See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/281024849

Fly ash in self-compacting concrete

Article · January 2001

CITATIONS READS

52 1,996

2 authors, including:

Roberto Saccone
ConcreteEngineering&Construction
4 PUBLICATIONS 54 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE

All content following this page was uploaded by Roberto Saccone on 20 October 2020.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 SP 199-15

Fly Ash in Self-Compacting Concrete

by R. Khurana and R. Saccone

Synopsis: The importance of a low water cement ratio for enhancing

durability of a concrete has long been accepted. Low water content leads to
a low workability of the fresh concrete and if this concrete is not properly
compacted, the durability of the structures will be impaired. In the mid
seventies, superplasticizers were introduced to the market to produce
rheoplastic concretes. These concretes had a high workability, slump of over
200 mm, but were at the same time cohesive and non segregating. Millions
of cubic meters of such concretes have been used all over the world during
this decade. Recently self-compacting concrete was developed in Japan and
its use is spreading very rapidly to other countries. A proper design of a self-
compacting concrete requires considerably more fines content as compared
to the traditional concrete. Therefore, large volumes of fly ash, partially in
substitution of cement and partially as filler, can be employed in producing
self-compacting concrete. This paper compares the properties of fresh and
hardened normal concrete and a self-compacting concrete with large
volumes of fly ash. Significant advantages in the use of fly ash are
demonstrated.

Keywords: CE superplasticizers; combination type self-compacting

concrete; deformability; fines; flowability; fly ash; plastic viscosity;
powder type self-compacting concrete; ranks of self compactibility;
segregation resistance; viscosity modifying admixtures; viscosity
type self-compacting concrete

259
260 Khurana and Saccone

R. Khurana Technology Director MAC SpA, Treviso!Italy. Post Graduate

Diploma in Reinforced Concrete Structures from Milan Polytechnic, Italy.
More than 25 years of experience in concrete technology and admixtures
applications world wide. Active member ofCEN TC 104 SC3 "Admixtures
for Concrete", CEN TC I 04 SC8 WG2 "Products and systems for the
protection and repair of concrete structures" and member of AI CAP (Italian
Association of Prestressed Concrete).

R. Saccone graduate in Civil Engineering from Rome University and is at

present responsible for Technical and Marketing Services of the Ready
Mixed Concrete and Precast Concrete Division of MAC spa, Treviso, Italy.
In this fn he is active in field applications, development of new technologies
and materials testing relating to the use of admixtures.

INTRODUCTION

The use of self-compacting concrete is spreading very rapidly all over

the world. The transition from stiff concretes of the early 201h century,
where the workability was kept low in order to ensure a low water cement
ratio for strength and durability requirements to "Rheoplastic" concretes of
the early '80s was slow and arduous. The extension of "Rheoplastic"
concrete to self-compacting concrete (SCC) made by the Japanese concrete
technologists during the late '80s was a quantum leap in moving the
construction industry towards a high degree of industrialisation by reducing
the human involvement in concrete placing and consolidation. This is
particularly welcomed because the construction industry is facing a shortage
of skilled workers. The spread of self-compacting concrete will place more
responsability on the concrete producer and then, he may guarantee the
quality of the concrete in the structure and not just at the discharge point.
This is an opportunity for the ready mixed concrete producer to "add" value
to his product and expand his market.

SELF-COMPACTING CONCRETE

Self-compacting concrete is basically a concrete which is capable of

flowing into the formwork, without segregation, to fill uniformly and
completely every comer of it by its own weight without any application of
vibration or other energy during placing. There is no standard self-
compacting concrete. Therefore, each self-compacting concrete has to be
designed for the particular structure to be constructed. However, working on
the parameters which effect the basic properties of self-compacting concrete
such as plastic viscosity, deformability, flowability and resistance to
 Fly Ash, Silica Fume, and Slag 261

segregation, self-compacting concretes may be proportioned for almost any

type of concrete structure.
To establish an appropriate mixture proportion for a self-compacting
concrete the performance requirements must be defined taking into account
the structural conditions such as shape, dimensions, reinforcement density
and construction conditions. The construction conditions include methods of
transporting, placing, finishing and curing. The specific requirement of self-
compacting concrete is its capacity for self compaction, without vibration,
in the fresh state. Other performances such as strength and durability should
be established as for normal concrete.
To meet the concrete performance requirements the following three
types of self-compacting concretes are available (1):
a) Powder type self-compacting concrete. This is proportioned to give the
required self compactability by reducing the water-powder (material <
0.1 mm) ratio and provide adequate segregation resistance.
Superplasticizers and air entraining admixtures give the required
deformability.
b) Viscosity agent type self-compacting concrete. This type is proportioned
to provide self compaction by the use of a viscosity modifying
admixture to provide segregation resistance. Superplasticizers and air
entraining admixtures are used for obtaining the desired deformability.
c) Combination type self-compacting concrete. This type is proportioned
so as to obtain self compactability mainly by reducing the water-powder
ratio, as in the powder type, and a viscosity modifying admixture is
added to reduce the quality fluctuations of the fresh concrete due to the
variation of the surface moisture content of the aggregates and their
gradations during the production. This facilitates the production control
of the concrete.

Furthermore, to meet the structural performance requirements, which

take into account the shape, dimensions and reinforcement conditions, the
following three Ranks have been established for the levels of self
compactability:
a) Rank 1. For structural elements where the minimum reinforcement
clearance is less than 60 mm or the steel content is more than 350
kg/m3
b) Rank 2. For concrete structural elements where the reinforcement
clearance is 60 to 200 mm or the steel content is in the range of 100 to
200 kg/m 3 .
c) Rank 3. For concrete structural elements where the reinforcement
clearance is more than 200 mm or the reinforcement content is less than
100 kg/m3 .
262 Khurana and Saccone

TEST PROGRAMME

A laboratory test programme was set up to evaluate the influences of

different parameters such as cement type and dosage, filler type and content,
type, nature and maximum size of the aggregates, family of
superplasticizers, viscosity modifying admixtures and air entraining agents.
The outline of the test programme is shown in Fig.1.

FLY ASH IN SELF-COMPACTING CONCRETE

The fines or the powder (all material< 0.1 mm) play a decisive role in
the proportioning of self-compacting concrete. As mentioned before, the
powder type and the combination type of self-compacting concretes have a
reduced water to powder ratio. This means that for these types of self-
compacting concretes the powder content (cement+ fillers+ fines from the
aggregates) is usually in the range of 500 to 600 kg/m3. In structural
concrete the cement content varies from 250 to 450 kg/m3, depending upon
the the strength and the durability requirements. The cement content of the
concrete mix may be reduced effectively by the use of supplementary
cementitious materials such as silica fume, granulated blast-furnace slag,
metakaolin, rice husk ash and above all fly ash. The availability of other
materials, as compared to fly ash, is much less. Silica fume and metakaolin
are expensive and are used for special purposes. The vast availability of fly
ash at low cost makes it an "ideal powder" for use in self-compacting
concrete and large amounts, from 200 to 350 kg/m3, could be used for this
purpose. From our test programme only data from tests made with high fly
ash contents are reported in this paper.

MATERIALS FOR LABORATORY TESTS

Materials normally employed in the ready mixed concrete industry

were used in this test programme. Cement of class CEM 42.5 R type WAL
conforming to EN 197-1 (2) and crushed aggregates and sand of dolomite
nature from a local quarry near Treviso, Italy were used. Fly ash, complying
to EN450 (3) was from Fusina (Venice) power station and its chemical and
physical characteristics are reported in Table I and 2. Polycarboxylic ether
(CE) polymer base superplasticizer and a modified cellulose base viscosity
modifying admixture (VMA) of Italian origin were used. The viscosity
modifying admixture was used only for the self-compacting concrete mixes
for the reasons stated before. Their use in normal concrete is very limited.
 Fly Ash, Silica Fume, and Slag 263

MIXTURE PROPORTIONS

Approximately 90% of the ready mixed concrete produced in Italy has

a characteristic strength of 25 or 30 MPa. Mixture proportions for a 30 MPa
class of concrete having a consistence class of S 5 (slump > 200 mm) for
normal concrete and for self-compacting concrete with 200 and 300 kg/m3
of fly ash were calculated. In calculating the effective water cement ratio for
the mixes with fly ash a cementitious factor (k value) of 0.33 was attributed
to the fly ash, as per EN 206 -1 (4). The selection of the W/C was made
from a regression curve developed in our laboratory for Italian cements 42.5
R Type IV AL and is shown in Fig.2. The mixture proportions, per cubic
meter, for the 3 concrete mixtures are given below.

Mixture Number 1 2 3
Concrete Class, MPa 30 30 30
Type of Concrete Normal sec sec
Cement, kg 300 240 200
Fly Ash, kg 0 200 300
Total binders, kg 300 440 500
Binders cost based on Italian prices, % 100 90 82
Sand 0-5 mm, kg 1100 950 900
Coarse Aggregate 5-15 mm, kg 860 770 710
Total Fines Content, kg 360 510 560
CE Superplasticizer (liters) 3.0 5.9 6.5
VMA (liters) 0 2.2 2.5
Water (liters) 181 180 182
Effective W/(C + k·fly ash) 0.60 0.59 0.61
W/C+Fly Ash 0.60 0.41 0.36

PROPERTIES OF FRESH CONCRETE

Normal concrete was characterized by its slump and the air content.
Since no European Standard test methods exist for characterizing self
conpacting concrete, test methods recommended by the Japan Concrete
Society and described in Reference (5) were used. These include slump
flow, flow through a V-Funnel, passability through spaces using a U-Box
and fillability using the Kajima Fill Box. The equipment and the principal
for these tests are shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, The properties of the fresh
concretes are reported in Table 3.
264 Khurana and Saccone

PROPERTIES OF HARDENED CONCRETE

Mechanical Properties

Test specimens of appropriate dimensions were made for determining

the compressive strength up to I year, flexural and indirect tensile strengths
up to 90 days. Also elastic modulus, slant shear bond to hardened concrete
and bond to steel (deformed bars) were determined after 28 days of curing
in standard laboratory conditions of 21 ± 2°C and 95 ± 5% relative
humidity. These results are reported in Table 3. Specimens were also made
for measuring drying shrinkage and these were stored in air at 21 ± 2°C and
55 ± 5% relative humidity. Results up to 360 days are shown in Fig.3.

Durability of Hardened Concrete

Since chlorides and sulphates enter into concrete through water penetration,
test specimens were made for determining the water penetration as per ISO
7031 (6). Also, a series of specimens were subjected to freezing and thawing
cycles as per ASTM C666, Procedure A. These results are reported below.

Mixture Number 2 3
Type of Concrete Normal sec sec
Fly Ash Content, kglm3 0 200 300
Water Penetration
Maximum Value, mm 23 3 6
Average Value, mm 19 2 3
Relative Dynamic Elastic
Modulus after 300 cycles,% 79 103 Ill

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

From the results it appears that large amounts of fly ash can be used in
producing self-compacting concrete. Fly ash can also effectively reduce the
cement content. Even in this case compressive, flexural and indirect tensile
strengths are improved. This could be due to a better aggregate packing and
that the effective cementitious factor (k) for fly ash is definitely higher than
the value of 0.33 as suggested by the European Standard, prEN 206 for
cements 42.5 type II AIL (4). From Fig. 2, to obtain 28 days strengths of
48.2 MPa ofMix 2 and 47.1 MPa of Mix 3 the water cement ratio should be
0.52 and the effective cement contents would then result to be 346 kglm3 .
Therefore 200 kg of fly ash in mix 2 were able to provide for 106 kg of
 Fly Ash, Silica Fume, and Slag 265

cement and 300 kg of fly ash in mix 3 provides for 146 kg of cement. Bond
to steel and concrete is also improved. This is probably due to the cohesive
nature of the self-compacting concrete. The elastic modulus is slightly lower
than that of the normal concrete probably reflecting its higher mortar
content and a lower coarse aggregate content. The impermeability of the
self-compacting concrete is remarkable. This surely makes the structure
more resistant to water borne aggressive agents such as chlorides, sulphates,
etc. The air void structure created in the self-compacting concrete in the
presence of a viscosity modifying admixture (probably the bubble size is
decreased) improved the resistance to freezing and thawing. More research
will have to be undertaken in this field so as to arrive at a proper
explanation. The early drying shrinkage of the self-compacting concretes
was observed to be higher than that of the normal concrete. But, at 1 year
the difference was must less and the shrinkage of the self-compacting
concrete mixes with large volumes of fly ash was 6 to 9% higher than that
of the normal concrete.
In the twenty-first century more stress will be laid to sustainable
development. The concrete industry has played a major role in disposal of
large amounts of industrial by products like slag, fly ash and silica fume.
Therefore, self-compacting concrete can play a major role in increasing the
use of fly ash in concrete. At the same time other advantages such as
economic mixes obtained by cement reduction, less cost for placing of
concrete and improved strengths and durability ofthe concrete structure are
also obtained.

REFERENCES

1. Japan Concrete Society. "Recommendations for Self-compacting

concrete", Tokyo, Japan, August1999.
2. European Standards. EN 197-1 "Cement Composition, Specification
and conformity Criteria" for common Cements.
3. European Standards. EN 450 "Fly Ash for Concrete: Definition,
Requirements and Quality control"
4. European Standards. prEN 206-1 Concrete - Part 1: Specification,
Performance, Production and Conformity.
5. Japan Concrete Society. "Standard Test Methods for Self-compacting
concrete" Tokyo, Japan, August 1999.
6. International Standards. ISO 7031 "Hardened Concrete
Determination of the Depth of Penetration of Water Under Pressure"
266 Khurana and Saccone

Table I. Chemical and Physical Characteristics of Fusina Fly Ash

(EN 450)

Si02 45.44%
AI20J 29.9%
___r::ezOJ 6.8%
CaO 6.94%
MgO 1.82%
so) 0.29%
NazO eg. 0.38% ·-
cr 0.02%
Free CaO 0.67%
Loss on Ignition 6.2%
Fineness (retained on 45 ~m sieve) 30%
Density 2195 kg/m'
Stabilil:t - 2.5 mm
Activil:t index at 28 da:ts 79% - -

Table 2. Chemical and Physical Analysis of cement 42.5 Type I A/L

from ltalcementi, Savignano, Italy

Loss on Ignition 6.2%

Si02 19.43%
CaO 60.42%
MgO 1.81%
FezOJ 3.46%
AI20J 5.14%
Na20 0.34%
K20 0.62%
sol 2.76%
Insoluble Residue 1.39%
Free CaO 1.54% -

Fineness 3458 m'/kg -·----·--·

Specific Weight 2.912 k~liter
 Fly Ash, Silica Fume, and Slag 267

Table 3. Properties of Fresh Concrete

Mixture Nr. I 2 3 Suggested Yalue (I)
Type of Concrete Nonnal sec sec ~- ~~---------

Fly Ash Content, kg/mJ 0 200 300 ·-·

Cement content, kg/nr 300 240 200
Total cement+ Fly Ash, kg!m· 300 440 500
Slump, mm 220 --- --- 200-220
Slump Flow, mm 530 670 650 600- 700
V-Funnel, sec. No Flow 12 10 8- 13
U-Box, mm --- 310 325 300-330
Kajima Fill Box, % --- 92 96 > 90% Fill
Air Content, % 2.6 3.5 3.7
Density, kg!m· 2450 2375 2355

Table 4. Mechanical Properties of Hardened Concrete

Mixture Number 2 3
Type of Concrete Nonnal sec sec
Fly Ash Content, kg/m 3 0 200 300
Compressive Strengths, MPa at:
I day 15.3 13.2 10.9
28 days 39.5 48.2 47.1
60 days 44.3 59.3 54.2
90 days 46.6 64.5 60.1
180 days 49.4 67.6 61.4
360 days 52.6 74.2 68.6
Flexural Strengths, MPa at:
I day 2.5 2.4 2.0
28 days 5.1 6.9 6.1
90 days 5.9 7.2 6.3
360 days 7.9 10.2 9.6
Indirect Tensile Strength, MPa at:
1 day 1.2 0.9 0.7
28 days 2.9 4.1 3.9
90 days 3.8 4.6 4.5
360 days 4.0 4.9 4.7
Modulus of Elasticity, MPa at:
28 days 36540 35890 35560
90 days 42290 39240 38950
Slant Shear Bond Strength, MPa at
28 days 10.0 16.4 14.6
Bond to Steel, MPa at 28 days 18.3 26.2 26.5
 N
C)
=
SELF COMPACTING CONCRETE :::-::::
=-
=
...
jREADY MIXED CONCRETE! PRECAST CONCRETE I»

Properties
=
I»
I»
=
Cement and Fines ..fggregates Properties of aggregares
I Chemtcal 1. 32.2 I. Fly Ash I. Naturals I Granulome1ry
Analysis 2. 42.5 2. Limestone filter 2.Crushed 2. Dens•ty (apparent and CL
2. Granulomelry 3. 52.5 3. Silica Fum~
4. Slag
a) Limestones
b) Basalt
absolutely
3. Absorption en
J. Spectfic
S. Mctak.iolin c) Silicious 4. Coeff. form I»
surface 6. Others S.% passmg 0.1 mm
n
4. Density
n

=
Q

CD

I. Fines Content (450-650 kslmJ)

I. Nanosilica
2.
3.
Superplasticizers
Air Entrainers
-----1-------. I. Carboxylic etht:r
2. BNS (RH)
., Bio-polymer 3. MELAMINE
4. Viscosity Modifying Agents
S. Water (w/c)
3. Others

FRESH CONCRETE
I. Static Slump HARDENING CONCRETE DURABILITY
2. V. Funnel I. Rca 16-18 h, 1-7-28-90-360 1. Penncability
J. U-Box 2. Rfa 16-18 h. 1-7-28-90-360 2. Carbonation
4. Fill Box J. Tensile splitting strength 3. Penetration ofCI
5. Visual Examinatton for 4. Elastic Modulus 4 Freezt:·thaw
chocsion and bleeding 5. Shrinkage . 5. Abrasion
6. Oensny 6 Creep 6. Sulph<~tc A !lack
7. Airatt= s· and I h 7. Cydic loading (5 ..:ydes)
8. Surface Settlement 8. Bond IO sled
9. Temperature of fresh concrete
10. Heat ofhydr;ttion

Fig. I Solf-compacting concrclc Tcsl Programme

 Fly Ash, Silica Fume, and Slag 269

00

oo·
I

70
eo:
~
~
00
::t:
E-<
\.:)
z~ 50

"
E-<
[J'J

-
>
[J'J
[J'J
~
40

2JJ
"0
~
~
u 20

ol--L--1-_J__j__j__JC==t==±~
0,2JJ 0,40 0,50 0,00 0,70 0,00 0,00 1,00 1,10 1,20

WA1ERa:MENf RATIO
Fig. 2 Rdation bemeen we and ~ve strength of Concretes
mtde Vlith Carrot 42,5 R type II AIL (EN 197-1)
 .....
N
0

::-=::
::r
0
...=
c
j ::I

-100 ~sec+ 200 kg/m3 of fly ash - =

=
l
..
::I
CL.
-Normal concrete Cl)

'E
-200

~ SCC + 300 kg/m3 of Fly ash

'---
=
n
n
Cl
-300
2:
\,~ ~
::I
CD
UJ
t!l -400
;2 ~,
z
ii:
J: -500 ~ ~ l'-tl.
. ·.
en
~ ~ t--_
-600

-700
·cl;!
~~.,~ r~---"
··_:::..:""'"~'"""'-'«--_.,,
...
~

-800
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400

TIME (days)

Fig. 3 Drying Shrinkage; curing at 21 ±zoe- 55± 5'Yo

Slump

100mm
+--+

n
I»

"""
c
3
~
I»
60- 70 em =
c.
en
Slump Flow Test I»
CCI

Fig. 4 SCC TEST METHODS: Measurement of Slump Flow -

N
......
 N
""'-~
N
V Funnel ::111::
::r
~00 rnf'l'l

...=
C»
=
l
C»
C»
=
CL.
en
C»
n
425 -m • n
Cl
=
l
C'D

15.1 .-,m

H
'55mm'

Measurement of the Flow

Time

Fig. 5 SCC TEST METHODS: Measurement of the Flow Time

 ------ ------~·--·--·

too stiff too flowable

l.l~G ~;r~K ~~:!~G

..,
<
:1>
en
due to low
flowability block due to
=-
segregation
en
n
..,
I»

c
3
!D
I»
=
c.
en
I»
Fig. 6 SCC TEST METHODS: Measurement of Passing Ability
=
N
.......
w
 274 Khurana and Saccone

><
0
a'l
c:n
c
·-·--
u.

View publication stats