

displaces water,leaving a homogeneous mass of concrete with minimum of
paste wash out. In such application ,addition of anti wash admixtures minimizes
the paste wash out .for underwater PAC , the quality of underwater should also
be tested to determine its influence onPAC over a period of time for taking
appropriate corrective action.

Materials :
Grout for preplaced aggregateconcrete may be mixed with sand either
of the gradation specified for conventional concrete orwith fine sand, pozzolanic
or fly ash fillers,water reducing admixtures, and pumpingadmixtures as dictated
by the minimum size of the coarse aggregate. With 1-1/2-inch minimumsize
coarse aggregate, the sand gradation is thatspecified for conventional concrete.
Theportland cement, water, and sand are mixed using high speed centrifugal
grout mixers thatproduce well mixed grouts of a creamy consistency. For use
with 1/2-inch minimumsize coarse aggregate, a grout mixture is prepared
containing fine sand passing a No. 8screen and with at least 95 percent passing
a No.16 screen. Best pumping characteristics will be obtained with fineness
modulus between 1.2 and 2 and with the rounded shape of natural sands as
opposed to crushed sands. admixture improves the flowability of the grout
and the ultimate strength. Proprietary pumping admixtures are commonly used to
increase the penetration and pumpability of the final grout.
The consistency of grout for preplaced aggregated should be uniform from batch
to batch and should be such that it can be readily pumped into the voids at
relatively low pressure. Consistency is affected by water content, sand
grading, filler type and content, cement type, and admixture type. For each mix,
there are optimum proportions that produce best grout pumpability or
consistency, and tests are necessary for each job to determine these optimum
proportions. The maximum size coarse aggregate used with both types of grout
is the largest available, provided that the aggregate can be easily handled
and placed. Coarse aggregate should meet all the requirements of coarse
aggregate for conventional concrete. It is essential that the
coarse aggregated be clean. The aggregate should be well graded from
minimum size (1/2- inch minimum or 1-1/2-inch minimum) up to the maximum
size, and when compacted into the forms, should have a void content of 35 to 40
percent. If grout containing sand of concrete grading is used, the minimum
coarse aggregate size should be 1-1/2 inches.

Considerations for practical use

All loose and spalled concrete should be repaired prior to the application.
• Target compressive strength of the pre-packed concrete should be compatible
with that of the substrate.
• Trials on compressive strength before operation are recommended.
• Careful design on aggregate size and grading is recommended.
• Aggregate size shouldn’t be too fine in order to avoid blockage of grout patch.
• Similar to micro-concrete, formwork with leakproof is required.
• Pre-soaking of the substrate with water is necessary.
• Aggregate should be clean and free from silt before application
.

Application ranges
• For use at areas where concrete placing is difficult, e.g. at beam soffits.
• For areas with congested reinforcement or depth of repair is greater than
75mm where patch repair is not suitable.
• For where the structural strength have to be restored.

Advantages
• Compare to sprayed concrete, it has greater density, greater uniformity, lesser
permeability, lower shrinkage, less dependence on personal skills of equipment
operators, less dust, less clean-up work, and more economical.

Limitations
• All works in vertical surfaces require formwork. At least 3 to 4 inches of space
is required for replacement.