HIGH PERFORMANCE

CONCRETE - HPC
Fahim Al-Neshawy & Esko Sistonen
23.10.2015

Outlines
• Introduction
• Materials used in HPC
• Methods used for making HPC
• HPC - mix design
• Properties of HPC
• Advantages and disadvantages
• Applications
Introduction
• Based on the compressive strength; concrete
is normally classified as
Ø normal strength concrete,
Ø high strength concrete and
Ø ultra strength concrete.
• High performance concrete is necessary for
the construction of high rise building and long
span bridges.
• To achieve high strength, it necessary to use:
− high cement content
− with the lowest possible W/C ratio which
invariable affect the workability of the mix.

Introduction
• It is important to note the high-strength and high-
performance concrete are not synonymous.
• Concrete is defined as “high-strength concrete”
solely on the basis of its compressive strength
measured at a given age.
• In the 1970’s, any concrete mixtures that
showed 40 MPa or more compressive strength
at 28-days were designed as high-strength
concrete.
• Later, 60-100 MPa concrete mixtures were
commercially developed world.
 Definition - HPC
• Mehta used the term, high- performance
concrete (HPC) for concrete mixtures
possessing:
− high workability,
− high durability and
− high ultimate strength

• ACI defined high-performance concrete as a

concrete meeting special combinations of
performance and uniformity requirements that
cannot always be achieved routinely using
conventional constituents and normal mixing,
placing, and curing practice.
P.K. Mehta and P.J.M. Monteiro, Concrete: Microstructure, Properties, and Materials

HPC classification

• Normal Strength 20-50 MPa

• High Strength 50-100 MPa

• Ultra High Strength 100-150 MPa

• Especial > 150 MPa

Microstructure

MATERIALS
USED IN HPC
 Material Selection
The main ingredients of HPC are almost the same
as that of conventional concrete. These are:
1) Cement
2) Fine aggregate
3) Coarse aggregate
4) Water
5) Mineral admixtures (fine filler and/or
pozzolanic supplementary cementation
materials)
6) Chemical admixtures (plasticizers,
superplastisizers, retarders, air-entraining
agents)

Materials Used in High-Performance Concrete

Material Primary contribution/Desired property
Portland cement Cementing material/durability
Blended cement
Fly ash Cementing material/durability/high
Slag strength
Silica fume
Superplasticizers Flowability
High-range water reducers Reduce water to cement ratio
Hydration control admixtures
Control setting
Retarders
Accelerators Accelerate setting
Corrosion inhibitors Control steel corrosion
Water reducers Reduce cement and water content
Shrinkage reducers Reduce shrinkage
ASR inhibitors Control alkali-silica reactivity
Polymer/latex modifiers Durability
Improve workability and reduce paste
Optimally graded aggregate
demand
 Cements
• There are two important requirements for any
cement:
a) Strength development with time
• Cement with compressive strength up to 60
MPa for HSC
b) Facilitating appropriate rheological
characteristics for the fresh concrete
• Experience has shown that low-C3A cements
generally produce concrete with improved
rheology.
• Cement contents between 400 and 550 kg/m3
• Cement should compatible with the chemical
admixtures

Aggregates
• The higher the targeted compressive strength,
the smaller the maximum size of coarse
aggregate.
• Up to 70 MPa compressive strength can be
produced with a good coarse aggregate of a
maximum size ranging from 20 to 28 mm.
• To produce 100 MPa compressive strength
aggregate with a maximum size of 10 to 20
mm should be used.
• Concretes with compressive strengths of over
125 MPa have been produced, with 10 to 14
mm maximum size coarse aggregate.
Mineral admixtures
n GGBS, fly ash and natural pozzolans, not only
reduces the production cost of concrete, but
also addresses the slump loss problem.
n While silica fume is usually not necessary for
compressive strengths under 70 MPa, most
concrete mixtures contain it when higher
strengths are specified.
n Dosage rate 5% to 20% or higher by mass of
cementing material.
n Some specs. – silica fume 10% max.

Admixtures
n Use of admixtures is mandatory in high-performance
concrete:
n water reducers,

n retarders,

n superplasticizers

n Air-entraining admixtures not necessary or desirable

in protected high-strength concrete.
u Air is mandatory, where durability in a freeze-thaw
environment is required ie. bridges, piers, parking
structures
u Recent studies:
H w/cm ≥ 0.30 - air required
H w/cm < 0.25 - no air needed
Requirements of ingredients for HPC

METHODS USED
FOR MAKING HPC
Special methods for making HSC
1. Seeding

2. Re-vibration

3. High Speed Slurry

4. Use of admixtures

5. Inhibition of Cracks

6. Sulphur Impregnation

7. Use of Cementitious aggregates

Special methods for making HSC

1. Seeding:
This involves adding a small percentage of
finely ground, fully hydrated Portland cement to
the fresh concrete mix.

2. Revibration:
Controlled revibration removes all the defects
like bleeding, water accumulates , plastic
shrinkage, continuous capillary channels and
increases the strength of concrete.

3. High speed slurry [liete] mixing:

This process involves the advance preparation
of cement - water mixture which is then blended
with aggregate to produce concrete.
Special methods for making HSC
4. Use of admixtures:
Use of water reducing agents are known to
produce increased compressive strength.

5. Inhibition of cracks:
If the propagation of cracks is inhibited, the
strength will be higher.
Concrete cubes made this way have yielded
strength up to 105MPa.

Special methods for making HSC

6. Sulphur Impregnation:
Satisfactory high strength concrete have
been produced by impregnating low strength
porous concrete by sulphur.
The sulphur infiltrated concrete has given
strength up to 58 MPa.
7. Use of Cementitious aggregates:
Cement fondu is kind of clinker.
Using a slag as aggregate, strength up to 25
MPa has been obtained with water cement
ratio 0.32.
Air-cooled blast furnace slag
(ABS), coarse aggregate

Granulated blast furnace slag

(GBS), fine aggregate

HPC MIX DESIGN

 Mix design
• A generalized systematic approach to the selection
of mix proportions of HPCs has not yet been
developed
• Specific requirements to considered:
− Water content should be chosen on the basis of
the required w/c ratio (from strength
considerations)
− Excessive content of cementitious material
should be avoided (to control shrinkage)
− Compatibility between Portland cement and the
superplasticizer
− If air entrainment is to be used, mix proportions
have to be modified by trial and error

Mix design
1. Define proportioning strength
Average strength + effect of deviation
ex. fcr = fc + 1.3s
where σ is the standard deviation in MPa
The equation ensures that there is a 99% probability that the average of all
sets of three consecutive compressive strength tests must be equal to or
greater than f’c.

2. Define the amount of binder

C = cement
Si = Silica fume
Lt = Fly ash
Mk = Blastfurnace slag
From the report:
”Korkealujuuksisten betonien
suhteitus”; Penttala V. et. al.
(1990). Publication 108. Figure
from page 40.
Mix design
3. Calculate the amount of cement and
additional binders
Binder amount (C+2,5∙Si+0,3∙Lt+Mk)
4. Define the amount of (super)plasticizer as a
percentage of binder

Mix design
5. Define the water amount
Mix design
6. Calculate the amount of aggregate with
the basic equation of concrete.
The amount of air is assumed to be 10
dm3/m3

C = cement
Si = Silica fume
7. Define the components of the batch Lt = Fly ash
Mk =
8. Combine the aggregate Blastfurnace slag
I = air content
9. Make a trial batch Nt = Plasticizer
W = Water
R = Aggregates
Example of HPC mix design

PROPERTIES OF HPC
 Properties of HPC
• High modulus of elasticity
• High abrasion resistance
• High durability and long life in severe environments
• Low permeability and diffusion
• Resistance to chemical attack
• High resistance to frost and deicer scaling damage
• Toughness and impact resistance
• Ease of placement
• Chemical Attack
• Carbonation

High modulus of elasticity

 Low permeability and diffusion

• The durability and service life of concrete exposed to weather is

related to the permeability of the cover concrete protecting the
reinforcement.
• HPC typically has very low permeability to air, water, and chloride
ions.
• The dense pore structure of high-performance concrete makes it
so impermeable

• HSC is considerably more brittle than NSC.

• HSC behaves linearly up to a stress level which is about
90% of the peak stress, whereas lower strength
concrete shows nearly no linear part at all
• When the peak stress has been reached, the stress
decays rapidly in high strength concrete.
Durability parameters
1. Water/ (cement + mineral admixture) ratio
2. Strength
3. Densification of cement paste
4. Elimination of bleeding
5. Homogeneity of the mix
6. Particle size distribution
7. Dispersion of cement in the fresh mix
8. Stronger transition zone
9. Low free lime content
10.Very little free water in hardened concrete
 High abrasion resistance
• Abrasion resistance is directly related to the
strength of concrete.
• This makes high strength HPC ideal for
abrasive environments.
• The abrasion resistance of HPC incorporating
silica fume is especially high.
• This makes silica fume concrete particularly
useful for spillways and stilling basins, and
concrete pavements or concrete pavement
overlays subjected to heavy or abrasive traffic.

High durability and long life in severe

environments
• Durability problems of NSC can be associated with
the severity of the environment and the use of
inappropriate high water/binder ratios.
• HPC that have a water/binder ratio between 0.30
and 0.40 are usually more durable than NSC not
only because they are less porous, but also
because their capillary and pore networks are
somewhat disconnected due to the development of
self-desiccation.
• In high-performance concrete (HPC), the
penetration of aggressive agents is quite difficult
and only superficial
High resistance to frost and deicer
scaling damage
• Because of its very low W/C ratio (<0.30), HPC
should be highly resistant to both scaling and
physical breakup due to freezing and thawing.

Resistance to chemical attack

• For resistance to chemical attack on most
structures, HPC offers a much improved
performance.

• Resistance to various sulfates is achieved

primarily by the use of a dense, strong
concrete of very low permeability and low
water-to-cementing materials ratio; these are
all characteristics of HPC.

• Similarly resistance to acid from wastes is

also much improved.
 Carbonation
• HPC has a very good resistance to carbonation
due to its low permeability.
• In practical terms, non-cracked HPC cover
concrete is immune to carbonation to a depth
that would

Properties - summary
Flowability/pumpability Easier
Workability/compactability Easier
Bleeding None or negligible
Finishing Quicker
Setting time Slower up to 2 h
Early strength (up to 7-day) Lower but can be accelerated
Ultimate strength- 90day + Higher
Crack resistance Higher
• Plastic shrinkage Higher (if unprotected)
• Thermal shrinkage Lower
• Drying shrinkage Lower
Resistance to penetration of chloride ions Very high after 3 months
Electrical resistivity Very high after 3 months
Durability
• Resistance to sulfate attack Very high
• Resistance to alkali-silica expansion Very high
• Resistance to reinforcement corrosion High
Environmental benefits
Very high
(reduced CO2 emission)
 ADVANTAGES /
DISADVANTAGES

Advantages of using HPC

• Reduction in member size, resulting in increase in
plinth area/useable area and direct savings in the
concrete volume saved.
• Reduction in the self-weight and super-imposed
DL with the accompanying saving due to smaller
foundations.
• Reduction in form-work area and cost with the
accompanying reduction in shoring and stripping
time due to high early-age gain in strength.
• Construction of High –rise buildings with the
accompanying savings in real-estate costs in
congested areas.
Advantages of using HPC
• Longer spans and fewer beams for the same
magnitude of loading.
• Reduced axial shortening of compression
supporting members.
• Reduction in the number of supports and the
supporting foundations due to the increase in
spans.
• Reduction in the thickness of floor slabs and
supporting beam sections- which are a major
component of the weight and cost of the majority
of structures.

Advantages of using HPC

• Superior long-term service performance under
static, dynamic and fatigue loading.
• Low creep and shrinkage.
• Greater stiffness as a result of a higher
modulus,Ec
• Higher resistance to freezing and thawing,
chemical attack, and significantly improved long-
term durability and crack propagation.
• Reduced maintenance and repairs.
• Smaller loss in value as a fixed cost.
Disadvantages
The current disadvantages of HPC pointed out
by some engineers include:
− the initially higher construction bid prices to
be expected with the use of any new
technology
− quality control concerns related to various
material selection, testing methods in use
and the number of tests
− Instabilities concerns that could result
from reduced stiffness
− Fire resistance concerns

HSC APPLICATIONS
 The East Bridge of the Great Belt Link
in Denmark, (1994)

• Concrete structures à 100 years

• High-quality precast concrete segments were
fabricated on dry docks under controlled environment.
• Even for the 50,000-tonne precast concrete units,
construction tolerances were within a few centimeters

The Confederation Bridge in Canada (1997)

The Confederation Bridge in Canada (1997)

http://www.ce.berkeley.edu/~paulmont/241/
high_performance_concrete.pdf

The Normandie Bridge in France (1993)

The Normandie Bridge in France (1993)
http://www.ce.berkeley.edu/~paulmont/241/
high_performance_concrete.pdf

• Approximately 35,000 m3 of 60-Grade HPC

(60 MPa specified strength at 28 days) were
used in the construction of pylons and
cantilever beams.
• The concrete mixture was composed of:
− 425 kg/m3 blended Portland cement
− containing 8% silica fume,
− 770 kg/m3 fine aggregate,
− 1065 kg/m3 coarse aggregate of 20mm
max. size,
− 153 kg/m3 water (w/cm=0.36), and
− 11 L/m3 of melamine-type superplasticizer.

Water Tower Place: Shopping mall in

Chicago (1975 )
Water Tower Place: Shopping mall in
Chicago (1975)

Summary
• Definition of HPS, HSC and NSC
• Materials used in HPC (cement, mineral and
chemical admixtures, aggregates)
• Methods used for making HPC
• HPC - mix design
• Advantages and disadvantages of the use of
HPS
• HPC Applications