Impact of self-compacting concrete for construction sites

Abstract

This article presents the current state in the world and local experience of selfcompacting concrete (SCC) application. According to the results of the market analysis, a significant share of the SCC market belongs to the countries of the Asia-Pacific region. As the analysis revealed, the largest volume of SCC ever filled on construction sites was found in Abu Dhabi – more than 200 thousand cubic meters. As part of this study, a comprehensive development of a new generation of SCC compositions was carried out, based on local inert materials, chemical and mineral additives. A number of laboratory tests were conducted and three unique recipes were selected for the SCC M350 B25 with characteristics exceeding the quality of conventional concrete of the same brand and class. Educational seminars on the subject of SCC were organized for employees of a number of construction sites and a concrete plant in Nur-Sultan. Three pilot SCC pours with a total volume of 70 cubic meters were carried out at the Nur-Sultan construction sites. Tests with destructive and non-destructive methods were performed, which confirmed the declared characteristics of the SCC. It is established that the developed compositions gain 70-90% of the grade strength for 3 days of curing. On this fact, it is possible to assume about potential economic effect for building sites obtained due to the acceleration of construction pace. It should be noted that this effect would be different in each of the sites, due to different influencing conditions. Thus, the pilots achieved savings of 5000 tenge per each cubic meter of poured SCC.