Toward a sustainable SCC through the use of high volume Fly ash and Slag to reduce cement in SCC

and the effect on its cracking potential Salah Altoubat

University of Sharjah, UAE

Middle East Conference on Sustainable Building Materials February 23rd, 2011

Background

SCC Characteristics:
Does not need vibration
Excellent deformability High resistance to segregation

Attractive choice in the construction industry

SCC has gained wide recognition in the Gulf
its use is on the rise Research on local materials is demanded

Sustainability Concern: Construction Industry

contribute around 20 to 25% of CO2

Carbon footprint of concrete is contributed by the following:

Material production (cement, reinforcement, aggetc) Concrete production Repair during service life Demolition and recycling

Sustainable concrete demands reduction of cement use

One ton of cement produce around 0.9 ton of CO2

Sustainable concrete demands durable concrete

Reduce Repair and increase service life

Sustainability Requirements:

Durability is the other face of Sustainability

Reduction of Cement
Fly ash and GGBF Slag to replace cement High volume of replacement of cement

Fly ash and GGBF slag are byproducts of steel production and thermal power generation
Reduce risk of environmental issues by using them in concrete

Scenarios to achieve sustainable concrete: Significant Reduction of Cement

use of supplementary cementitious materials High volume of slag and fly ash

Keep eyes on durability issues

Premature cracking Early age cracking Corrosion Quality control

Early age shrinkage cracking is critical factor for durability

Shape the durability of concrete during service life

Motivation

Durability Issue:
SCC exhibits high potential for shrinkage cracking. Results on drying shrinkage of SCC are conflicting Lack of local results in the Gulf

SCC has high potential for shrinkage

SCC is typically characterized by: Low content of coarse aggregate Low water to cement ratio High content of binder High content of fine aggregate

Shrinkage cracking of SCC is a concern !!

Shrinkage Cracking
Important Factors: Shrinkage potential Tensile creep Curing conditions Restraint conditions
Material Parameters

External Parameters

Restrained Shrinkage Test should be performed !!

Restrained Shrinkage Test: Linear Test

Passive Restraint Test

Active Restraint Test

Restrained Shrinkage Test: Ring Test

Ring Test is a viable test to perform Restrained Shrinkage

Degree of Restraint Depends on type of Ring

ASTM STANDARD RINGS AASHTO STANDARD RINGS

Dimensions Steel Thickness Steel Height Concrete Thickness Concrete Height

ASTM Standard Ring

AASHTO Standard Ring

12 mm 150mm 38mm 150mm

12mm 150mm 75mm 150mm

ASTM ring: 60 to 70 %

AASHTO ring: 40 to 50 %

Objectives

Studying the restrained shrinkage & cracking potential for SCC made from local materials in UAE. Investigating the effect of following parameters on cracking potential of SCC
Type & proportion of supplementary cementitious materials( Fly ash, GGBS , Micro silica) Degree of Restraint Curing Regime

Experimental program: Methodology

Perform restrained shrinkage ring tests for SCC mixes with different supplementary materials SCM includes:
Fly Ash GGBS Micorsilica Control

Experimental program: Study Parameters

External Parameters
Degree of Restraint
High degree (ASTM ring) ~ 60 to 70 % Moderate degree (AASHTO ring) ~ 40 to 50 %

Curing Conditions
Air drying Moist curing for 3 days Moist curing for 7 daya

Materials parameters
High strength SCC mix with w/c of 0.36 Compressive strength = 60 MPa Proportion of fly ash (0, 20%, 35%, and 50%) Proportion of GGBS (35%, 50% and 70%) Proportion of micro silica (5, 7, and 10%) Combination of fly ash or GGBS with micro silica

Experimental program: Measurement

Ring test
Monitor steel strain Age at cracking Net time to cracking

Compressive Strength
At age of 3, 7, 14, 28, 56, 100 and 120 days

Free shrinkage
From demolding to age of 120 days

Tensile strength
At age of 3, 7, 14, and 28 days

Experimental program: Test Matrix Primary tests

Mix No. Type of SCMs Fly Ash (SCMs) (%) Restrained Shrinkage Test (Ring Test) ASTM Standard Test Air Drying 1 2 3 4 Control Fly Ash Fly Ash Fly Ash 20 35 50 3Days Moist 7Days Moist AASHTO Standard Test Air Drying 3Days Moist 7Days Moist

Additional tests 7% micro silica was added to mixes 3 and 4 in addition to fly ash and cured for 3 days

Experimental program: Concrete Mix Proportion with Fly Ash

Mix w/c Cementitious Materials Kg/m3 Cement Control Fly Ash-20% Fly Ash-35% Fly Ash-50% 0.36 0.36 0.36 0.36 450 360 292 225 Fly Ash 90 185 225 Total 450 450 450 450 Coarse Agg. 736 735 723 723 Aggregate Kg/m3 Fine Agg. 1101 1090 1056 1032 Fine Agg. /Total Agg. 0.60 0.60 0.59 0.59 6.5 6.5 5.5 5.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 HRWRA L/m3 VE Kg/m3

Maximum aggregate size was 10 mm Wash sand, crushed sand and dune sand as fine aggregate Class F fly ash

Experimental program: Concrete Mix Proportion with Slag

Mix w/c Cementitious Materials Kg/m3 Cement GGBS-35% GGBS-50% GGBS-70% 0.36 0.36 0.36 292 225 135 GGBS 158 225 315 Total 450 450 450 Coarse Agg. 747 748 738 Aggregate Kg/m3 Fine Agg. 1096 1094 1083 Fine Agg. /Total Agg. 0.59 0.59 0.59 5.5 6.0 5.5 0.5 0.6 HRWRA L/m3 VE Kg/m3

Maximum aggregate size was 10 mm Wash sand, crushed sand and dune sand as fine aggregate Class F fly ash

Experimental program: Targeted Fresh Properties

Mix Slump Flow (mm) Control 20%FA 35%FA 50%FA 620 720 600 680 Fresh Properties Flow Rate (s) 10 5 6 5 L-Box Ratio 0.70 0.85 0.80 0.95

Slum p Flow (600-750mm)

Flow Rate (3 10 sec)

L- Box Test 0.7

Materials Properties
Binder Materials Type Cement Class F Fly Ash Aggregates Type 10 mm Agg. Crushed Sand Washed Sand Dune Sand Admixtures CHRYSO Fluid Optima 230 Feyplast SUB-AQUA Poly Carboxelated based High range water reducing admixture Viscosity Enhancer Admixture in powder form Specific Gravity 2.96 2.78 2.74 2.63 Absorption 0.9 1.5 1.4 0.8 Source Siji Ras Al Kaimah Siji Al Ain Specific Gravity 3.15 2.3 Source Union Cement Factory (UAE) Available in UAE Market. It is originally from a India.

Experimental program: Ring test set up and instrumentation

Data acquisition system

Experimental program: Curing and Strain Monitoring

Test results: ASTM Steel Ring Strain Evolution

Age of first cracking is sensitive to fly ash proportion and curing condition

Test results: AASHTO Steel Ring Strain Evolution

Curing is effective

Cracking sensitivity to fly ash proportion and curing condition is more pronounced in AASHTO ring test

Test results: Summary of Net Time to Cracking

35% of fly ash perform well under high degree of restraint, provided moist curing is adopted for 3 days

Test results: Summary of Net Time to Cracking

Addition of 7% SF combined with fly ash significantly improved the crack resistance of the mix under high degree of restraint.

Test results: Summary of Net Time to Cracking

50% of fly ash perform well under low degree of restraint, provided moist curing is adopted for 7 days

Test results (GGBS): ASTM Steel Ring Strain Evolution

Age of first cracking is sensitive to GGBS proportion and curing condition

Test results (GGBS): AASHTO Steel Ring Strain Evolution

Cracking sensitivity to GGBS proportion and curing condition is more pronounced in AASHTO ring test

Test results: Summary of Net Time to Cracking

50% of GGBS perform well under high degree of restraint, provided moist curing is adopted for 3 days

Test results: Summary of Net Time to Cracking

70% of GGBS perform well under low degree of restraint, provided moist curing is adopted for 7 days

Test results: Crack Resistance Under High Degree of Restraint

Air Drying

3Days Moist

7Days Moist

35% fly ash and 50% slag increase the crack resistance relative to control provided moist curing is adopted

Significant improvement with 7% SF and fly ash.

Test results: Crack Resistance Under Low Degree of Restraint

Fly Ash can be added by up to 50% and Slag by Fly ash and Slag increase the crack resistance relative to control up to 70 % in low degree provided moist curing is adopted of restraint application .

Analysis: Key Parameters affecting cracking 1. Tensile Strength 2. Shrinkage Potential 3. Induced Tensile Stress

4. Degree of Relaxation

Analysis: Free Shrinkage

Fly ash did not affect long term drying shrinkage

Analysis: Early Age Free Shrinkage

Early shrinkage potential decreased as the fly ash proportion increased

Analysis: Degree of Relaxation

Fly ash improves early age stress relaxation

Analysis: Degree of Relaxation

Slag improves early age stress relaxation

Summary and Conclusions

Highlighted critical parameters to achieve sustainable SCC
% of Fly Ash % of GGBF Slag Curing Condition Degree of Restraint

Fly ash and slag can be used to reduce cement in SCC

Fly ash can replace cement by up to 50% GGBF slag can replace cement by up to 70 %

Fly Ash and GGBF typically IMPROVES crack resistance of SCC provided that moist curing is adopted

Summary and Conclusions

Durability consideration:
Fly ash can be added by up to 35% in HIGH DEGREE of restraint structure provided that moist curing for at least 3days is adopted. Beyond this proportion 7% micro silica should be added. For LOW DEGREE of restraint structure, fly ash can be added by up to 50% provided that moist curing for at least 3days is adopted, preferably 7days. GGBF Slag can be added by up to 50% in HIGH DEGREE of restraint structure provided that moist curing for at least 3days is adopted. For LOW DEGREE of restraint structure, Slag can be added by up to 70% provided that moist curing for at least 3days is adopted, preferably 7days.